First off, I want to make this clear. There is no one-size-fits all leadership style. I used to have a misconception that for all situations, democratic leadership is necessary. But this is not true. Each style works best for different groups and for different situations. Let’s break it down.
Autocratic Leadership
Summary of what Autocratic Leadership is:
- Leader makes all decisions
- Clear distinction between leader and follower
Autocratic leadership works best in emergency situations. When fires are burning, you are not going to stop and take a vote. You need to quickly take action.
The downside of always using this style, even when not necessary, is that it allows the least creativity from group members. Also, it can cause irritation for the people who are in the group, as they feel that their voices are not being heard.
Laissez-Faire Leadership
Summary of Lasseiz-Fair leadership:
- Hands-off
- Leader leaves decisions up to group
Laissez-Faire leadership is best for encouraging creativity, but may not work in situations where the group does not have much experience or does not work together well. On the contrary, if the group are already experts and have been working together as a team for a long time, hands-off leadership may be the best idea.
Democratic Leadership
Summary of Democratic Leadership:
- Leader makes sure that all voices are heard/represented
- Leaders and members share decision making power
Democratic leadership is great for the standard “group project” from school, or a community project. It may not work well in emergency situations (a situation for Autocratic leadership), or when you are managing multiple groups (where Laissez-faire leadership should be considered as an option).
Conclusion
It is important to understand the different styles of leadership, and once you do, you are ready to set yourself up for leadership success. Try experimenting, and working around with different styles. Good luck, and feel free to leave any comments, questions or feedback below!
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