Leadership Styles

A manager can take a number of different approaches to leading and overseeing an organization. A manager’s style of giving direction, setting strategy, and motivating people is the result of their personality, values, training, and experience. Individuals in leadership positions tend to be relatively consistent in the way they attempt to influence the behavior of others, meaning that each individual has a tendency to react to people and situations in a particular way. This pattern of behavior is referred to as a leadership style. Leadership styles can be placed on a continuum that encompasses three distinct styles: autocratic, democratic, and laissez-faire (free rein).

Leadership Styles of Managers
Amount of authority held by the leader
Autocratic Style	Participative Style (Democratic, Consensual, Consultative)	Free-Rein (Laissez-Faire) Style
Manager makes most decisions and acts in authoritative manner. Manager is usually unconcerned about subordinates’ attitudes toward decisions. Emphasis is on getting task accomplished. Approach is used mostly by military officers and some production line supervisors.	Manager shares decision-making with group members and encourages teamwork. Manager encourages discussion of issues and alternatives. Manager is concerned about subordinates’ ideas and attitudes. Manager coaches subordinates and helps coordinate efforts. Approach is found in many successful organizations.	Manager turns over virtually all authority and control to group. Members of group are presented with task and given freedom to accomplish it. Approach works well with highly motivated, experienced, educated personnel. Approach is found in high-tech firms, labs, and colleges.
Amount of authority held by group members

Autocratic/Authoritarian Management Style

Under an autocratic management style, decision-making power is concentrated in the manager. Autocratic managers don’t entertain any suggestions or consider initiatives from subordinates. This style of management is effective for quick decision making but is generally not successful in fostering employee engagement or maintaining worker satisfaction. When do managers tend to use this style?

• In crisis situations, when it’s impractical to solicit employee input, managers may become autocratic. For example, a manager might order employees to vacate the building because of fire or another emergency. Taking the time to seek advice or opinions is not only impractical but could endanger lives.
• Traditionally, if the workforce is comprised of low-skill workers, employee input isn’t encouraged, because it’s considered to be of limited value or importance. However, more forward-thinking managers regard all worker input as valuable, regardless of skill level.

Participative/Democratic Management Style

Under a participative or democratic management style, the manager shares the decision-making authority with group members. This approach values individual interests and perspectives while also contributing to team cohesion. Participative management can help employees feel more invested in decisions, outcomes, or the choices they’ve made, because they have a say in them. When is this an appropriate managerial choice?

• When an organization enters a transitional period—a merger or acquisition, expanding into a new market, closing a facility, or adding new products, for example—managers need to guide the workforce through the change. Such circumstances involve adjustments and adaptations for a large group of people, so managers may find that a participative management style is most effective.
• Businesses often encounter new or unexpected challenges. During tough times, resourceful managers will solicit input from employees at many levels within the organization. A democratic approach can uncover people with invaluable experience, advice, and solutions.

Laissez-Faire/Free-Rein Management Style

The laissez-faire management style is sometimes described as “hands-off” management, because the manager delegates the tasks to the followers while providing little or no direction. If the laissez-faire manager withdraws too much, it can sometimes result in a lack of productivity, cohesion, and satisfaction. Under this type of management, subordinates are given a free hand in deciding their own policies and methods. When do managers employ this approach?

• When workers have the skills to work independently, are self-motivated, and are held accountable for results (physicians are a good example), laissez-faire management may be effective. Highly skilled employees require less frequent instruction, and managers must rely on them to use their professional expertise to make sound decisions.
• Managers of creative or innovative employees often adopt this approach in order to foster creativity. For example, computer programmers, artists, or graphic designers can benefit from a hands-off management style. Managers step out of the way to make room for new ideas, creative problem-solving, and collaboration.

Each style of management can be effective if matched with the needs of the situation and used by a skilled, versatile manager. The best managers are adept at several styles and able to exercise good judgement about which one is suited to the task at hand.