Leadership Styles February 2015

4 Leadership Styles Autocratic Bureaucratic Democratic Laissez-faire Each of these styles will effect employees’ motivational levels differently. These styles are used at different times for different circumstances.

Autocratic Leadership Style Decisions made without employee input Give orders without explanation Expect orders to be obeyed Structured set of rewards and punishments are used to ensure compliance Employees given little or no discretion on how to do the job - - - simply follow orders!

Autocratic cont’ed When used in the wrong situation on the wrong employees means disaster for all! Results in low morale High absenteeism High employee turnover

Autocratic cont’ed Works well in an emergency situation when a break from normal procedures is needed i.e. “this is what needs to be done! Here’s how to do it, let’s get started!” Also called Authoritarian or Dictatorial Leadership Style

Bureaucratic Leadership Style Leaders focus mostly on rules, regulations and company polices. Work is done: “By the book!” More of a police officer than a leader Good for learning to use dangerous equipment where rules must be followed! Or in a work place where exact procedure are required (like filing or data management)

Democratic Leadership Style Also called Participative Leadership Style Keep employees informed about all aspects of work that affect them Staff share in decision and problem solving responsibilities

Democratic cont’ed Emphasises the employees role in the company Employees develop a high sense of job satisfaction

Democratic cont’ed The democratic supervisor: Develops plans for employees self evaluation Allows employees to help establish goals Encourages employees to grow on the job and be promoted Recognises and encourages achievement A “coach that is leading a team” This approach works well with highly skilled and highly experienced employees

Laissez-Faire Leadership Also called Free-rein Leadership A hands-off approach to leadership, very little leading takes place Provides little to no direction to employees Allows employees as much freedom as possible

Laissez-Faire Leadership cont’ed Gives all authority (power) to the employees - - - relies on them to set goals, make decisions & resolve problems There are very few times that this approach to leadership is appropriate but it may work with very highly skilled employees who have been trained in decision making and problem solving skills

Factors Affecting Leadership Styles In a perfect world: Use a leadership style appropriate to the situation Know the needs, interests, & goals of each employee Use the most appropriate style to provide an atmosphere of motivation

3 Factors to be aware of Leader’s personal background Characteristics of the employees, i.e. what motivates them! Organizational climate

Leader’s personal background Your personality, knowledge, values and experiences all work to shape your feelings, attitude and how you respond towards your employees & those you lead Your feelings about leadership are important in determining the leadership style(s) you will use!

Characteristics of the employees Employees that want independence & decision making responsibilities and have the experience may work better under a democratic leader Employees with many different expectations and experiences may work better under a more autocratic leader, including those with very little work experience to draw upon

Organizational Climate What’s important to the company? Some companies stress human relations Others focus on the bottom line (profit) at the expense of everything else. To be an effective leader in any organization you must consider and adopt the dominant organizational philosophy

Summing up!