Leadership styles8

Leaders can be described by the types of behavior, or leadership styles, that they exhibit as they influence the group to help achieve its goal. When you are called on to lead, do you give orders and expect others to follow you? Or do you ask the group to vote on the course of action to follow? Or maybe you don't try to influence the group at all. Perhaps you prefer to hang back and let the group work out its own problems.

These strategies describe three general leadership styles: authoritarian, democratic/participative, and laissez-faire.

Autocratic - a leadership style in which the leader uses authority in a straight­forward manner by simply issuing orders. There is a high concern for the task and a low concern for people. Authoritarian leaders assume positions of superiority, giving orders and assuming control of the group's activity. Although authoritarian leaders can usually organize group activities with a high degree of efficiency and virtually eliminate uncertainty about who should do what, most problem-solving groups prefer democratic leaders.

Democratic/Participative - a leadership style in which the leader encourages a free flow of communication and shares decisions with the group. There is a high concern for both people and task. Having more faith in their groups than do authoritarian leaders, democratic leaders involve group members in the decision-making process rather than dictating what should be done. Democratic leaders focus more on guiding discussion than on issuing commands.

Laissez-fair - a leadership style characterized by a "leave it alone" or "hands off" approach. The manager leads by acting mainly as a consultant and turns most decisions over to the group. There is a low concern for people and task. Laissez-faire leaders allow group members complete freedom in all aspects of the decision-making process. They do little to help the group achieve its goal. This style of leadership (or nonleadership) often leaves a group frustrated because it lacks guidance and has to struggle with organizing the work.

What is the most effective leadership style? Research suggests that no single style is effective in every group situation. Sometimes a group needs a strong authoritarian leader to make decisions quickly so that the group can achieve its goal. Although most groups prefer a democratic leadership style, leaders sometimes need to assert their authority to get the job done. The best leadership style depends on the nature of the group task, the power of the leader, and the relationship between the leader and his or her followers.

One contemporary approach to leadership is transformational leadership.

Transformational leadership - is not so much a particular style of leadership as it is a quality or characteristic of relating to others. Transformational leadership is the process of influencing others by building a shared vision of the future, inspiring others to achieve, developing high-quality individual relationships with others, and helping people see how what they do is related to a larger framework or system. To be a transformational leader is not just to perform specific tasks or skills, but to have a philosophy of helping others see "the big picture" and inspiring them to make the vision of the future reality. Transformation leaders are good communicators who support and encourage rather than demean and demand.

Being a leader does not mean doing all the work yourself. Indeed, someone who implies that he or she has the best ideas and can do the best work is likely playing the negative roles of blocking and dominating.

Effective groups balance three kinds of leadership, which parallel the three group dimensions. Providing information leadership (by generating ideas and text) is joined by providing interpersonal leadership (monitoring the group's process, checking people's feelings, and resolving conflicts) and procedural group management (setting an agenda, making sure everyone knows what's due for the next meeting, communicating with absent group members, checking to be sure assignments are carried out). While it’s possible for one person to do all of these responsibilities, in many groups, the three kinds of leadership are taken on by three (or more) different people, Some groups formally or informally rotate or share these responsibilities, so that everyone - and no one - is a leader.

Several studies have shown people who talk a lot, listen effectively, and respond nonverbally to other members in the group are considered to be leaders.

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