Jul 15, 2015

Our leadership style tends to be dependent on both the situation and the people we lead.

We’ll take a closer look at three main styles: Autocratic, Democratic, and Free Reign.

Autocratic

This leader:

• Sets clear expectations i.e. what, when, how etc.
• Creates a clear division between themselves and their subordinates
• Tends to seek little input from others as they see themselves as the expert
• Can be very inflexible and somewhat dictatorial

This approach would be useful with new and inexperienced staff who rely on strong direction and monitoring to help them move up the learning curve. This approach is certainly appropriate in emergency and high risk situations.

Democratic

This leader:

• Offers both guidance and seeks input
• Participates in the team
• Still retains the final say and accountability

This approach is especially useful in coaching situations to further develop staff. Communication is primarily two-way.

Free Reign

This leader:

• Provides little or no guidance
• Abdicates decision making and leaves it to the team
• May end up with a team with poorly defined roles and a lack of motivation

This approach would be appropriate with a highly skilled and experienced team. In this situation the leader tends to act as a useful resource when required.

For more information, take a look at New Horizons' Management and Leadership courses.