Acknowledging that every leader has a natural style of leadership, the article's author, Kate Carter, says that the key to being able to leading a team or organisation successfully in all situations is for the leader to adapt that natural leadership style to get the best results.

"In a crisis situation - where time factors are critical - taking the directive stance of telling staff what to do may be the quickest way to resolve the problem," Kate says.

"In such situations, business and personal reputations could be at stake. There's no time for group discussion or procrastination. As a leader, it's your role to ensure that any damage is limited and critical operations run smoothly while you're resolving the problem."

In times of change - say, where a company is merging with another - leaders need to be both visionary and confident, Kate believes. It's up to the leader to ask their team to have faith in the vision.

Times of change, even if they represent a huge opportunity for the business, are unsettling and can easily be worrying. At such times, it's the leader's responsibility to enthuse others and nurture team bonding, which enables colleagues to adapt and change as their future becomes clearer and more secure.

"There will also be times when, in terms of experience and expertise, a team will be best placed to solve problems, but the team will still need its leader to empower them to make the choices that will solve the problem effectively and efficiently," adds Kate. "That's the time when the leader needs to play the role of the facilitator - providing the team with the tools and techniques the team members need in order to move forward.

"Personality, experience, and excellent communication skills, coupled with a clear vision, all combine to make leaders successful and admired," Kate concluded.

According to Chris Horseman, Engage in Learning's CEO, "Kate's article, along with articles on other aspects of leadership, are being published on our website to help raise awareness of Engage in Learning's 'Leadership Fundamentals' eLearning materials.

"We believe - and, increasingly, our growing customer list is discovering - that the materials contained within these courses are the building blocks to creating successful leaders and teams."