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18 July 2023 8 min read


DECODING LEADERSHIP STYLES FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT

Community Management

HANNAH WESSON

Read More

 1. Understanding community management
 2. Leadership styles in community management
    1. Democratic leadership style
    2. Autocratic leadership style
    3. Transformational leadership style
    4. Laissez-faire leadership style
    5. Servant leadership style
    6. Collaborative leadership style
 3. Choosing the right leadership style for your community
    1. Community size
    2. Community maturity
    3. Community goals
    4. Community culture
 4. Final thoughts

Community managers have a lot on their plates. They’re the wheels that keep a
community running, ensuring that all members get what they need from the
community while taking charge of its day-to-day operations.

Community management goes beyond simple interaction with customers, it’s about
nurturing and engaging with people who share a common interest. The goal is to
foster a sense of belonging, ensuring that community members feel heard, valued,
and involved.

However, the success of community management largely hinges on the leadership
style adopted by the community manager. Leadership styles not only dictate the
way a community is steered but also have profound impacts on the community's
culture, engagement levels, and overall satisfaction.

In this article, we’ll delve into the nuances of various leadership styles of
community management. By understanding these leadership styles, community
managers can successfully guide their communities to meet their goals.

 * Understanding community management
 * Leadership styles in community management
 * Choosing the right leadership style for your community

4 community management strategies that boost online engagement
Building an engaged online community in today’s digital world has never been so
important. But what kind of strategies ensure it blossoms? In this article, we
shed light on how Community Managers can shape the online identity of a brand.
Community-Led AllianceHannah Wesson



UNDERSTANDING COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT

The goal of community management is to foster an engaging, valuable, and
sustainable relationship between an organization and its members. It involves
building and maintaining a supportive and interactive environment, encouraging
member participation, managing conflict, and ensuring a collective focus toward
shared goals and values.

Community management centers around three key aspects:

 * Engagement: The primary goal of community management is to facilitate active
   engagement within the community. This involves organizing activities,
   stimulating discussions, and encouraging collaboration and interaction among
   members.
 * Moderation: Community managers monitor and guide conversations, ensuring that
   they remain constructive and align with the community's guidelines. They also
   manage conflicts and handle inappropriate behaviors to maintain a positive
   and respectful community environment.
 * Feedback and support: A crucial aspect of community management is listening
   to the community members' needs, concerns, and suggestions. They often act as
   a bridge between the community and the organization, conveying feedback to
   the relevant internal teams.

Community managers are the face of the organization within the community. They
drive engagement by fostering relationships, stimulating discussions, and
providing value through relevant content and support. In this capacity, they
also gather valuable insights and feedback from the community that can guide the
organization's strategy and decision-making process.

The community manager's leadership style significantly influences the
community's dynamics. An effective leader fosters an environment where open
communication, collaboration, and mutual respect thrive. They can rally the
community around shared goals, manage conflicts, and create a culture where each
member feels valued and heard.

A community manager's leadership style also impacts the level of engagement
within the community, the quality of interactions, and the community's overall
satisfaction and loyalty towards the organization.

So, the effectiveness of a community is largely contingent on the leadership
style of the community manager. Understanding and adopting the right leadership
style is a crucial component of successful community management.

A guide to understanding community member roles
Online communities are powerful platforms for brands, and each member plays a
specific role. Understanding these roles is essential for effective community
leadership.
Community-Led AllianceHannah Wesson



LEADERSHIP STYLES IN COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT

A leadership style refers to the approach, behavior, and strategies a leader
uses to influence, guide, and manage a group of people. In community management,
leadership style greatly influences how a community manager interacts with
members, makes decisions, handles conflicts, and fosters an engaging and
positive environment.

Several key leadership styles can be used in community management, each with its
unique strengths and potential challenges:


DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP STYLE

Democratic leadership, also known as participative leadership, is characterized
by shared decision-making, active member involvement, open communication, and
high levels of cooperation. In a community, democratic leaders actively seek
input and feedback from members and involve them in decision-making processes.

Benefits: This leadership style fosters a sense of belonging and ownership among
community members, encouraging active participation, and generating diverse
ideas and solutions. It helps members feel valued and heard.

Drawbacks: There can be a slower decision-making process and any potential
indecisiveness if there is a lack of consensus among members.


AUTOCRATIC LEADERSHIP STYLE

Autocratic leadership is characterized by individual control over all decisions
and little input from group members. Autocratic leaders typically make choices
based on their judgment and ideas and rarely accept advice from members.

Benefits: Autocratic leadership can resolve issues quickly and efficiently in
times of crisis as they don’t have to wait for feedback or consensus.

Drawbacks: This style may limit creativity and innovation, as members may feel
their input is not valued. It can also lead to decreased engagement and
satisfaction among members who prefer more involvement in decision-making
processes.


TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP STYLE

Transformational leadership is characterized by leaders who inspire and motivate
their members through a shared vision of the future. They are adept at
instilling enthusiasm, stimulating intellectual curiosity, and promoting
innovation and change.

Benefits: Transformational leaders can ignite passion, inspire, motivate,
increase member engagement, and drive the community towards ambitious goals.
They foster an environment that encourages innovation, creativity, and forward
thinking.

Drawbacks: With their focus on big-picture thinking, these leaders may overlook
the details and practicalities, focusing more on overarching visions and less on
day-to-day operations. They might also raise expectations too high, creating
potential disappointment or frustration if the ambitious goals are not met.


LAISSEZ-FAIRE LEADERSHIP STYLE

Laissez-faire leadership, or "hands-off" leadership, involves providing minimal
direction and allowing members to make decisions independently. It works best
with self-motivated and highly skilled members.

Benefits: This leadership style can foster a sense of innovation and creativity
among members. It also encourages a sense of autonomy, leading to higher
satisfaction and engagement among community members.

Drawbacks: This style can also lead to a lack of direction, inconsistencies, or
conflicts if not appropriately balanced with guidance and oversight.


SERVANT LEADERSHIP STYLE

Servant leadership is focused on prioritizing the needs of the community above
all else. In this style, the leader prioritizes the needs of their team members,
focusing on their growth and well-being. Servant leaders exhibit high levels of
empathy, listening, stewardship, and commitment to the personal and professional
development of others.

Benefits: By prioritizing the needs of community members, servant leaders
cultivate an environment where members feel valued, heard, and cared for. This
can significantly boost member satisfaction, loyalty, and engagement.

Drawbacks: Potential drawbacks may include a lack of assertiveness or difficulty
making unpopular decisions that may benefit the community in the long run.
There's also a risk of being overly accommodating, which might result in a lack
of direction or discipline within the community.


COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP STYLE

Collaborative leadership involves building consensus through participation and
developing relationships among a diverse group of members. These leaders often
act as facilitators rather than directors.

Benefits: A collaborative leadership style can harness the collective knowledge,
skills, and experiences of community members to solve problems and make
decisions.

Drawbacks: This style may also lead to longer decision-making processes, and
leaders must be adept at managing different opinions and potential conflicts.

Empowering departments with community-led growth
We’re turning the spotlight on some of the crucial departments of your business.
That’s right, we’re talking about sales, marketing, finance, and customer
success, and exploring how these departments can seriously benefit from a good
dose of community love!
Community-Led AllianceHannah Wesson



CHOOSING THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP STYLE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY

Selecting the right leadership style in community management is not a
one-size-fits-all decision; it is influenced by several key factors that each
community manager must consider:


COMMUNITY SIZE

The size of the community can impact a community manager’s leadership style.
Larger communities may require a more structured leadership approach, like
autocratic or democratic styles, to maintain order and coordination.

Smaller communities might benefit more from laissez-faire or collaborative
leadership styles, where individual contributions are more pronounced.


COMMUNITY MATURITY

The stage of community development also influences the choice of leadership
style. New communities might need more directive leadership, while mature
communities with established norms and active members may thrive under
democratic, laissez-faire, or servant leadership.


COMMUNITY GOALS

The objectives and purpose of the community play a crucial role in which
leadership style would best suit. For example, if the goal is innovation and
creativity, transformational, or laissez-faire leadership might be most
effective.

If the goal is to reach a consensus or to engage all community members in
decision-making, then democratic or collaborative leadership might be suitable.


COMMUNITY CULTURE

The culture and values of the community should also guide the leadership style.
Communities valuing independence and individual initiative may respond well to
laissez-faire leadership, while those valuing teamwork and inclusivity might
appreciate democratic or collaborative leadership.

The role of a community manager is highly dynamic, and often, a single
leadership style will not suffice. As the community evolves, so should the
leadership approach. A skilled community manager will need to fluidly switch
between different leadership styles based on the situation.

During a crisis or conflict, an autocratic approach might be necessary to
quickly restore order. In contrast, when seeking input for community improvement
or exploring new ideas, a democratic or transformational style would be
beneficial.

Effective community management is not about rigidly sticking to a single
leadership style but adapting and blending various styles as per the needs of
the community. This flexibility ensures that the leadership approach remains
responsive and relevant to the community's evolving dynamics and needs.

Driving community-led growth: The power of market research
Online communities face unique challenges in their quest for growth. But how can
community managers effectively navigate these challenges? The answer lies in the
power of market research.
Community-Led AllianceHannah Wesson



FINAL THOUGHTS

Being an effective community manager is no easy task, but it’s a vital role to
ensure smooth sailing for a community and its members. Successful community
management involves a delicate balance of leadership, fostering engagement,
maintaining a positive environment, and ensuring the community's voice is heard
and valued. Understanding and adeptly implementing various leadership styles
paves the way for building strong, vibrant, and successful communities.


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HANNAH WESSON

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Decoding leadership styles for effective community management


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