What's your natural leadership style?

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Quiz Questions

1.
Which phrase are you most likely to use when addressing your team?
- A.
  “Now hear this!”
- B.
  “How do you feel about this?”
- C.
  “The process is this...”
- D.
  “Consider this...“
- E.
  “Picture this...”
- F.
  “I’d like your input on this.“
- G.
  Sorry, why would I be addressing my team? Doesn’t seem like something I’d do.
2.
Where do you feel most at home?
- A.
  In a design studio.
- B.
  Teaching someone a new skill.
- C.
  In the military.
- D.
  On a factory floor.
- E.
  In an airplane.
- F.
  At a town hall forum.
- G.
  Volunteering in your community.
3.
Your favorite part about being a leader is…
- A.
  The sense of calm and contentment that comes from seeing my team operate like a well-oiled machine: efficient, reliable, predictable.
- B.
  It includes all the best parts of being a parent: caring, expressing (office-appropriate) affection, smoothing the path for someone, etc. But you get to skip the nasty bits like changing diapers and arguing about screen time limits.
- C.
  I get to bring my “wild ideas” to life.
- D.
  Everybody has to do what I say! (I mean, duhhh.)
- E.
  Helping my team members realize their own potential. I take as much (or more) pleasure in their successes as I do in my own!
- F.
  I get a ton of time to dream up and pursue special projects while my team goes about the business-as-usual stuff.
- G.
  It’s like an idealized version of being a politician. I get to listen to input and understand all sides, then devise solutions that do the greatest good.
4.
How do you make decisions with your team?
- A.
  Step 1: we brainstorm options as a team. Step 2: we consider each option against our big-picture goals. Step 3: I choose the option I think is best.
- B.
  I first try to understand any relevant company policies, goals, and established traditions. The decision pretty much makes itself from there.
- C.
  I present the issue to my team and ask them to come back to me with a recommendation. Nine times out of ten, I’ll go with that.
- D.
  What do you mean “with my team?” I just, like, make the decision. Boom. Done. Onward.
- E.
  I ask for everybody’s input and allow time for group discussion. Then we usually put it to a vote or try to reach a consensus.
- F.
  Whenever possible, I’ll delegate the decision to a member of my team with solid subject-area expertise. This gives them a chance to develop their own leadership skills.
- G.
  I usually know the direction to go, but will bring my team on the journey by asking for their input. Along the way, I’ll challenge their thinking with questions like “Why?” and “How do we know that?”
5.
Which animal do you most identify with?
- A.
  Wolves – highly coordinated and ordered as a pack (also, furry).
- B.
  Ants – they are the masters of working as equal partners to accomplish big things.
- C.
  Cats – they do what they want whenever they want and generally have a live-and-let-live attitude.
- D.
  Elephants – committed to the group, communicative, learn skills through play.
- E.
  Horses – loyal, useful in loads of different ways, known for clearing away (or leaping over) obstacles.
- F.
  Eagles – could there be anything better than soaring high above and seeing the biggest of big pictures?!
- G.
  Tigers – independent, proud, powerful.
6.
How do you deal with poor performance on your team?
- A.
  I challenge them to dream up a project they’d be excited to work on. Passion and purpose are the key to better performance.
- B.
  Swiftly and severely. Either get the job done, or get out of the way.
- C.
  I’m pretty hands-off. In my experience, poor performers either get their act together on their own or leave the company before too long.
- D.
  In accordance with company policies and guidance from our HR team.
- E.
  I ask that person what they need in order to be successful and do my best to deliver on that.
- F.
  I give them direct but compassionate feedback on the areas they’re struggling in, then assign them to projects that will help improve these skills.
- G.
  I collect input from other team members as to how we can collectively help that person get back on track.
7.
Which best describes your approach to planning a vacation?
- A.
  I let my travel companions take the lead, but also give feedback based on what I think worked (or didn’t) on past trips.
- B.
  Study every guide book and review site to see what gets the highest ratings. I mean, why reinvent the wheel?
- C.
  Gather lots of ideas, share them with my traveling companions, and try to a reach consensus. It’s important that everybody feels excited about what we’re doing.
- D.
  Wing it. The fewer advance reservations, the more exciting the trip!
- E.
  Go for the full-on dream vacation as my starting point, and pare it down only where I have to.
- F.
  I make most (if not all) the decisions. I’m a natural “cruise director!”
- G.
  Start by asking my travel companions (and myself!) what we want to get out of the trip. That will be my North Star through the planning process.

Quiz Outcomes

1.
Authoritarian
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You make all the decisions, hold all the power, and have little desire or need to gather team input. Employees and teammates are just people who follow orders. It's a dated approach to management that belongs more in a mobster movie than in the modern workplace.Other notable authoritarian leaders: Darth Vader (Star Wars), Tywin Lannister (Game of Thrones)To start your leadership transformation journey, check out this article with five research-backed ways to become a more empathetic manager:
2.
Bureaucratic
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Bureaucratic leader, you tend to prioritize rules, policy, and maintaining the status quo. You're happy to listen to employees, but often view new ideas as “too risky.” Other notable bureaucratic leaders: Principal Skinner (The Simpsons), Major Major Major Major (Catch-22)Ready to loosen up a bit? Check out these seven leadership secrets and see if they can help you take your game from good to great:
3.
Democratic
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As a democratic leader, you rely on every team member providing input to help the team move towards the best decisions. Sounds great, right? Other notable democratic leaders: Danerys Targaryan (Game of Thrones), Simba (The Lion King)The catch is that decisions can drag out for weeks (or months!) if you’re not careful. Here’s one team’s way of avoiding that:
4.
Coach
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Coach-style leadership relies on your ability to connect your team’s capabilities to the right strategic opportunities. The catch is that it’s hard to do this at scale. Other notable coach-style leaders: Aragorn (Lord of the Rings), Mr. Miyagi (The Karate Kid)In the spirit of “teaching a person to fish,” share this article with your team members. It breaks down three essential skills that will help them manage their own career development:
5.
Visionary
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Also known as “transformational leadership,” this is the style typically revered in organizations that prioritize growth. Other notable visionary leaders: Morpheus (The Matrix), John Hammond (Jurassic Park)Your biggest challenges are making sure you’re taking the concrete steps necessary to bring your vision to life, and empowering your team members. If you’re not familiar with the Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) framework for working toward long-term goals, now is the time to check it out.
6.
Servant
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You’re the type of leader who is focused on elevating their team members first, knowing that their success reflects well on you and that your own reward will follow. Other notable servant leaders: Professor McGonegall (Harry Potter), George Bailey (It’s a Wonderful Life)The care you show your team members is awesome, but make sure you’re taking care of you, too. Check out this article to learn the warning signs of burnout and get tips for preventing it:
7.
Laissez-faire
As a fan of ultra-hands-off leadership, you essentially transfer all authority to employees, which gives them a sense of empowerment. Plus, it frees you up to work on bigger-picture strategic stuff. Other notable laissez-faire leaders: Captiain Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Carribean), Han Solo (Star Wars)You’re the opposite of a micromanager, and that’s a Good Thing™! But still: a little bit of direction from you can help your team do their work with more confidence. With a specific project in mind, try our go-to technique for identifying trade-offs. It’ll get everyone on the same page regarding what to optimize for, how rigid to be about it, and what concessions might be involved.