When a company sets its strategic direction, it’s not just a roadmap for the business—it’s also a guide for the leaders needed to make that vision a reality. Whether the focus is on steady execution, creative expansion, or aggressive growth, your leadership team must align with the CEO’s goals and the company’s broader strategic priorities. The problem is that too many organizations fail to hire leaders who match these evolving needs consciously.
The consequences of mismatched leadership are severe. Imagine hiring a hard-charging leader when your company is beset by employee turnover and burnout. The result? Friction, disengagement, and misaligned efforts. To avoid this, companies must hire leaders whose skills, traits, and leadership styles align with the CEO’s goals. But how do you identify the right match?
We know from the one million takers of the What’s Your Leadership Style? test that there are four types of leadership styles: Pragmatists, Stewards, Idealists, and diplomats. Here’s how those styles align with common business strategies and how to hire the right leaders to match your CEO’s vision.
Pragmatists: The Powerhouses for Ambitious Targets
Pragmatist leaders thrive when there’s a big, bold goal to achieve. These leaders are laser-focused on results, and they push their teams relentlessly to meet high standards. Pragmatists love challenges, and they’re typically found in environments where breaking records and achieving ambitious growth are the priorities. Companies aiming for aggressive targets—whether it’s market expansion, revenue growth, or operational transformation—often benefit from a pragmatist leader.
Pragmatists should be at the top of your recruitment list if your CEO is setting sky-high goals for the next year, focusing on disrupting the market or achieving “moonshot” projects. These leaders don’t shy away from risk and are adept at pushing their teams to maximize performance. However, it’s important to recognize that Pragmatist leadership comes with a high level of intensity, and some employees may find this style demanding.
Key characteristics of Pragmatist leaders:
- Highly competitive and results-oriented.
- Comfortable taking bold risks to achieve goals.
- Relentless in driving their teams to improve and perform.
Hiring tip: Look for candidates who have a track record of delivering against difficult goals and aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo.
Stewards: The Masters of Steady Execution
When your company’s strategic priority is flawless execution, particularly when operations need to run like clockwork, you need a Steward. Stewards are stabilizers—leaders who value process, reliability, and consistency. They excel in environments where the goal is operational excellence, and they’re ideal for times when incremental improvements are the key to long-term success.
If your CEO focuses on perfecting operations, increasing efficiency, or ensuring regulatory compliance, you need leaders who can keep the ship steady. Stewards ensure that the team follows established processes and are skilled at creating a structured, predictable environment where everyone knows their role and responsibilities.
Key characteristics of Steward leaders:
- Detail-oriented and dependable.
- Focus on consistency, rules, and processes.
- Provide a calming and stabilizing force within teams.
Hiring tip: Seek candidates known for creating operational efficiency and have experience managing complex projects with tight controls.
Idealists: Visionaries for Growth and Innovation
Idealist leaders are high-energy achievers who are deeply invested in learning and growth—not just for themselves but for their entire team. They are creative thinkers who excel when your company’s strategy involves innovation, new product development, or entering uncharted territories. Idealists are adept at fostering a culture of experimentation and are willing to take calculated risks in pursuit of new opportunities.
If your CEO prioritizes creativity and employee growth or fosters a culture of innovation in the coming year, Idealists can help lead the charge. They thrive in dynamic environments where there’s room for brainstorming and ideation. Idealists often have a coaching leadership style, encouraging their team members to stretch their abilities and take ownership of their projects.
Key characteristics of Idealist leaders:
- Passionate about learning, growth, and creativity.
- Open-minded and collaborative in their leadership approach.
- Excel at leading teams in innovative or rapidly changing industries.
Hiring tip: Look for candidates who have experience leading high-growth teams and are known for fostering innovation and collaboration.
Diplomats: The Affiliation Experts for Team Harmony
Diplomat leaders are the glue that holds teams together. They are natural consensus builders focused on maintaining harmony and strong interpersonal relationships within their teams. Diplomats are especially effective when teamwork, collaboration, and conflict resolution are crucial to achieving business goals.
Diplomats are the ideal leadership style to adopt if your CEO’s goals emphasize employee retention, culture-building, or improving collaboration between different teams. They foster a supportive, inclusive work environment where employees feel valued and motivated. Their emphasis on harmony often leads to high employee satisfaction and loyalty, making them particularly effective when your company is undergoing change or trying to integrate new teams.
Key characteristics of Diplomat leaders:
- Prioritize interpersonal harmony and team cohesion.
- Skilled at resolving conflicts and building consensus.
- Create a collaborative and inclusive work environment.
Hiring tip: Target leaders with a history of resolving conflicts and building high-performing, cohesive teams.
Matching Leadership Styles to Strategy
It’s easy to fall into the trap of hiring based on past success or popular leadership traits, but specificity is key when matching leadership styles to your CEO’s goals. Your company’s strategy isn’t static, nor should your leadership hiring strategy be. As priorities shift, so too should the types of leaders you bring in. While it may be tempting to hire another Pragmatist because they drove last year’s success, they may not be the right fit if your CEO is now focused on operational stability.
Successful leadership hiring requires alignment with where the business is headed, not just where it’s been. This means understanding not only the personality traits and past achievements of potential leaders but also whether their leadership style complements the CEO’s goals for the company’s future.