Though becoming a leader may be daunting, every experienced leader was once a beginner. The doubts that arise and remain unaddressed at the beginning of your leadership journey can sidetrack your leadership career.

The good news is: that we are here to help you with all these doubts and more!

What is my leadership style?

Leadership style is something that is developed over time and also learned depending on the context. Therefore, first-time leaders have not had enough time to understand and evolve their style.

There are six most common leadership styles today. We will talk about each one and, who knows, perhaps you can identify with one. 

• Chaos leader: this type of leader follows a more laissez-faire leadership style by not providing input on the team’s activities and not taking the initiative to structure the group;

• Push-over leader: the push-over leader may be too nice sometimes, usually trying to provide a comfortable environment instead of an effective one;

• Dictator leader: a top down leader, the dictator doesn’t leave space for other people’s opinions. Hierarchical organizations breed this type of leadership but the bad news is that the workforce of the future won’t stand for it much longer;

• Coach leader: a true coach can cultivate the distinct capabilities of each team member, and while teaching new skills, they can also value the ones that the employee already has;

• Inspirer leader: the inspirer leader has followers and fandoms. Yet, that doesn’t necessarily means success: it is important to inspire others, but also bring about organization and ability to deliver;

• Servant leader: a servant leader is focused on providing direction and removing obstacles while allowing the team to do their best work.

Now, it is time for you to think about how you act in your day-to-day activities and at work. Discovering your leadership style can be tricky, but it will help you a lot as a first-time leader!

The good news is that we have a great article about leadership styles in movies and TV shows: learn more! 

How do I solve conflicts at work?

Conflicts at work will arise (more or less frequently) and, as a leader, it may become your responsibility to facilitate a resolution and get everyone back on track.

Let’s not kid ourselves: this is a more complicated task, as it requires managing people and their emotions. 

We can say that the 4 main conflicts at work are:

1. Poor communication: occurs a lot when people don’t communicate well, leading to misunderstandings, noise, and cross-information.
2. Workload management: generates stress in employees and can even lead to work-related illnesses, such as burnout.
3. Personality clashes: The larger the company, the greater the chances of personality clashes You have to manage all personalities in an empathetic environment.
4. Resistance to change: common in more traditional employees, but harmful to the company as a whole.

There are no cut and dry solutions to any of these.  However, learning to have difficult conversations that are tailored to personalities on your team will go a long way.  Ensure you are prepared, have your facts documented and ready to talk about without getting emotional about them. 

Do I have innate leadership abilities?

First-time leaders have a great tendency to criticize and doubt themselves. However, this is bad for both performance and mental health.

Have faith in yourself and acknowledge that your promotion is likely well-deserved! A good leader has not only technical capabilities but also confidence in what he / she stands for and his / her his techniques. It is thanks to this self-confidence that employees will feel motivated to follow you.

It is important to also keep in mind that leadership skills can be and are learned – and that often it is only time that will allow further development as a leader. Mistakes and successes are essential in this process, so don’t avoid mistakes and learn from them instead!

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