Do you exercise autocratic leadership with your hairstylist?
Using the Google Analytics tool, you find that some of the most common styles of leadership are: laissez faire, transactional, situational, charismatic, and autocratic leadership.
Clearly leaders are interested in identifying their particular style of leadership.
So in the 1900s, such theories as the three basic leadership styles were developed by psychologist Kurt Lewin and other researchers.
Those three basic leadership styles are: Authoritarian (Autocratic), Participative (Democratic) and Delegative (Laissez-Faire).”
While I won’t expand on these 3 leadership styles in this article, I want to provide a broader leadership analogy to the hairstyle we choose.
I personally thought a lot about my leadership style when I got a new hair style, recently.
I wondered if people judged me as a leader based on whether my hair was short or long, blonde or brunette.
Does your leadership style make you feel vulnerable?
There’s almost nothing that can make you feel more vulnerable than getting a new hairstyle and showing up to work.
O.k. well, at least to me — getting a “new do” is right up there in the Brené Brown ranks of vulnerability.
In the beauty shop this week, I started to get all in my head about how our hairstyle reflects our personality.
Beyond that, our hairstyle and approach to maintenance, may reflect our leadership style—I pondered.
I’m the type who rarely goes for a haircut. I don’t have a regular beautician to whom I’ve pledged lifelong loyalty. I’ve never scheduled a hair appointment more than a few hours in advance. I also don’t mind getting drastic styles. I’ve cut and colored my own hair. I’m not opposed to letting a friend with a good heart and no experience take scissors to my hair. If I wake up in the mood for something new, cutting my own hair right then and there is often the quickest fix.
Perhaps this would put me in the Laissez-Faire category of leadership.
How do you interact with others when decision making?
At my most recent appointment, the stylist spun me around in the chair and said,
“So, what are we doing today?”
“I don’t know, I said. What do you think?”
After a few questions back and forth. She said,
“You really don’t want to make this decision, do you?”
I thought,
“Isn’t there a reason she is certified to cut and color hair? Can’t she just make a professional recommendation? Shouldn’t she be ecstatic that I’ve given her free reign of my crown? But, for a moment, I felt a bit self-conscious,
“Am I just indecisive and incapable of knowing exactly what I want?”
New leaders can be self conscious about their leadership style
Being a new leader, taking on a new role as a manager, is also up there in the ranks of memorable moments of vulnerability.
Like showing up to work with a bob when bobs aren’t really the thing anymore.
Or showing up to work with a bowl cut, because you should have insisted on a bit more razor shaping before you left the salon.
What I’ve learned is that every leader has a default leadership style and every leadership style serves a purpose in both the growth and stability of an organization.
Participative, delegative, or autocratic leadership each have positive and negative aspects
One wig does not fit all.
Also, different cuts for different seasons and a myriad of reasons.
Can you imagine everyone walking around the halls at work with carbon copy hairstyles?
Neither should you expect that every leader will have or should have the same leadership style.
I’ve personally pulled off some impressive leadership feats by keeping an open mind, going with the flow, and resisting the urge to lock in every detail–or schedule regular haircuts.
The truth is, ego tells me my leadership style is superior because it gets results—for me. The catch is, my leadership style may not look good on you.
Accepting your style as a leader can enhance your ability to lead
Have you ever had haircut envy and tried a cute cut that looked really flattering on so-in-so, only to discover it didn’t look so hot on you? (Even though most everyone said, “I love your new style!”)
The hairstyle you choose doesn’t affect your ability to lead, but being able to accept your leadership style, will determine the finesse with which you’re able to make a positive difference as a leader.
Don’t forget to schedule your next haircut! Or not.
LoveLifeLinks.com believes you can embrace your leadership style and learn to love leading as your authentic self.
Remember, you can feel love. Anywhere. Anytime. All the time.
