ABSTRACT
True mastery of leadership agility involves more than only quickly and graciously switching between the existing leadership styles in response to the needs of the situation. It also involves more than adapting to the changing conditions by expanding the repertoire to include leadership styles on the opposite side of the various style dimensions. A leader can move from participation to setting direction, followed by more participation, all in the same meeting, or could combine these styles over a period of months, leading a team through a varied decision-making process. Innovative leadership styles are based on new combinations of the existing opposite archetypes. The thinking process starts with an open-minded examination of the qualities and pitfalls of a pair of opposite leadership styles. Without leadership, organizations would function mechanistically, with decisions made and communicated via the formal channels of hierarchy and motivation stimulated by carrots and sticks linked to key performance indicators.
