Seasoned Leadership

There’s a style for every situation

By Dr. Sam Adeyemi

There are nearly 20 different types of salt in the world. Iodized. Kosher. Sea. Himalayan pink. Red Hawaiian. Black lava. Epsom.

Each salt performs best for a specific application. Himalayan pink is used for finishing dishes. Red Hawaiian makes an excellent salt rub or cooked fish seasoning. Black lava is smoky and known for its healing properties. Meanwhile, Epsom goes into your bath to help soothe aches and pains.

The highest levels of leadership can feel very similar. There is no singular leadership style that addresses every problem with grace and understanding. There is no magic bullet that can clear away problems for every type of team member. The best leaders always understand they need to pick the right leadership style for the right situation—the right salt for the right application.

1. Multigenerational—engage equally with every age bracket. As of this writing, I am 58 years old. I’m a family man. I’m intensely religious, and I’ve seen maybe a few minutes of Japanese animation in my entire life. However, just the other day, I submitted one of my favorite written pieces of the year, and the introduction was designed around a metaphor from Dragon Ball Z, a widely popular manga and anime series. Why? Because I listen to every voice on my team. You never know when there is a valuable lesson to be learned.
2. Multicultural—create a space that encourages cultural expression. Diversity is something you want in the workplace. According to a 2021 Forrester study, 60% of sales team members believe diversity affords them greater success, and a McKinsey study noted that companies in the top quartile of ethnic diversity have a 27% chance of outperforming their peers. That said, diversity is also something that’s inevitable for every industry, which means successful leaders need to understand how to cultivate and sustain diversity in a peaceful manner.
3. Global—empower employees from the very beginning. When they’re young, children don’t often look at themselves as vehicles for change. In their mind, the world is somewhat immovable, and they are simply living their life right along with it. What exactly changes their minds? Likely it’s whatever moment made them realize they actually possessed the power to change things themselves. You see, empowerment always comes before engagement. A Gallup study noted that only about 20% of employees around the world report feeling engaged at work. Employee empowerment is directly linked to innovation, which is why leaders of large global teams must ensure every employee immediately understands they have the power to contribute to the company in a meaningful way.
4. Team—make mentorships happen at every opportunity. A multidisciplinary analysis of mentorships in the Journal of Vocational Behavior revealed two truths that every executive needs to hear: (1) mentorships yield “favorable behavioral, attitudinal, health-related, relational, [and] motivational” outcomes across the board, and (2) some of the most impactful mentorships occur in the workplace. All a successful leader needs to do is encourage these mentorships at every opportunity—no matter the pairing. After all, partnerships are much more powerful when they develop naturally.
5. Vision and Values—be inclusive and transparent no matter the context. Vision- and values-based leadership can be very powerful. At the same time, studies that show a link between visionary leadership and organizational gains are quick to underscore the importance of employees feeling included in that future orientation. This visionary communication needs to be transparent—it needs to feel genuine. Employees who receive regular updates from executives will be more engaged in the mission of the company or organization.

Atlanta-based Dr. Sam Adeyemi is CEO of Sam Adeyemi, GLC, Inc. and founder and executive director of Daystar Leadership Academy (DLA). More than 45,000 alumni have graduated from DLA programs, and more than three million CEOs and high-performing individuals follow him on top social media sites. Dr. Sam’s new book is Dear Leader: Your Flagship Guide to Successful Leadership. He holds a doctorate in strategic leadership from Regent University and is a member of the International Leadership Association. He and his wife, Nike, have three children. Learn more at SamAdeyemi.com.