What's your leadership communication style with staff and volunteers?

1 Directive Style

A directive leader communicates with authority, clarity, and urgency. You tell your staff and volunteers what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. You don't leave much room for debate or input. This style can be useful when you need to make quick decisions, deal with crises, or enforce rules and standards. However, it can also be perceived as bossy, rigid, or insensitive. If you use this style too often or inappropriately, you may alienate your staff and volunteers, reduce their creativity and initiative, and create a culture of fear and compliance.

2 Participative Style

A participative leader communicates with collaboration, inclusion, and empowerment. You involve your staff and volunteers in decision-making, problem-solving, and planning. You listen to their ideas, opinions, and feedback. You value their contributions and recognize their achievements. This style can be effective when you want to build trust, loyalty, and commitment among your staff and volunteers. You also benefit from their diverse perspectives and experiences. However, this style can also be time-consuming, chaotic, or indecisive. If you use this style too much or inappropriately, you may lose focus, authority, or accountability.

3 Inspirational Style

An inspirational leader communicates with vision, passion, and charisma. You inspire your staff and volunteers with a compelling purpose, a shared mission, and a clear direction. You appeal to their emotions, values, and aspirations. You motivate them to overcome challenges, pursue excellence, and make a difference. This style can be powerful when you want to create a positive, enthusiastic, and resilient culture in your nonprofit. You also attract and retain talented and dedicated staff and volunteers. However, this style can also be unrealistic, vague, or manipulative. If you use this style too much or inappropriately, you may ignore the details, risks, or limitations of your goals. You may also create unrealistic expectations or dependencies among your staff and volunteers.

4 Supportive Style

A supportive leader communicates with empathy, compassion, and respect. You care about your staff and volunteers as individuals, not just as resources. You understand their needs, challenges, and emotions. You provide them with guidance, support, and encouragement. You create a safe, respectful, and supportive environment for them to grow and thrive. This style can be beneficial when you want to foster a sense of belonging, well-being, and satisfaction among your staff and volunteers. You also reduce stress, burnout, and turnover in your nonprofit. However, this style can also be lenient, passive, or overprotective. If you use this style too much or inappropriately, you may compromise your standards, goals, or feedback. You may also create a culture of dependency, complacency, or entitlement.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?