9 July 2026
The types of business leadership represent different ways of managing, motivating and organizing a team. For a franchisee, adapting their leadership style can be especially important for running the business, developing commercial activity and coordinating the team.
What are the different types of business leadership?
The types of leadership describe different ways of making decisions, interacting with a team and guiding work towards specific objectives. Some leaders stand out for their ability to organize and deliver results, while others are stronger at motivating, innovating, delegating or developing people.
There is no single leadership style that works in every situation. When running a business, it is common to combine different approaches depending on the team, the stage of the business and the objectives that need to be achieved.
The same applies to franchise management. Although a franchisee operates within an established business model and defined processes, they remain responsible for organizing day-to-day activity, developing their local market and leading their team.
7 leadership profiles when managing a franchise
Based on different ways of managing a business, we can identify several leadership profiles that may appear in the day-to-day activity of a franchisee. The same person may combine characteristics from several profiles.
1. The traditional manager: focused on results
This is a structured profile that pays particular attention to results, organization and business control. This approach can be especially useful when processes need to be reviewed, quick decisions have to be made or the business needs to regain commercial focus.
2. The workaholic: highly involved
This profile is deeply involved in the business and constantly looks for ways to improve it. Their main strengths are commitment and consistency, although learning to delegate is also important to prevent all activity from depending entirely on one person.
3. The innovator: open to change
The innovator looks for new ways of working, follows current trends and is willing to introduce tools or initiatives that may improve the business. Adaptability and innovation can be particularly valuable in fast-changing markets.
4. The affiliative leader: people-focused
This profile gives particular importance to the team and to relationships between people. They often stand out for creating trust, communication and a positive working environment, which can be important for strengthening teams and maintaining motivation.
5. The leader: leading by example
This type of leader is personally involved in the activity and aims to become a professional reference for the team. Rather than simply assigning tasks, they participate, communicate objectives and demonstrate through their own work what they expect from others.
6. The teammate: close and collaborative leadership
This profile works closely with the team and maintains a very direct relationship with employees. This approach can encourage collaboration and a strong understanding of day-to-day operations, particularly during the launch and early stages of the business.
7. The balanced leader: adapting leadership to the situation
The balanced leader combines characteristics from the previous profiles and adapts their approach to each situation. They know when to focus on results, when to delegate, when to innovate and when to devote more attention to the team.
Is there one leadership style that is better than the others?
Not necessarily. Business leadership styles work differently depending on the team, the context and the objectives. For an entrepreneur, being able to adapt the way they lead is generally more useful than trying to fit permanently into a single profile.
What type of leadership does a franchisee need?
Managing a franchise combines team leadership, commercial focus, organization and adaptability. A franchisee may therefore need different leadership behaviors depending on the stage their business is going through.
During the opening phase, for example, direct involvement in day-to-day operations may be particularly important. As the team gains experience, delegating, developing people and maintaining a strong commercial focus also become increasingly relevant.
At MBE, entrepreneurs do not face this process completely on their own. The network provides training and support in different areas related to business management, operations and commercial activity.
What skills can help you lead a franchise?
- Commercial skills: identifying opportunities, acquiring customers and developing long-term relationships.
- Communication: clearly communicating objectives and expectations to the team.
- Organization: coordinating operations, priorities and resources.
- Delegation: distributing responsibilities and helping the team become more autonomous.
- Adaptability: changing the management approach when the needs of the business evolve.
- Customer focus: understanding customer needs and building sustainable business relationships.
These skills form part of the profile of someone who wants to manage their own business. If you are considering this model, you can find out more about what it means to become an MBE franchisee.
