Leadership Styles & Situations

1. Leadership Styles & Situations

2. Introduction • There are many different leadership styles which can be used. A successful leader needs to be able to use a blend of these styles depending on the situation they are faced with. • Each individual normally has a preferred way of handling things. You must be able to adjust as every situation, person and set of circumstances are different • Basically, leadership style is determined by the types of choices one makes about the way to handle a particular situation.

3. Styles of Leadership

4. Autocratic Definition • Is “top” oriented where decisions come from the top down. • Authority suggests power, the capacity to control others. • The autocratic leader uses authority to guide behavior of his/her people in accomplishing the leader’s goals

5. Autocratic Characteristics • Hard – boiled type: • Constantly checking up on everyone • Believes discipline and immediate acceptance of all orders are necessary to get good results • That praise will spoil people • That people cant be trusted on their own for too long

6. Autocratic Benevolent Type • Does not realize his/her leadership is autocratic • Is interested in individual, giving praise as well as criticism and is seldom severe and harsh • Urges employees or member to bring problems to them • Makes own self the source of standards of work

7. Free-Rein Definition • “let people do as they please” is a non-interfering, non-directive type of leadership • Generally, not very productive when used to accomplish group goals • Most appropriate with helping people meet individual needs.

8. Characteristics • Considers most “leadership” as interfering with the development of the individual’s own leadership abilities • Supplies information only when asked • Avoids making decisions for the group • Tends to let things go hoping individuals will assert themselves

9. Democratic Definition • The democratic style of Leadership endeavours to control group behavior by making use of the motivational forces within the group, rather than by the use of power through authority

10. Democratic Characterisitcs • Believes in providing people with opportunity for initiative and responsibility in decision –making • Believes that people can make wise, intelligent decisions • Believes that to do good work people need more than just a say in direction • Believes in sharing the satisfactions resulting from successful group efforts

11. Summary • Democratic leadership minimizes group and individual frustrations through providing greater satisfaction of personal needs. • Working as a group in decision-making, sharing credit for achievement, being “in the know on the whys” provides the feeling of belonging to the group, and feelings of individual importance and accomplishment.