Leadership Style Self-Assessment

Why Leadership Style Matters

A successful leader knows that every team is unique, with different practices and preferences. As a senior professional, your leadership style doesn't just impact team morale, it shapes strategic execution, culture, retention, and long-term performance. However, even experienced leaders can default to habit instead of mindfully considering their leadership approach.

What This Assessment Will Help You:
This self-assessment will help you to identify your core leadership styles, so that you can:
Areas for Development
Pinpoint opportunities to grow your leadership capabilities.
Potential Blind Spots
Identify areas you might be overlooking in your approach.
Leadership Narrative
Refine a compelling story for interviews and networking.
Team Conversations
Guide discussions with your current or future team.

There are four core leadership styles highlighted in this assessment, each offering a different approach to influence and team performance: Directive, Visionary, Democratic, and Coaching.

Directive Leadership
Visionary Leadership
Democratic Leadership
Coaching Leadership

This self-assessment draws on four of the most commonly referenced leadership styles from Goleman’s emotional intelligence framework, along with other styles discussed in modern leadership literature. It provides insight into natural tendencies and areas for development. For those interested in exploring further, see works by Greenleaf, Bass & Avolio, and Goleman.

How to Complete This Assessment

For each question, select the answer that most closely matches your typical leadership approach.