Episode 159: Is One Leadership Style Better Than Others?

Key Learnings

1. No One Leadership Style Is Universally Better

Despite longstanding debates and popular frameworks like Daniel Goleman’s six leadership styles, the research from Zenger Folkman found no statistically significant difference in overall effectiveness among the four styles studied—Expert, Connector, Driver, and Strategist. What matters more is how well a leader executes their chosen style, not which one they use.

2. Each Leadership Style Has a Distinct Pattern of Strengths

Each style brings its own unique set of advantages:

• Experts excel in problem-solving, innovation, and technical depth.

• Connectors shine in relationship-building, inclusion, and collaboration.

• Drivers focus on performance, results, and integrity.

• Strategists are strong in future-focused thinking, change management, and external awareness.

These patterns help leaders understand where they naturally thrive and what areas might need more attention.

3. Effectiveness Comes From Developing Key Strengths, Not Mastering Everything

Highly effective leaders consistently have three to five well-developed leadership competencies, often ranking in the top percentiles in those areas. Trying to master every leadership behavior is neither realistic nor necessary. Instead, leaders should double down on their strengths and ensure they don’t have any major “fatal flaws.”

4. Self-Awareness and Style Alignment Are Crucial

The research reinforces the idea that leadership effectiveness improves when people lean into their natural style—whether it’s technical expertise, relationship-building, results-orientation, or strategic thinking—and work to elevate it intentionally. Leaders don’t need to change who they are, but they do need to be aware of potential blind spots and proactively manage them.

5. Leadership Development Should Be Individualized, Not One-Size-Fits-All

Rather than pushing everyone toward a single “ideal” leadership model, organizations and leaders benefit more from identifying natural styles, cultivating standout strengths, and filling in critical gaps. This approach encourages authentic leadership and allows for diverse leadership profiles to succeed in different organizational contexts.

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