The Three Types of Business Leaders – Which One Are You?

There’s a lot of talk about Owner/Founder burnout on LinkedIn these days, and thankfully, we now live in a world where leaders feel more comfortable sharing their struggles as well as their wins. The old-school mentality of pretending everything is fine while suffering in silence is slowly being replaced by honesty and openness.

I’ve always been someone who wears their heart on their sleeve, and I’ve shared my own challenges publicly. I’ve seen first-hand how this kind of openness can build trust, create stronger connections, and have a genuine impact on business success.

Recognising Leadership Styles in Growth Barriers

Business ownership is relentless, often thankless, and full of moments that make you question why you ever started. Over the years, I’ve worked with countless business owners, and I’ve identified three distinct leadership styles that emerge when companies hit growth barriers.

Where do you see yourself?

  1. The Cautious Captain 

("Let’s not rock the boat too much.")

These leaders are highly risk-averse and prefer to maintain the status quo. They worry about disrupting client relationships, making internal changes, or taking big financial risks. Procrastination and fear of failure are the biggest enemies here.

🔹 Traits:

• Overthinks decisions, leading to inaction
• Avoids conflict or disruption at all costs
• Prefers gradual, incremental change (if any)

🔹 Challenges:

• Struggles to adapt to market shifts
• Often misses growth opportunities due to hesitation
• Gets left behind by competitors who take bolder steps

🔹 How to Break Through:

• Identify small, low-risk experiments to test new ideas.
• Embrace calculated risks—progress requires movement.
• Surround yourself with decision-makers who challenge your comfort zone.

  2. The Steady Strategist 

("I’ll make a move when the numbers back it up.")

These leaders are methodical and calculated in their decision-making. They won’t rush into anything, but when presented with a solid business case, they’ll commit to change and follow through steadily.

🔹 Traits:

• Data-driven and process-oriented
• Not easily swayed by trends or hype
• Open to change—but only with thorough preparation

🔹 Challenges:

• Can sometimes be slow to adapt in fast-moving industries
• May overanalyse opportunities and miss momentum
• Needs a strong leadership team to keep execution on track

🔹 How to Break Through:

• Balance analysis with action—perfect plans don’t exist.
• Leverage mentorship—get insights from those who’ve taken the leap.
• Trust your instincts—if something feels right, act.

    3. The Fearless Founder

("Let’s push forward and figure it out as we go.")

This group (which I think includes me, mainly because I am totally impulsive) is bold, instinctive, and action-oriented. Whether driven by a deep need to prove themselves, financial ambition, or sheer determination, these leaders thrive on momentum and rapid decision-making.

🔹 Traits:

• Willing to take risks and learn from failure
• Constantly innovating and testing new ideas
• Prioritises growth over perfection

🔹 Challenges:

• May overextend resources by taking on too much
• Risk of burnout from pushing too hard
• Needs a strong operational team to keep execution on track

🔹 How to Break Through:

• Back big ideas with structure—systemise your growth.
• Refine your focus—not every opportunity is worth pursuing.
• Hire people who challenge you—your blind spots need covering.

The Hard Truth About Growth

At some point, every business leader has to make tough decisions that push them out of their comfort zone. Growth doesn’t happen by chance—it requires:

✅ Raising your prices without fear of losing the right clients.
✅ Letting go of customers who aren’t aligned with your future.
✅ Building the right team—even if that means tough conversations.
✅ Personal branding—as I recent heard the great Daniel Priestley say, people connect with your brand more than your company brand.

   One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned? Failure is just part of the journey.

The brilliant Kirsty Hulse summed this up perfectly in a recent post:

“The reason I am failing at more stuff at the moment is because I am SUCCEEDING at more stuff. It’s a weird ass little dance. Some things go up, some things go down—give yourself grace. ❤️”

Where Do You See Yourself?

I’ve never doubted my ability to earn a living and drive success, but I know every leader’s journey is different.

So, which type of leader are you? Or is there another one I’ve missed? Drop a comment below! 👇