Top 8 Leadership Tools. Part 1.

 

If you want to stand out from the crowd, the best leadership tools are not the classics that everyone knows. So, you won’t find transformational or servant leadership in this list, for example.

 Instead, you want to focus on tools for today. Over the past year I’ve shared many such tools, some my own, some from others. For The Strategic Leadership Playbook, I’ve curated a list of the 8 tools that you liked most. Together, they received 3.5 million impressions and 60,000 engagements. Here they are:

1. Three Types of Leadership

• Leading from the Front: Visionary type of leaders that lead by example.
• Leading from the Side: Mentoring type of leaders that guide their people.
• Leading from the Back: Servant type of leaders that support their people.

2. Which Type of Strategist Are You?

A matrix based on approach (Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up) and mindset (Conservative vs. Progressive):

• Regent Strategist: Top-Down + Conservative.
• Servant Strategist: Bottom-Up + Conservative.
• Joker Strategist: Top-Down + Progressive.
• Player Strategist: Bottom-Up + Progressive.

3. Six Questions to Boost Meeting Effectiveness

1. What is the topic?
2. Who should be there?
3. What is the desired outcome?
4. How long will it take?
5. What needs to be provided?
6. When is the next meeting?

4. 10 Principles of Strategic Leadership

These include distributing responsibility, being honest about information, creating the right to fail, developing multiple paths to victory, and hiring for transformation.

5. Nice Leaders vs. Strong Leaders

• Nice Leaders: Humble and leading from behind; serving, attending, and coaching; soft-spoken, thoughtful, and kind; vulnerable and showing weaknesses.
• Strong Leaders: Visible and leading by example; decisive, sturdy, and daring; sharp and making tough choices; strong and leverages their strengths.

6. 7 Types of Negativity to Kill

1. Controlling everything.
2. Perfectionism.
3. Judging.
4. Complaining.
5. Blaming.
6. Self-doubt.
7. Expecting the worst.

7. Humble vs. Vulnerable Leadership

• Humility is the recognition that you don't know everything.
• Vulnerability is the willingness to admit mistakes and weaknesses to your team.

8. The Five Principles of Engaged Feedback

Focused on providing feedback that is constructive, growth-oriented, and maintains the dignity of the employee.

There are three types of leader. Those that stand in front of their people, those that stand behind their people, and those that stand next to their people. Which type of leader are you?

 

In the volume of leadership typologies, it is hard to see the forest for the trees. There’s visionary leaders, transformative leaders, servant leaders, transactional leaders, humble leaders, and so on and so forth.

 

To simplify things I’d like to divide leaders into three broad categories: leaders that lead from the front, leaders that lead from the back, and leaders that lead from the side.

The "Three Types of Leadership" tool by Jeroen Kraaijenbrink focuses on where a leader physically and psychologically positions themselves relative to their team.

Rather than choosing just one, a "complete leader" is agile, switching between these positions based on the specific needs of the situation and the maturity of the team.

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1. Leading from the Front (Visionary)

This style is about being highly visible and taking charge at the forefront of challenges.

• Approach: You lead by example, directing and "paving the way" for your people.
• Key Benefits: Powerful for driving innovation, creating a strong sense of alignment, and providing decisive direction during crises.
• Risks: Can become overly dominant, potentially making team members feel "unsafe" to speak up or creating followers who are too dependent on the leader.

2. Leading from the Side (Mentoring)

This is a peer-to-peer approach rooted in equality and collaboration.

• Approach: You stand alongside your team members, offering "hands-on" guidance and frequent feedback.
• Key Benefits: Fosters high openness and a collaborative culture where everyone's voice feels valued.
• Risks: The leader can become "invisible," which may lead to legitimacy issues or unclear decision-making processes.

3. Leading from the Back (Servant)

Often compared to a shepherd tending a flock, this style emphasizes support and empowerment.

• Approach: You focus on your team's needs, facilitating their work from behind the scenes to let them take the lead.
• Key Benefits: Highly people-centric; it builds team confidence, independence, and long-term resilience.
• Risks: Can be perceived as "weak" or passive; if not balanced, it can lead to a lack of clear vision or "pampering" that stalls progress.

As we can see, all three have their pros and cons. This means that there is no single best or worst way. But, we can have preferences. My personal preference is leading from the side: standing (or sitting) next to people rather than in front or behind them.

Most founders assume they must always lead from the front.
But the best leaders switch styles depending on the moment.

Great leadership isn’t about the spotlight.
It’s about knowing where to stand.

Which type of leader are you?

Which type of leader do you prefer?

 

The "Which Type of Strategist Are You?" tool is a 2x2 matrix designed to help leaders understand their natural strategic style based on how they approach change and how they interact with their organization. A strategist is a person with both the responsibility and the skill to formulate and implement an organization’s strategy.

This tool categorizes leadership into four quadrants based on two primary axes:

The Two Axes

1. The Vertical Axis (Hierarchy):
• Top-Down: Strategy is driven by the leader's vision and direct instructions.
• Bottom-Up: Strategy is collaborative, drawing ideas and execution from the frontline employees.
2. The Horizontal Axis (Mindset):
• Conservative: Focuses on stability, risk mitigation, and proven methods.
• Progressive: Focuses on innovation, disruption, and taking calculated risks.

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The Four Strategist Types

1. The King Strategist (Top-Down + Conservative)

• Style: Authoritative and traditional.
• Characteristics: This leader values order and established systems. They make the decisions at the top and expect the organization to follow a "tried and true" path. Having a clear vision of where to take their organization the next couple of years. They are capable thinkers and forward-looking.
• Best for: Turnaround situations or highly regulated industries where safety and compliance are paramount. This type know everything about the organization and they are strong and independent Chief Executive.
• Weakness: They can lose touch with the rest of the organization. Too far ahead and expect too much of others, thereby creating frustration.

2. The Servant (Bottom-Up + Progressive)

• Style: Supportive and steady.
• Characteristics: They focus on empowering their team to improve existing processes. They listen to the needs of the staff but prefer to make incremental, safe improvements rather than radical changes. Has democratic approach to strategizing. Instead of defining the strategy themselves, they prefer to keep their own views to themselves, and rather want to hear what others in the organization are saying.
• Best for: Maintaining high-performing, established teams and optimizing internal culture. This strategist is strong in creating harmony, engagement and commitment. They are able to create a shared strategy of which many people in the organization feel ownership.
• Weakness: Because they hardly share their own vision and let others do this, they may easily be seen as weak and indecisive.

3. The Elder Strategist (Top-Down + Conservative)

• Style: continuity and following traditions.
• Characteristics: likes to keep things as they are. They often have been decades with the organization and have been in a leading position for a long time. They appreciate continuity and are hesitant in embracing new developments. In their view, tomorrow’s strategy should largely be a continuation of the past.
• Best for: strong sense of history and continuity. Rather than jumping on hypes, they embrace what the organization is already good at.
• Weaknesses: can be defensive and with their focus on tradition can lose touch with internal and external developments.

4. The Prince (Bottom-Up + Progressive)

• Style: Collaborative and agile.
• Characteristics: This leader encourages everyone to be an innovator. They create a culture where the best ideas win, regardless of where they come from. They are full of creativity and enthusiasm and see opportunities for change everywhere.They are able to share their enthusiasm and motivate others to be innovative too
• Best for: Tech companies and creative industries where rapid, team-led innovation is the competitive advantage.
• Weaknesses: make the organization jump from one idea to the next, change strategy regularly and never get into delivery mode.

3. The Joker

• Style: Impulsive, non transparent, chaotic.
• Characteristics: The Joker Strategist is in fact a non-strategist. They have few, clear ideas about where to take their organization, and they have limited abilities to make decisions or enforce action.To hide their lack of ideas and abilities, some of them heavily use strategy concepts and tools to pretend. Or they do exactly the opposite, downplaying the importance of strategy and saying they rely on their gut feeling and that strategy is waste of time anyway.Like to joke around and stay popular.
• Best for: their weakness may trigger others to step up and take their role as one of the other four types of strategist.
• Weaknesses: the lack of clear strategy and the lack of execution, as well as their general ineffectiveness.

 

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The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership® - Kouzes and Posner

 

Based on research by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner and their best-selling book, The Leadership Challenge, we’ve found that when leaders are at their best, they exhibit five key Practices.
It's simple: The more often you display these behaviors, the better leader you’ll be.

Do what you say you will do.

What does it mean to Model the Way?

Modeling the way is about the kind of example you set for others as a leader. To effectively Model the Way, you first need to get in touch with who you are: what you believe in, how you communicate, and how your values inform your behaviors.

Leaders who Model the Way:

It’s easy to look to established leaders as a guide, but it’s important to take the time to explore your own communication style. People are drawn to authenticity, and when your people know that you are speaking and acting from your heart, they are more likely to see you as a leader.

When you Model the Way, You:

However, leadership isn’t only about your values. Organizations thrive when all people are committed and engaged, and it’s important to remember that your people’s values are their driving force. When you create space for everyone to explore their own belief systems, you will model commitment to the common cause. Be an example in your organization for the kind of behaviors you want to nurture. People look to leaders to see if they are, in fact, walking the walk.

How do you know it's working?

As you work to Model the Way more frequently, keep an eye out for some of these signs that your efforts are paying off:

See and share exciting possibilities for the future.

What does it mean to Inspire a Shared Vision?

Being a leader means charting a course into an unknown future and inspiring others to come with you. When you Inspire a Shared Vision, you know where you want to end up, and you’re prepared to paint a vivid picture for the people in your life. By starting conversations about the future, you make it possible for others to do the same.

Leaders who Inspire a Shared Vision:

Learning how to Inspire a Shared Vision might sound intimidating, but it starts with simple actions: describing what you want out of the future, asking others what they want, and talking about the similarities and differences.

When you Inspire a Shared Vision, You:

To create a vision for the future, start by reflecting on your past and present experiences. Identify the patterns, trends, and themes that have shaped your life and consider what inspires you. Strategize your future goals and share your vision with your team. By listening to their unique perspectives, you may gain fresh insights that can propel your vision forward. Remember, the most inspiring leaders are those who are passionate about the future and are willing to work hard to achieve their goals.

How do you know it's working?

Talking openly about the possibilities of the future may be new territory for you and your teammates, but as you get used to it, you’ll begin to appreciate the benefits:

Empower others to take initiative and experiment.

What does it mean to Challenge the Process?

Learning how to Challenge the Process means stepping back, questioning the status quo, and seeking out ways to improve the way you work. Think about what it means to take initiative, push for change, and learn from your struggles. Considering new ways to approach your work can benefit not only your organization but also your own path to exemplary leadership.

Leaders who Challenge the Process:

Regardless of your status or title, you have the power to assess the kind of work you do and the systems you typically work within to challenge yourself to think outside the box. Feeling nervous as you start to Challenge the Process is normal. Reframe your hesitation by considering why it's valuable and why you're the right person to push for change.

When you Challenge the Process, You:

Pursuing opportunities that challenge yourself while creating an environment where the people around you are encouraged to do the same can help you on your path toward exemplary leadership. Exploring new ways of doing things outside your experience can help you innovate right from where you are.

How do you know it's working?

Once you’ve started to Challenge the Process, you’ll probably begin to experience ripple effects in your workplace. Here are some signs that you’re making a difference:

Foster collaboration and build up others.

What does it mean to Enable Others to Act?

When you Enable Others to Act, it means strengthening your relationships with teammates and reflecting on what they need to do great work. This practice asks you to put effort into empowering others to create a work environment where people trust and respect each other. Think about how you can help the people you work with gain the confidence to excel, making your whole team stronger.

Leaders who Enable Others to Act:

As workplaces continue to evolve and teams are more diverse and globally dispersed, leaders must put in the work to get to know and understand the people they are working with.

When you Enable Others to Act, You:

Another important thing to consider as you gain the skills to Enable Others to Act is to ensure that everyone has the resources they need to grow. These can be tangible, like equipment, programs, and technology, or interpersonal, such as more frequent project check-ins, leadership opportunities, or access to educational programs. Arming your people with the resources they need to succeed will contribute to a climate of trust and empowerment.

How do you know it's working?

As you put more time and energy towards building the skills to Enable Others to Act, the more signs of trust and collaboration you’ll see in your workplace:

Celebrate others by showing gratitude.

What does it mean to Encourage the Heart?

When you Encourage the Heart, it means telling your teammates how much you value and respect them—and by doing so, creating a workplace that people are genuinely excited to be a part of. This practice asks you to let people know you appreciate their hard work and are glad to have them on your team.

Leaders who Encourage the Heart:

Many organizations overlook the importance of social connection. Creating a sense of camaraderie among coworkers can lead to better workplace well-being, accountability, and commitment to the organization. Celebrating the wins of high performers gives everyone something to work towards, but encouraging people along the way is just as important.

When you Encourage the Heart, You:

When you are involved with every level of your organization and seek to know and understand the people you work with, these celebrations and recognition events will be inherently more meaningful as you will have been there every step of the way.

How do you know it's working?

When you take the time to Encourage the Heart and go out of your way to acknowledge and uplift the people you work with, you’ll soon begin to experience the effects:

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What are the Five Practices of the Exemplary Leadership Model?

James Kouzes and Barry Posner offered a notable version of a functional leadership model in their book, The Leadership Challenge (1987). It is more prescriptive than Adair's model and aimed more at high-level leaders like CEOs, but it's a significant contribution to the thinking on effective leadership.

Kouzes and Posner's earlier Trait-Theory leadership model, which led them to develop their Five Leadership Practices model, is explained earlier in the Trait-Theory sub-section of leadership models.

Like some other leadership theorists, they developed a modular theory into a proprietary product, in this case, a program for leadership development.

• This model is also known as Kouzes and Posner's Leadership Challenge Model.

Kouzes and Posner summarise their program about what leadership is, and what they believe leadership means to people.

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The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership®

1. Model the Way
2. Inspire a Shared Vision
3. Challenge the Process
4. Enabling Others to Act
5. Encourage the Heart

Kouzes and Posner created their Five Leadership Practices model after researching people's personal experiences of excellent leadership. From this, they claimed that "...good leadership is an understandable and universal process..." involving five practices and, within each of those, two key behaviours.

Here is an outline of the Kouzes and Posner model.

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Five Leadership Practices - Summary

	Key Behaviours	Detail
Model the Way	Set the example by behaving in ways that reflect the shared values. Achieve small wins that build confidence, commitment and consistent progress.	The leader sets an example. Define the shared behavioural standards and then exemplify them. Kouzes and Posner also believe it is essential to achieve some small wins to build momentum.
Inspiring a Shared Vision	Envision an uplifting, exciting, meaningful future. Enlist others in a shared vision by appealing to their values, interests, hopes and dreams.	Leaders should begin work on their vision before enlisting others to refine it and make it theirs. Emphasis on visualisation and using powerful evocative language to capture the vision to inspire others.
Challenge the Process	Search out challenging opportunities to change, grow, innovate and improve. Experiment, take risks and learn from any mistakes.	The leader is an agent for change - questioning, challenging and seeking new ideas. Taking risks, experimenting, learning from and allowing for mistakes. Importantly, encourages new ideas to flourish.
Enabling Others to Act	Foster collaboration by promoting cooperative goals and building trust. Strengthen people's ability by delegating power, developing their competence and offering visible support.	Building a spirit of trust and collaboration. Encouraging people to share information. Kouzes and Posner believe that leaders must disclose what they believe and care about and, when necessary, show some vulnerability. This also entails delegating power, believing in others, and investing in followers' training and education.
Encourage  the Heart	Recognise individual contributions to the success of the project. Celebrate team accomplishments regularly.	Praise and celebration.

Kouzes and Posner's model is well researched and much work by the pair continues to extend the theory, and also the suggested means of adoption and implementation across large organisations.

Kouzes and Posner's theory is in the 'leader-as-hero' tradition. 

• It therefore largely ignores more recent ideas about sharing leadership. 
• It is also fair to say that a more naturally low-profile, a contemplative leader would probably find it harder to adopt these behavioural practices than a gregarious visionary leader, so the model may not work for everyone.

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