Success Advice
How to Leverage Your Leadership Style for Business Success

When we hear that leaders should operate within their zone(s) of genius, it’s easy to think that this only applies to tasks that they excel at. Whilst this is true, the piece of the puzzle that is often overlooked is the positive correlation between a leader’s zone of genius and their leadership style.
This is important because not knowing your leadership style can lead to frustration, friction and, ultimately, failure to meet KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) as you try to grow and scale your business.
Want to know how you can avoid these pitfalls? Keep reading to discover where you fall within the following 3 common leadership styles:
Value Creator
This type of leader wants to create value for their consumers and teammates. The core concerns for this type of leader are: Is my product selling? Are people engaging with my brand after signing up? Are they telling others about it? These are important things that a value creator wants to measure and improve.
This type of leadership style is often found in marketing executives or salespeople, because they have a clear understanding of the business and its product’s value proposition. These are the people who go out into the world to communicate why people should buy into their product. Well-known value creators Steve Jobs. Elon Musk and Gary Vee.
Value creator strengths
- Possess great sales and marketing skills
- Have an excellent understanding of their business, brand and product value
- Know how to create value by bringing together various industries. For example, Steve Jobs was a value creator. He brought technology and music together, creating the iPod and a great demand and desire for the product
Value creator weaknesses
- Their strong belief in their business and product can lead to them not seeking advice or listening to others
- While the value creator’s personality and sales flair leads to success, it can cause friction amongst teammates and other leaders, as they may want things done their way
- Over-selling the benefits of their product is another pitfall that can cause the value creator to lose credibility if their product does not live up to expectations
The Business operator
Are you a value creator? If not, you might just be a business operator. A business operator is concerned about the systems and technology that keep the business running. Unlike the value creator, whose strengths are mostly seen outside the business through sales and marketing, the business operator excels in the day-to-day operations of the business. This is why they are also known as the “systems operators”.
Examples of successful business operators are Jeff Bezos and Jack Welch, who have both been able to build and scale-up big entities by improving their respective business models.
Business operator strengths
- Have a deep understanding of how each department and system is connected and how this impacts the overall business
- Keep the business running and growing through innovative business models and systems
Business operator weaknesses
- Business operators can be too focused on systems which could make them too rigid and stifle creativity
- Their focus on the business systems can make them lose touch with people within the company or feel that they are expendable in comparison
The People developer
Are you a leader who wants to see their team grow, be fulfilled by their jobs and ultimately be happy? Then you might be a people developer. The name gives it away, but here’s a brief explanation of this leadership style. A people developer wants to develop and nurture talent in their teammates.
Think of Oprah or, more specifically, the Oprah Winfrey Show. From the crew to the cast that came onto the show, everyone was given the opportunity to showcase their talent, their new book or their story. The show led to newly discovered pop sensations and even bestselling books. This wasn’t just the so-called “Oprah effect” in action, but a testament to her leadership style.
The people developer creates a happy environment for employees, as their job satisfaction will result in them staying in the business and performing at their best.
People developer strengths
- Have an ability to build relationships with employees and customers
- Can grow and develop talent, resulting in skilled employees and increased productivity
- Can create healthy and happy work environments that promote employee satisfaction
People developer weaknesses
- The people developer can be a people-pleaser
- They may grow an attachment to their teammates which can make it hard to enforce company rules and deadlines
- A people developer may struggle with enforcing repercussions
- They may struggle with giving negative feedback
As the business landscape changes, so is the face of leadership and styles of leadership within business. Good leadership is one that is connected to the business’ marketing, its systems and its people. While others may naturally have one or two of these leadership styles, every leader can learn how to see things from a Value creators point of view, a Business operator’s and a People developer’s too. Having a diverse leadership structure that includes various types of leadership styles is essential to the success of a business in this ever-changing world.
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”
While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.
Why This Gap Exists
Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.
What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.
Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap
Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.
1. Practice Mutual Empathy
Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.
2. Maintain Professional Boundaries
Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.
3. Follow the Golden Rule
Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.
4. Avoid Micromanagement
Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.
5. Empower Employees to Grow
Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.
6. Communicate in All Directions
Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.
7. Overcome Insecurities
Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.
8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship
True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.
9. Eliminate Favoritism
Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.
10. Recognize Efforts Promptly
Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.
11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews
When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.
12. Provide Leadership Development
Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.
13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles
Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.
The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role
Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:
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Build diverse talent pipelines
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Embrace flexible work models
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Design compelling career paths
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Simplify HR processes
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Redefine the value HR brings
The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.
Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff
When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.
Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.
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