There are lots of models and studies on leadership style. Many leaders will adopt more than one style as they must adapt to various environmental stimulation and work situations. The style adopted would depend on the amount of trust or respect they have for employee knowledge, how much time they have to accomplish their task, and what information is available to them at the time. 

Do you ever wonder what type of leader you are? Do you ever consider that a mixing of styles might help you to accommodate organizational and people needs better? Below are three possible styles using gourmet coffee variations and their caffeine levels to portray typical leadership traits with various levels of control. Read them and assess yourself, then ask where might you need to make changes and when?
 
The Espresso leader is strong and often direct in their approach towards high control levels in work flow and employee responsibilities. The leader will have all authority in the type of work that is to be done, who will do the work, and how they are to do the work. This leader uses power and influence to get thing done and seldom asks their employees for input on problems and communicates with employees only when required. This leader may feel close supervision of employees is necessary to increase productivity. The Espresso style works best if employees are typically efficient and satisfied with the status quo, project timeline is short, or where the leader has all the necessary information required to solve problems and make decisions. Drawbacks to using this style could be high stress levels and possible burnout for leader. Plus the possibility of resentment from employees who are dissatisfied, who do not feel engaged, or who may be afraid to express any disagreement with or alternative to what the leader proposes. If this resentment exists, it could lead to employees finding reasons not to come to show up for work or leaving the organization in the future.
 
The Latte leader is typically smooth and more free-handed with low control as they delegate much power to employees for the work they do. This leader often encourages their employees to analyze work problems to determine for themselves what needs to be done and how they should do it. However, the leader may set priorities or goals for certain project tasks. The leader seldom interferes with job situations involving their employees unless asked. This is because the employees are empowered to make decisions and carry them out. Employees recognize and appreciate the leader for showing trust and confidence in their abilities. The Latte style works well in a team-based organization with members who have lots of job-related experience and are willing to be responsible for their own success. Drawbacks to this style are when leaders may not provide enough communication on organization needs or monitor their team's progress in order to provide adequate feedback to their teams and employees. If the leader does not communicate expectations and verify results, production costs might increase or teams may miss important deadlines. 
 
Cappuccino leaders are somewhere between Espresso and Latte as they utilize a democratic approach by sharing some of their control and power with their employees. This style of leadership includes employee participation by involving them in the decision making process, working together to determine what work needs to be done, and how to accomplish the work. The leader consults with employees to find out what is mutually beneficial for them and the organization, but often the leader is responsible for making the final decision. This shared consultation results in increased employee job satisfaction and motivation, as well as ownership in shared solution, thus reducing resistance to new ideas and change. The Cappuccino style works well where team-building is in developmental stages and where both the employees and the leader each have valuable information to solve problems together. Team-work is highly recommended where product and service quality is more important than speed or perceived productivity. The drawbacks of this style can be in the length of time it takes to build the team because results are achieved in a longer timeframe as individual and team skills are being developed.
 
After reading the above style descriptions, which type of leader are you? Think about this - in what situations does it make sense to keep your leadership style as is? What situations might require you to adopt another leadership style? As an Espresso leader, when should you and how can you add milk or sweetener to the mix to make your style more acceptable to others? As a Latte leader is there any time you need to be stronger in your approach?   Is team-work always the answer if you are a Cappuccino leader? 
 
Studying the various styles will help leaders to consider blending styles to meet the situation and individuals they work with in order to become a better leader. Leaders should always be thinking about what style to best adopt at a particular time to accommodate both organizational needs and the needs of the people they employ.