“Leaders can flex their styles to fit the environment as often as they have to. They take the time to know their employees personally and care about them on a deeper level. But most importantly they always place others before themselves.”
-Andrew LeMasters, Spearhead Development Group
What does it mean to be a natural born leader? While some individuals showcase ‘leadership skills’ from an early age, others may argue that there is a leader within us all. The understanding of leadership continues to be understood in different ways, including ‘the quiet leaders’, the CEOs, and the everyday champions that lead by example in every challenge they take on. It doesn’t matter if you’re a single mom or the CEO of a fortune 500 company. To be a leader is simply to place others before oneself.
The Ten Types of Leaders
In the workplace, there is no one size fits all approach to leadership. In fact, according to Indeed, there are at least 10 common leadership styles. A Coach is defined as the type of leader who quickly recognizes the strengths, weaknesses, and motivations of the team. The Coach will push employees towards the fulfillment of their potential, providing challenging projects and regular feedback along their journey. A Visionary leader is recognized for inspiring employees and building trust among a team. The Servant leader highlights employee satisfaction and collaboration as well; oftentimes cited as the ‘fun’ leadership style. This type would send employees on a trip to Camino de Santiago for example. T
he results-focused Autocratic leader will often make efficient decisions on his or her own or with the help of a small group. Meanwhile, a Laissez-Faire type of leader strives to limit supervision, delegating a variety of tasks to different team members. The list goes on and just about anyone could easily identify with one of these styles or a mix of several different approaches. Ultimately, leadership involves many different layers and as any great leader knows, leadership is all about intent. What do you wish to achieve? How do you wish to promote growth among the team? The company? The industry? These are the kinds of questions we must ask ourselves to identify the best approach to leadership.
And yet, the question remains, can leadership be taught? According to Andrew LeMasters, founder of e-learning platform, Spearhead Development, the answer is a resounding yes. “My goal is to revolutionize the way leaders are developed,” he says.
Building Resilience
LeMasters’ interest in leadership bloomed throughout his career in the U.S Army Special Forces. Joining the Special Forces, he began to learn what leadership truly means, embracing personal growth and the opportunity to learn from others. Later in life, Lemasters began to confront some of the tougher lessons, falling ill and eventually getting medically discharged from the Army. “I felt completely lost. I went from being Special Forces, jumping out of planes, late nights, early mornings and never being in the same place for more than a month or two to being a full-time student that never left the house and felt isolated from the world.”
Despite the challenges he faced at home, LeMasters began to take inventory of his skills, determined to succeed in this next phase of his life. He quickly realized that leadership was at the heart of everything he knew. It was the “why” behind everything. “You have to know the “why” behind everything you do because without it, you will just quit when things get hard,” he states. “The reason for doing something has to be strong enough to carry you through the storms. If you can’t answer the question, “why do I want to reach my goals” you won’t get there.”
Learning and Teaching Leadership
Leading with deep inner wisdom and conviction, LeMasters’ passion project, Spearhead Development has grown into a trusted online platform that can be accessed from any device and during any stage along an individual’s journey. The program consists of one video a day followed by a quick quiz to ensure that users are grasping key concepts. It may be completed over the course of two months, breaking information down into smaller chunks that can be understood and applied over time.
Leveraging experience in the military, Special Forces, and leadership space, Andrew LeMasters leaves us with his own definition and understanding of leadership. “Leaders do everything a manager can and so much more. They can create environments that breed innovation. They understand different personality types and how to communicate with each one and in return welcome diversity. Leaders can flex their styles to fit the environment as often as they have to. They take the time to know their employees personally and care about them on a deeper level. But most importantly they always place others before themselves.”