When you're thinking about leadership and how to develop yourself as as leader, we often start with asking ourselves: what kind of leader do I want to be? Directive and forceful? Visionary? Someone who leads from behind?

An interesting question, which can lead to all kinds of insights that will help you to do better. I would like to grow in understanding others better, because I want to be a thoughtful, helpful and supporting leader. Thinking about how I envision a great leader helps me to set better goals.

However, this might not be what the people you're leading actually need. In order to be a better leader, the question “what kind of leadership does my team need in order to grow” can completely flip your actions. Don't confuse this with “what kind of leadership does my team wants” though. Those two are often very different things.

What kind of leadership does your team need in order to grow?