I have been under the direction of several supervisors during my professional career and have found that each has very different management styles. Some were very easy to work with and seemed to want you to succeed, and others not so much. So I was interested in researching different leadership styles and was surprised that there were so many. It really gave me a better understanding of different leadership styles and which ones work best depending on the work environment. “The basic definition of leadership is guiding a group of people toward a common goal” (Martin, 2015). “Leadership styles were first defined in 1939 by a group of researchers led by psychologist Kurt Lewin” (Martin, 2015). They concluded that there were three different types of leadership styles: autocratic, democratic, and laissez-faire. The study and research of leadership skills only began about seventy-five years ago, which is considered relatively new in the research world. This research was the first to consider that leadership skills can be taught and learned, and that one is not born with them. Many additional studies have been done over the years and have shed light on many other leadership styles, as follows: • Laissez-faire – Hands-off style, trusts others to keep their word, requires low control. • Autocratic – High control over employees. .• Democratic – Used in fast-paced environments, provides flexibility to accomplish tasks better.• Participative – Medium control over employees.• Cross-cultural – Leadership styles in different cultures.• Innovative – Can see what is not working steps and brings new thinking and actions.• Command and control - Follows the rules and expects the same from them...... middle of paper ...... from the past and keeps improving skills and leadership skills to create more successful employees. “It is how the supervisor uses them that determines success or failure” (Blanken, 2016). Supervisors have a huge impact on employee retention and turnover, which is why developing better supervisors is a great management strategy. “Creating a climate of respect, fairness and trust can have a positive effect on employee morale, reduce their stress, increase their commitment to the organization and their supervisors and improve their performance” (Pearson, 2010, p. 360). “Quality leadership adjusts and adapts to their environment and understands what styles would be most effective in their work environment. If a supervisor can switch between leadership styles to produce powerful results, he or she turns the art of leadership into a science” (Goleman, 2000).