Your leadership style matters more than you think 
Your leadership style is made up of strengths and traits. Understanding your style and that of others can be incredibly helpful, not to mention strategic. Doing so gives you an edge and it enables you to work in a complementary manner with those around you in order to achieve your goals.
Research conducted by Gallup® summarises Four Domains of Leadership. People from one domain may have some of the strengths in another too, but Gallup found that these four distinct areas of strengths existed amongst leaders. Your leadership style is defined by how concentrated your strengths are in one of the four domains:
1. Executing: People with dominant executing themes know how to make things happen. They are consistently hard working and focussed. People with these traits are disciplined and responsible.
TIP: Working with an Executor? Talk to them about timelines and who will do what, how, and by when.
2. Influencing: These people are self assured and good communicators. People with dominant influencing themes know how to take charge, speak up, and make sure the team is heard. This is helpful when you need to reach a wider audience.
TIP: If you need to influence an Influencer, discuss your concerns with them so they can share them with the wider team.
3. Relationship Building: This group are all about connectedness, empathy, positivity and inclusiveness. They have the ability to build strong relationships that can hold a team together and make the team greater than the sum of its parts.
TIP: If you are working with Relationship Builders, then be sure to focus on establishing a strong relationship first, before you try to get anything else from them.
4. Strategic Thinking: People with dominant strategic thinking themes help teams consider what could be. They absorb and analyse information that can inform better decisions.They can take an idea and come up with the best way to take it forward. They are analytical, strategic and think outside the box.
TIP: If you work with someone who’s domain is a Strategic Thinker, make sure you present data or research to help present your business case.
The Gallup Research is useful for understanding work dynamics. Think about the leadership domain you fall into. Being aware of your own style may help you in your work with others. And you can aim for a mix of qualities within leadership teams, or when you’re hiring new leaders in your business.