11 Common Leadership Styles (And Tips for Choosing the Right One for You)

19.07.2021

Author: Academy-of-capital.ru

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From this material you will learn:

• Types and characteristics of authoritarian leadership style
• 6 Rules for an Authoritarian Leader
• Pros and cons of an authoritarian leadership style
• Situations when an authoritarian management style is justified

When choosing ways to manage a team, you need to understand the pros and cons of an authoritarian leadership style. Despite the century of openness and democracy, this method has not lost its relevance and is still used in some large companies.

At the same time, you need to understand that using one leadership style for a long period can lead to a drop in productivity, so an authoritarian approach can be used as a temporary measure to shake things up. In our article we will tell you what advantages and disadvantages this management style has, what rules it must meet, and give examples of world-famous companies that use strict methods of managing subordinates.

1. Authoritarian (autocratic) leadership style

Authoritarian leaders, also called autocratic, are characterized by a clear command approach and control over colleagues. Decision-making processes are centralized, meaning the most important decisions are made by one person. An authoritarian leader has a clear vision of the big picture, but other employees participate only to complete individual tasks as needed.

Authoritarian leaders may praise or criticize employees, but at the same time they clearly separate themselves from the team. Although it may seem that an authoritarian leader is only disliked, this is usually not the case. They are rarely hostile. On the contrary, they are usually friendly and sometimes even emotionless.

An authoritarian leader is characterized by the following statements:

• I know the situation better than others.
• When disagreements arise in the company, I am usually right.
• With so many voices we will never get the job done.
• I do not accept opposing opinions about the project for which I am responsible.

Advantages of authoritarian leadership:

• Authoritarian leaders are able to complete projects within tight deadlines.
• This style is useful when decisive action is needed.
• Autocratic leadership can be successful when the leader has the most complete knowledge relative to the rest of the team.

Disadvantages of Authoritarian Leadership:

• This style is not conducive to creativity.
• Colleagues may view such leaders in a negative light due to suppression of initiative and excessive control.
• Authoritarian leaders find it difficult to adopt any other leadership style and are usually not willing to deviate from their plan.

Examples of authoritarian leadership type

Henry Ford, the owner of automobile factories, is considered a classic example of authoritarianism. He achieved worldwide fame because he not only carefully selected employees, but also took full responsibility upon himself, trying to develop his company. He paid attention to detail when structuring tasks.

Sonic Diner owner Jack Hartnett is a great example of how an authoritarian management style benefited the business. Having created a network of 54 branches, the manager took into account the nuances of working in the fast food industry. Since this environment involves mainly young and unskilled employees, Jack Hartnett took full control into his own hands. He delegated minimal powers to his subordinates, clearly defining his responsibilities.

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2. Collegial (democratic) leadership style

Collegial, or democratic, leaders welcome all opinions and encourage collaboration. And although they may have the final say, such leaders share responsibility for decision-making among everyone.

Collegial leaders participate in the work of the team. They devote time and effort to the professional growth of their colleagues because they understand that this will help achieve the ultimate goal. If you feel comfortable working in a collaborative environment, this leadership style may be right for you.

A collegial leader is characterized by the following statements:

• If I rely on the knowledge and experience of my colleagues, this will help me fulfill my responsibilities.
• If disagreements arise in the company, it is necessary to listen to the opinions of all participants and only then make a decision.
• The more people work on a project, the better the result will be.
• I accept opposing opinions because it helps make the final product better.

Benefits of Peer Leadership:

• According to Levine's research, this is the most effective leadership style.
• Peer leadership improves the quality of work.
• It encourages creativity and helps team members feel included.
• Everyone understands the big picture and is interested in achieving the end goal.

Disadvantages of collegial leadership:

• Teams with a collegial leader are not as productive as those with an authoritarian leadership style.
• For collaboration to be effective, all team members must be involved in the process.

Read about the secret of high dynamics in team work

Flaws

An authoritarian leadership style may be justified in some cases , however, this management model does not always allow for effective organization of the work of the team, as it has significant drawbacks.

Namely:

• a manager cannot be equally knowledgeable in all matters;
• management that is limited to one person for a long time leads to ineffective work;
• Without the instructions of the person in charge, even the smallest issues are not resolved, which leads to their accumulation and the independent activity of the team is paralyzed;
• an unfriendly atmosphere is established in the team;
• people do not stay at their jobs for long, there is a high staff turnover;
• people are poorly motivated, are not interested in working for the result, their stay at work often comes down to formally serving working time.

3. Liberal (permissive) leadership style

Lewin's third style is the liberal, or permissive, leadership style. Liberal leaders rarely give any instructions to the team. They give employees complete freedom to make decisions.

Liberal leaders distance themselves from the team and prefer not to participate in the project control process. You rarely hear any comments from them. By the time the project is completed, employees may even forget what such a leader looks like.

A liberal leader is characterized by the following statements:

• The team can decide for itself what is best for them, but I expect a brilliant result.
• If disagreements arise in the company, others can make a decision without me.
• I place all resources at the disposal of the team. Therefore, I want employees to take the initiative themselves and know what needs to be done.
• Those who have a different opinion can use their methods on an individual basis.

Benefits of liberal leadership:

• The liberal style can be useful if all team members are qualified experts.
• This leadership style will appeal to those who value independence.
• If the team has the same goal as the leader, it can be achieved. You can use goal tracking software to monitor progress.

Disadvantages of liberal leadership:

• According to Lewin's research, teams with permissive leadership are the least productive.
• Under liberal leadership, the roles and responsibilities of employees are blurred.
• With this style, team members may begin to blame each other without accepting any responsibility.

Having become acquainted with Lewin's three leadership styles, we can go from the other side and consider the theory of emotional leadership. This approach helps you use emotional intelligence to assess a situation and choose the appropriate leadership style.

Personality-oriented style, or “Don’t be afraid, I’m with you”

Olga B. worked with both Gennady Pavlovich and Alexey. The woman realized that both authoritarian and democratic styles have their pros and cons, and decided to act differently. Actually, she didn’t come up with anything new - she used a completely individual approach. Olga realized that you need to work with each employee in your own way, and what is suitable for one is categorically unacceptable for another. For example, a quiet person may be shy at general planning meetings and brainstorming sessions, but during a personal conversation he will begin to burst out with creative ideas. It is difficult for an owl man to arrive at the office at 9 am - his head is not clear, things are not getting done, but in the evening the most fruitful time comes. Olga organized a free schedule for several of her comrades and allowed introverts not to speak at the planning meeting in front of everyone. The employees appreciated the good attitude and began calling the boss “our mommy.” But there’s nowhere without a fly in the ointment: a group of people quickly emerged who considered a good attitude a weakness and began to openly neglect work. Olga was worried, had soul-saving conversations, and only when the team submitted a collective request for the dismissal of those at fault, she decided to take a bold step.

Practicing an individual approach is the right thing to do. Typically, bosses of this type (usually women) like to conduct psychological testing, organize corporate parties and get-togethers in order to get to know their employees better. However, you shouldn’t overprotect your employees: you are not a mother hen, and they are not helpless chickens. Trust, but verify, be not a mommy, but a boss - this is the moral of this fable.

Disadvantages of a person-centered approach

1. As a rule, bosses of this type are soft, sensitive people. Good relationships are more important to them than the company’s profit and its development. Therefore, sad as it may be, a soft-spoken boss can quickly be “eaten up” by his more resourceful colleagues or one of his subordinates.
2. No delegation of authority. Instead of clearly issuing instructions and monitoring the process of completing tasks, such managers either do everything themselves or forgive endless delays. Wake up guys, this is a business! Here you need to make tough decisions and take big risks, otherwise you risk going broke and going bankrupt.

Advantages of an individual approach

1. Good relationships in the team. Human relations are perhaps the most important thing for half of the employees. If you are lucky enough to find an understanding boss, many will hold on to this position with their hands and teeth, even despite the low salary and small career prospects.
2. In a crisis situation, employees will stand behind the boss and will not allow the company to collapse . “One for all, and all for one” - this slogan still works.

Visionary Leadership

Visionary leadership is comparable to Lewin's authoritarian leadership style. Visionary leaders have a clear long-term vision and know how to inspire and motivate people.

This type of leadership is best suited when a company is undergoing major changes or when there is a need to receive clear direction. In these conditions, people are looking for someone they can trust to follow them into the unknown.

This style may be less effective when other team members are experts with ideas and opinions that differ from those held by the leader. Such specialists will not want to blindly follow a leader with whom they do not agree.

Read about how to build expert authority (and improve your leadership skills)

Benefits of Visionary Leadership:

• Members of the organization receive the necessary inspiration and understand their responsibilities.
• Temporary problems do not depress the leader because he is focused on the ultimate goal.
• Visionary leaders are able to provide backup options for solving problems associated with external factors, such as politics or the global situation.

Disadvantages of Visionary Leadership:

• There is no short-term vision of the situation on the part of the teams.
• Vision can be lost if it is too closely tied to the leader's personality.
• Visionary leaders tend to push away the ideas of other team members.

Read about how a group differs from a team

How does authoritarianism develop?

An authoritarian leadership style is the result of the rule of an individual who is prone to making individual decisions and does not take into account the position of other people. The development of authoritarianism is associated with the formation of a person’s personality, as well as the traits inherent in him from birth. It is no secret that cruel, despotic leaders had tough characters from an early age.

However, a tyrant is formed not only under the influence of inherent inclinations, but also under the influence of external conditions and various situations. Such people tend to be aggressive, have high ambitions and demands on themselves and others, at the same time, they do not have developed reflection, and their thinking is stereotypical.

At the same time, authoritarianism as a character trait manifests itself not only in solving work issues, but also in personal life. Authoritarianism is a negative character trait. Such people are despotic in the family and at work, do not tolerate objections and tend to impose their vision of the world on others.

Under certain circumstances, an authoritarian person who has gained access to power can hold his position for a long time, which is especially clearly seen in the histories of countries where authoritarianism and totalitarianism once reigned or currently reign.

Coaching

A leader-coach is able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of other team members and contributes to their development. In addition, such leaders know how to connect the skills of employees with the goals of the company.

This leadership style will be effective if the leader is creative, open to collaboration, and provides clear feedback to colleagues. It is also important that the coach knows when to step back and give the person space.

If you've ever dealt with a bad mentor, you know that coaching isn't for everyone. If you are unlucky with a coach, such leadership can turn into total petty control.

Benefits of coaching leadership:

• A leader-coach can create a motivating atmosphere in which participants are happy to work on a project.
• Clearly defined expectations help develop the skills of colleagues.
• This leadership style gives companies a competitive advantage because it provides productive conditions for qualified people who are willing to train others.

Disadvantages of coaching leadership:

• Coaching requires patience and time.
• This style is only effective if others are willing to accept it.
• Mentor leaders rely heavily on relationships, which can be difficult if there is no team chemistry.

Read the article “Fiedler’s Contingency Theory: Why Leadership Isn’t Uniform”

Risks of authoritarian governance

Not all interesting candidates will want to work at. These candidates will quickly terminate their employment relationship or will not consider such a place of work as an employer at all.

Not everyone can work under the pressure of a dictator. The most valuable categories of employees are the most sensitive to style. Their absence or frequent changes will affect the stability of business processes.

It’s more difficult and scary with those who are willing and able to work with a dictator. This layer of personnel seems to me to be the most “harmful”; by enthusiastically executing the decisions of managers, they create an intolerable environment for good employees.

Fatherly leadership style

A fatherly leadership style is relationship-oriented. The main thing for such a leader is to create harmony. This charismatic leader works to create and develop working relationships that promote cohesion and positivity within the team.

A leader with a fatherly style helps when building a new team or in a crisis, as both require trust. However, this leadership style can be detrimental when the leader is too focused on maintaining a friend's image and less concerned with improving productivity and achieving company goals.

Benefits of a paternal leadership style:

• Team morale is maintained by positive and constructive feedback.
• Interpersonal conflicts quickly cease.
• Team members feel important and are less stressed.
• A fatherly leadership style creates close bonds in teams whose members are committed to helping each other.

Disadvantages of a paternal leadership style:

• Some employees may not work effectively when out of sight. The lack of a clear definition of responsibilities can lead to so-called social laziness.
• Leaders with a fatherly style are reluctant to voice criticism that does not help others grow.
• Organizational goals are often forgotten.
• Team members become emotionally dependent on the leader. If the leader moves to another team or leaves the company, the rest of the team will be lost.

Read the article “Servant Leadership: How to Lead a Team to Meet Its Needs”

Main features of authoritarianism

• As mentioned above, dogmatism. That is, faithful adherence to ideas that are considered indestructible and true. And this indicates the inflexibility of the manager. He is not able to change his mind, even in situations where it is absolutely necessary to do so, otherwise completely unfavorable consequences will follow.
• Ban. For individuality, freedom of action, initiative, etc. Diligence is almost the only trait that is encouraged.
• Lack of trusting relationships.
• Rigidity in handling and exactingness. It is for this reason that diligence is valued. The employee is obliged to strictly follow the instructions and in no case act on his own initiative.
• Punishment. The staff is not responsible for the results of their activities, as they are deprived of the ability to make decisions. Why is he subject to punishment if boundaries are not respected? For example, for being late, absenteeism, or failure to complete assignments on time.
• The microclimate in the team leaves much to be desired. Relations are purely collegial, official, superficial. People have no chance to get closer to each other, if only for the reason that even this process is controlled by the authorities.
• A large distance between the manager and his subordinates. Even thoughts about closer communication are not allowed. The boss is too inaccessible a figure to allow himself freedom in conversation.
• Lack of emotional support or empathy. Since employees are perceived only in a professional sense, there can be no talk about any of their personal characteristics. What happens inside, what experiences and difficulties arise, no one cares. A person must do his job efficiently, despite his emotional state. You can only be upset and worried at home or outside of work hours.
• Subjectivity. Only one person has the right to an opinion, and accordingly, it is quite difficult to objectively think and evaluate the actions of staff.
• There is little opportunity to show initiative, which may be “punished.”
• Vertical presentation of information. That is, only from a higher-ranking person to a lower-ranking person.

Democratic leadership style

Democratic leadership style is the same concept as Lewin's collegial leadership. The team encourages the active participation and exchange of ideas of all participants. Therefore, the entire team feels involved, even despite the fact that the leader’s voice is ultimately decisive.

Democratic leadership style is effective in teams with highly qualified members who are able to make productive contributions. However, it is less successful in the case of less experienced employees who do not have as much knowledge in this area. Additionally, it should not be used in situations requiring immediate action.

Advantages of democratic leadership style:

• A collaborative environment fosters creativity and innovation.
• Maintains a high level of engagement and trust among employees.
• Shared goals ensure a high level of accountability and productivity.

Disadvantages of democratic leadership style:

• Collaboration requires more time.
• A leader may lose the trust of members if he makes decisions without their input.
• Democratic leadership style is ineffective if team members do not have the necessary qualifications.

general characteristics

In the modern world it is not so common because the idea of ​​equality and support prevails. This allows you to unlock the potential of employees, inspire them to achieve and, in general, motivate them to work. In the Soviet Union, authoritarianism was very popular in various enterprises. People of that time had few opportunities for development, and most did not even think about their vocation.

There are such varieties:

• Dictatorial - the manager makes decisions, and his subordinates strictly follow them. But not because of trust in a significant figure, but due to existing sanctions and punishments.
• Autocratic - characterized by the power of the apparatus of power, which is simply limitless.
• Bureaucratic - the use of outdated, sometimes ineffective management techniques in work. The authority of the boss is formal.
• Patriarchal - subordinates treat the director as a father figure. They are ready to follow him and voluntarily obey.
• Benevolent - the manager enjoys authority due to the fact that he treats his team more kindly than with other types of management.

Reference leadership style

A leader with a reference style sets an example for high performance, productivity and quality. This leadership style requires team members to follow in the footsteps of their leader. If the participants do not keep up with the leader, he will intervene and complete the task correctly.

A leader with a reference style is effective when he sets clear expectations and motivates employees to meet deadlines. Such leadership is ineffective when the team stops trusting the leader, is stressed and overloaded, or loses motivation.

Benefits of the reference leadership style:

• Leaders with this style are able to achieve company goals on time.
• The reference leadership style allows you to fully use the potential of the team.
• Reporting on the progress of work allows you to quickly identify problems.

Disadvantages of the reference leadership style:

• When leading with a reference style, employees may become stressed and unmotivated, causing low morale within the team.
• Employees may lose trust in a leader if he monitors their every move and corrects their every action.
• Excessive attention to results and deadlines is fraught with a decrease in creative potential.
• Insufficient feedback.

Directive leadership style

The directive leadership style is similar to the authoritarian, or coercive, style. A leader with this style sets clear goals and objectives for the team, expecting employees to strictly implement them. They introduce rules and procedures to create the appropriate structure.

Directive leadership is usually used in situations where employees lack the skills and experience. In such a situation, employees need a structure that allows them to complete tasks. This leadership style is also effective in emergency situations when there is no time for discussion. If you use this leadership style, it should be done in combination with other styles.

Advantages of the directive style:

• Having clearly defined expectations helps improve performance.
• Useful in times of crisis because it allows you to make decisions quickly.
• A directive leadership style can be effective in teams with low-skilled or inexperienced employees.
• Leaders with a directive style can quickly identify gaps in certain employees.

Disadvantages of the directive style:

• If the leader does not have more experience than the team, this leadership style will not work.
• Collaboration is lacking, which stifles creativity.
• Team morale may drop significantly and employees may lose interest.
• The work of the team largely depends on the leader, which creates a bottleneck.
• A leader with a directive style can easily turn into an authoritarian leader.

The theory of emotional leadership can be easily implemented in everyday work. First, determine the type of team you are working with. Then consider which leadership styles are best suited to your challenges. Next, try to adjust your emotional leadership style to account for possible scenarios. With some practice, this theory can change the way you approach leadership.

Read about how to effectively manage your group's workload

Video

Photo by Vasily Smirny, Kublog
Management style is the way a manager manages his subordinate employees, as well as a pattern of manager behavior independent of the specific management situation. With the help of an established management style, job satisfaction can be achieved and employee productivity can be encouraged. At the same time, there is no optimal management style, and we can talk about the advantage of one or another management style only for a certain management situation.

The following management styles are distinguished.

Transformational Leadership

In addition to Lewin's leadership theory and emotional leadership theory, there are two other leadership styles worthy of your attention: transformational and transactional leadership.

Both of these styles were described by Bernard M. Bass, an American psychologist who studied leadership and behavior in organizations. Even if you haven't heard of them yet, you've probably already seen them in action.

The most popular theory of Bernard M. Bass is transformational leadership, which is a combination of four leadership qualities. This theory was formulated based on James McGregor Burns' 1978 concept in which he argued that leaders and their followers help each other improve morale and motivation.

Leaders with this style are trusted and respected by those who are willing to follow them. The four leadership qualities of transformational leadership are personal consideration, intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation, and thought leadership. These four qualities determine how transformational a leader is.

Benefits of transformational leadership:

• Leaders with this style use coaching and rewards to inspire their team.
• Each employee is treated individually, allowing all their unique skills to be used effectively.
• Employees are united by a common cause, which ensures their growth within the company.
• Each employee is given freedom of action.

Disadvantages of transformational leadership:

• Small tasks are easily forgotten, making it difficult to bring a concept to life.
• The constant presence of a leader can lead to employee overload and burnout.
• The leader's goals must be consistent with the company's goals, otherwise risks may arise.
• All employees must respect the leader and agree with his approach.

“Speed ​​and Pace Control” style

The essence of this style is that the manager himself sets the pace for the team's work with the expectation of support from employees. Pacing involves setting high or difficult standards to motivate the team to achieve overall goals. The manager needs to be able to set the right pace for the team, but before that, it is important to make sure that the employees are sufficiently motivated.

Former General Electric CEO Jack Welch is an example of an assertive and demanding leader. He led the company effectively for twenty years, but earned a negative reputation for setting a high pace and cutting 25% of the company's jobs over a four-year period.

In what situations will the “controlling speed and pace” style have the greatest effect?

Works great in companies where employees have a high level of professionalism and qualifications. They are motivated, easily follow the example of the leader, and meet his expectations. In addition, it is very important that the leader has high expertise and enjoys the trust and authority of the team.

Advantages of the “speed and pace control” style:

• increases team motivation and promotes healthy competition;
• according to a Harvard Business Review study, dynamic management is a great way to take the work of an effective and professional team to a new level;
• employees get more opportunities to use and demonstrate their skills and competencies;
• The motivation of specialists increases as they accept the challenge from the manager and do everything possible to keep up with the given pace.

Disadvantages of the “speed and pace control” style:

• sometimes managers set unrealistic pace and deadlines for completing tasks, thereby demotivating and exhausting employees;
• specialists with insufficiently developed professional skills may not be ready for a lot of pressure and will not be able to meet established standards;
• not all people like it when someone else sets the themes for their work;
• constantly pushing the team to achieve difficult goals can lead to burnout;
• emphasizes personal achievements and can cause disagreements and discontent in the team.

Transactional Leadership

Transactional leadership was first conceptualized by sociologist Max Weber. It was then refined by Bernard M. Bass as opposed to transformational leadership.

Transactional leadership uses the principle of carrots and sticks to motivate employees. Such a leader believes that a clearly structured management system increases work efficiency. At the same time, team members must strictly follow the instructions and be under close control from the leader.

Benefits of Transactional Leadership:

• Transactional leadership is useful in situations where there is a clearly defined problem.
• This leadership style can be useful in times of crisis, when everyone has clearly defined responsibilities.
• Employees know what is expected of them.

Disadvantages of Transactional Leadership:

• A transactional leadership style stifles employee creativity.
• Leaders with a transactional style do not meet the emotional needs of team members.
• Such leaders do not encourage individual initiative.
• This leadership style is usually ineffective in the long term because it is overly focused on short-term goals.

Read 6 tips on building a strong organizational culture from Asana leaders

Leadership style autocratic (directive) -17-19, 81 democratic - 19-21 Leninist - 13-15 liberal - 21-22 objective basis - 19 definition - 8, 9, 12 social phenomenon - 8, 11 combination of leadership styles - 22- 27 style and method - 6, 8 subjective side of style - 10 [p.253]
Modern interpretations of styles, guidelines. Authoritarian style. Modifications of the authoritarian style. Patriarchal, charismatic, autocratic and bureaucratic styles. [p.438]

Management style Autocratic, direct leadership Moderate, consultative leadership Democratic, participation in management [p.463]

Leadership style is generalized types of behavior of a leader in relations with subordinates in the process of achieving goals (autocratic, democratic). [p.525]

In accordance with the traditional classification of leadership behavior, leadership styles are classified as autocratic (one extreme) and liberal (the other extreme). They are also divided into work-centered style and person-centered style. [p.147]

In accordance with the represented behavior of subordinates, an autocrat (autocratic leader) centralizes powers as much as possible, structures the work of subordinates in detail and gives them almost no freedom in decision-making. The autocrat closely manages all work within the limits of his competence and, to ensure work, exerts psychological pressure on his subordinates (as a rule, threatens). When an autocrat avoids negative coercion and uses rewards, he is called a benevolent autocrat. A benevolent autocrat shows active concern for the mood and well-being of subordinates, but retains the actual power to make and implement decisions. And no matter how supportive the autocrat is, he consistently implements an autocratic leadership style, that is, he structures tasks and imposes strict adherence to a huge number of rules on his subordinates that strictly regulate their work. [p.148]

It should be noted that the autocratic leadership style clearly gravitates toward organizational and administrative methods that more clearly express the imperative of power and coercion. Such a leader subordinates even economic methods more to managerial relations than to economic assessments of expediency or rationality. Social and psychological methods are not developed, and there is no reason for this; psychological contacts with the team are very poorly developed. The liberal style significantly gravitates towards socio-psychological methods of management, perhaps even to the detriment of discipline, to the detriment of rights and responsibility. The economic method also turns out to be deformed, since economic levers and incentives are more subordinated to psychological contacts than to economic results. The democratic style has the most potential in the rational use of management methods. It should also be borne in mind that in practice, not just one leadership style in its pure form is often used, but a combination of them, spontaneously formed or deliberately created by a given leader, seeking to use the positive features of a particular type and weaken, neutralize its negative aspects, taking into account the changing situation in production and its management. Determining an effective leadership style should take into account many factors, the psychological characteristics of the leader’s personality, the needs and interests of subordinates, the degree of their qualifications and responsibility, internal and external factors affecting the organization. The choice of a leadership style that is adequate to the situation, taking into account the most significant factors, can be defined as situational leadership. [p.422]

Democratic style or group participation system. It is based on the involvement of subordinates both in determining the goals of the organization or division and in monitoring their achievement. Managers have complete trust in their subordinates. Motivation is through economic rewards based on organizational goals. Personnel at all levels feel a real responsibility for the goals of the organization, there is a lot of communication, there are great opportunities for group work. Managers of this style start from McGregor's Theory Y. Organizations where this style dominates are characterized by a high degree of decentralization and active participation of employees in decision making. Likert believed that such a system was ideal for profit (or efficiency) oriented organizations. However, Likert's conclusions do not apply to all situations. In some cases, more work can be accomplished under an autocratic manager than under a democrat. But you have to pay for this with less originality of solutions, low enthusiasm, etc. [p.441]

Leadership style does not depend on the type of organization. Each organization may have different leadership styles. However, some organizations gravitate toward one style or another. In large hierarchical organizations (both private and public), a directive style tends to predominate. In small innovative organizations, the democratic style predominates. Recently, due to the need to quickly and effectively adapt to rapid environmental changes in all organizations, both public and private, there has been a change in leadership style from predominantly autocratic to predominantly democratic. This trend is not absolute, and government organizations remain largely committed to the traditional directive style. [p.168]

Nowadays, with the increasing role of the subjective factor and the increased intelligence of workers, a strictly autocratic leadership style is becoming increasingly unacceptable. It would not be an exaggeration to say that being an autocrat these days is a sign of weakness rather than strength. An autocrat often still looks confident in himself, but it is no longer difficult to detect some confusion, an inability to adapt to a changing situation, an inability to abandon the traditional habit of keeping all ties to himself and building relationships with subordinates on trust and respect. [p.49]

A democratic leadership style, in contrast to an autocratic one, involves providing subordinates with independence commensurate with their qualifications and functions, involving them in activities such as setting goals, evaluating work, preparing and making decisions, creating the necessary prerequisites for performing work and fair assessment of them effort, treating people with respect and taking care of their needs. [p.49]

The relationship between management style and the level of education and work experience of the manager is quite clearly visible. The general pattern is that the higher the level of education and work experience, the more widely the democratic leadership style is used. Among managers with higher education, the democratic style is implemented by 42.8% of those surveyed, among agronomists - 39.7%, among chief livestock specialists - 42.6%. Managers with secondary specialized education most often adhere to an autocratic work style among chief engineers - 56%, among chief dispatchers - 51%. [p.59]

Nowadays, with a significantly different structure of the economy, the high role of the subjective factor in production and the increased intelligence of workers in management systems, the rigidly autocratic style of leadership becomes even more unacceptable. Subordinates with a developed sense of self-esteem cannot be impressed by an autocrat. [p.19]

LEADERSHIP STYLE, MANAGEMENT - the nature of the relationship between managers and subordinates in the performance of official duties. It is customary to distinguish between authoritarian (autocratic), democratic, and liberal styles. [p.719]

Research into types of leaders and leadership effectiveness conducted by psychologists and sociologists has revealed the three most common leadership styles: authoritarian or autocratic, democratic and liberal. [p.43]

The style of implementing the change has a great influence on the extent to which management manages to eliminate resistance to change. A leader can be tough and inflexible in eliminating resistance, or he can be flexible. It is believed that the autocratic style can only be useful in very specific situations that require the immediate elimination of resistance to very important changes. In most cases, a style in which management reduces resistance to change by winning over those who were initially opposed to change is considered more acceptable. Participative leadership style, in which many members of the organization are involved in resolving issues, is very successful in this regard. [p.184]

Autocratic leadership style is less common and occurs in larger organizations. An autocratic leader uses a large hierarchical management apparatus, which, however, does not have autonomy and carries out only the decisions of the top leader. This style differs from the patriarchal and charismatic styles in the weakness of personal contacts between the leader and subordinates. It was widespread under the command-administrative system in the USSR and other countries. [p.144]

Autocratic leadership style 8. Democratic management style, based on the interest of all employees in the overall success of the organization [p.29]

Modern production system practices are dominated by autocratic and democratic styles.
Autocratic leadership may provide higher productivity but lower job satisfaction than democratic leadership. However, issuing some general and detailed recommendations regarding leadership style is a risky business. [p.145] The following features are characteristic of the autocratic leadership style [p.155]

Disillusionment with the personality approach to leadership increased around the same period as the behaviorist school of thought began to gain strength in management theory. Thus, it is not surprising that the second approach to the study of leadership has focused its attention on leader behavior. According to the behavioral approach to leadership, effectiveness is determined not by the personal qualities of the leader, but rather by his behavior towards subordinates. Therefore, in the next section of the chapter, we analyze the concept of “leadership style” and describe such important categories as autocratic style, democratic style, work-oriented style and people-oriented style. [p.543]

To make decisions in the model, depending on the situation and the degree of involvement of subordinates, it is proposed to use five styles: autocratic I (AI), autocratic II (AN), consultative I (KI), consultative II (CN), group or joint II (GI). Each of these styles in relation to group leadership means the following [p.401]

The behavioral approach has provided the basis for the classification of leadership styles or behavioral styles. This has been a major contribution and a useful tool for understanding the complexities of leadership. Disillusionment with the personality approach to leadership increased around the same period as the behaviorist school of thought began to gain strength in management theory. Thus, it is not surprising that the second approach to the study of leadership has focused its attention on leader behavior. According to the behavioral approach to leadership, effectiveness is determined not by the personal qualities of the leader, but rather by his behavior towards subordinates. Therefore, in the next section of the chapter, we analyze the concepts of leadership style and describe such important categories as autocratic style, democratic style, work-oriented style and people-oriented style. [p.490]

The motivation in this case is quite clear. Those who have little need for high earnings will want to work in a friendly environment where they can chat with other employees. They can cause problems even if they have to spend only a short time alone. They will go out of their way to work in groups, either regularly during their working hours or as part of problem-solving work groups. The organizational culture should be open, without erecting barriers between employees. In other words, an autocratic management style, in which workers are isolated from each other and forced to work in separate rooms, is not suitable for them and will create stress for them. For such people, the best option for setting goals would be group orientation, [p.78]

As for the influence of work experience on leadership style, it was found that among the main specialists with both less (up to 5 years) and more (over 10 years) work experience there are very few representatives of the autocratic style. At the beginning of their working career, managers, not feeling enough confidence, are wary of resorting to it, and as they gain experience, they increasingly prefer the democratic style. As for the liberal style, it turned out to be less common among managers and chief specialists with more than 10 years of experience than among specialists working for the first 5 years. [p.60]

Of the three main leadership styles, preference should be given to the democratic style; the autocratic style, as already noted, is advisable only in exceptional cases (emergency situation, special character of the subordinate, etc.), since it deprives the initiative of subordinates, who become either opportunists or rebels; liberal The leadership style can only be used as an exception in relation to individual subordinates who have particularly high qualifications; in other cases, it can lead to anarchy and sharply reduce the effectiveness of management. [p.154]

Autocratic style. Characterized by highly directive behavior and almost complete absence of supportive behavior. Dialogue and feedback between management and employees is almost completely absent. This style is best used when tasks are strictly structured and management has all the information necessary to complete them [p.89]

Leadership and Guidance

Leadership and management are often used interchangeably. However, they have different meanings.

A leader builds on his vision to move the company forward while keeping his team inspired. In addition, they have a positive influence on a social level and can use it to benefit the organization. On the other hand, managers can perform the function of operational support for projects in a company, using a special leadership style.

Leadership is an operational concept; it concerns setting and evaluating priorities, making hiring and firing decisions, compensation decisions, etc. A leader is more of a coach or even a spiritual guide. He is responsible for maintaining the energy and inspiration of employees, helping them grow, and also ensuring the coherence of their actions. A leader is a source of strength and stability in the process of change.”

—Dustin Moskowitz, co-founder and CEO of Asana
You don't have to be an executive to be a leader. A leader can be a person in any position, not just in the highest echelons. If you are looking to develop leadership skills in any role, you may find it helpful to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your leadership style and to become familiar with other types of leadership that may be suitable for you.

We'll then look at different leadership theories and styles to help you understand your style. You may even want to change your strategy.

Read the article “Leadership and Management: What’s the Difference?”

Determine leadership potential

If the manager fails to cope with the assigned responsibility, cannot organize the work, and the productivity of the team under his management begins to decline, the possible reason is that the wrong person was appointed leader. For example, they chose one of the team members and put them in charge. At the same time, a person may not have the necessary competencies or managerial potential, or vice versa - he has the potential, but does not have the need to lead.

To find out in advance whether a candidate can cope with a management position, conduct a test assessment of the employee for managerial potential. During testing, the respondent goes through several problematic work situations and chooses the optimal solution. The test result will show whether the employee is motivated to lead and how effective he is in solving case problems.

Conducting testing of candidates before appointment to a manager position is useful both for the company and for the employee himself. The company will not waste time and resources dealing with the consequences of choosing the wrong leader. The employee will not try to “survive” in a leadership position, but will do the work where he is most productive.

What is your leadership style?

As you can see, there are many different theories and concepts of leadership.

Lewin's theory divides all leaders into three categories, the most effective of which is collegial leadership. Emotional leadership theory provides six leadership styles that an effective leader uses at one time or another depending on the current circumstances. Bass offers us two opposing styles: transformational and transactional. In the first case, motivation is provided by the inspiration of employees, and in the second - by the carrot and stick method.

There is no one right leadership style, but there is a style that you are naturally inclined towards. Which style suits you best? What are you used to? Weigh the advantages and disadvantages to become a leader who sets up his followers for success. If your current leadership style isn't working, try a different approach.

Read 39 Business Quotes to Inspire Your Team

Style cascades down from the top

There is one important nuance. Most likely, you are not going to work for a small startup where the founder himself will be your manager. This means that your manager will have at least one more manager at a higher level. If your immediate supervisor is a nice person who always “stands for his eagles,” and his leader is an authoritarian despot with a mustache, then one way or another you will feel the authoritarian note of management on yourself. If one of the directors decides to install cameras in the office and personally monitors those who leave 15 minutes earlier than expected, then no one will help you. No matter how suitable your team leader is, he will not be able to save you from the raging service station. That is why during an interview you need to ask questions about the STAR or PARLA framework and find out reviews from former employees. It's not what leaders say, but how they act that matters.

Inspire employees with effective leadership style

Leadership style is a classification of how leadership skills are used in practice. As we already know, leaders have many strengths. They dedicate themselves to a variety of tasks, from motivating employees and thinking creatively to solving problems and taking risky decisions. At the same time, there are no two absolutely identical leaders: the approach to the same set of tasks for different leaders can differ significantly.

Leaders' job is to ensure that employees achieve the organization's goals.
Work management software can help you keep your team working in a consistent manner, no matter where you lead them. Try work management software

What does the management methodology provide?

Although the authoritarian control system is inflexible and despotic in nature, it allows for:

• discipline in the team;
• clear hierarchy;
• making important decisions in the shortest possible time;
• stable growth during the crisis period;
• clarity of assigned tasks for subordinates.

An authoritarian management technique allows the manager to be aware of everything, even the smallest issues, and fully control the work of the team.