One axis for leadership is the scale of survivor / hero.
The survivor adapts, lives to make another contribution on another day and will tend to achieve change over a longer time frame in an incremental manner.
The hero crashes through or crashes out. This leader can be divisive and a wrecker, or can be the one who lifts a group of people into a new era and new realities in a short time frame.
Both kinds of leader are needed in their time and place.
The survivor is probably the more common style and the one that is needed in most settings at most times. This kind of leader is the salt of the earth.
The hero is more likely to be useful at a time of crisis or a time when significant change is needed quickly.
The extremes of either style can be dangerous.
A typical leader will be on a continuum between the extreme form of each type and may swap between them depending on circumstances. That being said, an individual leader will tend to display a leaning for one style of the other and hence the idea of 'preferred style'..
A wise leader will:
(a) Know their preferred style
(b) Not glorify their preferred style and denigrate the other
(c) Correct the imbalance in their preferred style
(d) Choose wisely what style and balance of styles is needed in this and that moment
(e) Be able to move between styles and be skilful in both
(f) Be true to themselves as they do all this.
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