1. I have the final say over decisions made within my group. I let group members make their own decisions Absolutely Most of the time

2. I consider suggestions made by others in the group. Always Never Sometimes

3. I tell group members what to do, how to do it, and when I want it done. Rarely All of the time occasionally

4. If a group member makes a mistake, they are reprimanded or punished. Almost never. Group members can resolve problems on their own. Absolutely Rarely. Mistakes are a sign that a new strategy is needed.

5. I carefully watch group members to be sure they are performing tasks properly. Never. Group members know more about their job than I do. Always Somewhat. I offer guidance if it is needed.

6. Group members need clear rewards and punishments in order to complete tasks and meet goals. Disagree. Group members should establish their own goals and objectives. Agree. Somewhat agree. They also need to feel involved and committed to the process.

7. Group members are motivated by a need for security. Yes No Sometimes

8. I accept input from group members. Absolutely. I allow group members to guide the decision-making process. Never. I don't have time to worry about other people's ideas. Yes, but I have the final say over all decisions.

9. I ask for advice from group members when things go wrong. Yes, and I let group members resolve problems on their own. No Often. I want input from group members when resolving problems.

10. I want group members to feel involved and relevant in the decision-making process. All of the time Never Much of the time

11. When there are problems in the group, I work with members to arrive at a reasonable resolution. Often. Group members should offer suggestions. Never. I will decide how to fix the problem. Always. Group members should work together to fix the problem.

12. I want to help group members fulfill their potential. Absolutely Not really Sometimes

13. I prefer when decisions are made through group consensus. Sometimes Never Absolutely

14. Big decisions should have the approval of the majority of the group. Sometimes. Group members should offer input. Never. Group leaders are in charge of making decisions. Always

15. I let group members decide what needs to be done and how to do it. Always Never Occasionally

16. I allow group members to carry out their role with little of my input. They know more about their job than I do. Agree Disagree Neutral

17. I entrust tasks to other group members. Most of the time Never Often

18. I allow other group members to share my leadership power. Yes No Somewhat

Add up the number of A’s, B’s and C’s Mostly A’s= Laissez-faire Mostly B’s= Authoritarian Mostly C’s= Democratic

Lewin’s Leadership Styles In 1939, a group of researchers led by psychologist Kurt Lewin set out to identify different styles of leadership. In the study, groups of schoolchildren were assigned to one of three groups with an authoritarian, democratic, or laissez-fair leader. The children were then led in an arts and crafts project. Researchers then observed the behavior of children in response to the different styles of leadership.

Authoritarian Leadership (Autocratic) Provide clear expectations for what needs to be done, when it should be done, and how it should be done. There is also a clear division between the leader and the followers. Authoritarian leaders make decisions independently with little or no input from the rest of the group.

Authoritarian (Autocratic) cont’d Authoritarian leadership is best applied to situations where there is little time for group decision-making or where the leader is the most knowledgeable member of the group. Researchers found that decision-making was less creative under authoritarian leadership Abuse of this style is usually viewed as controlling, bossy, and dictatorial.

Participative Leadership (Democratic) Lewin’s study found that participative (democratic) leadership is generally the most effective leadership style. Democratic leaders offer guidance to group members, but they also participate in the group and allow input from other group members. In Lewin’s study, children in this group were less productive than the members of the authoritarian group, but their contributions were of a much higher quality.

Participative (Democratic) Leadership Participative leaders encourage group members to participate, but retain the final say over the decision-making process. Group members feel engaged in the process and are more motivated and creative.

Delegative (Laissez-Faire) Researchers founds that children under laissez-faire leadership were the least productive of all three groups. The children in this group also made more demands on the leader, showed little cooperation, and were unable to work independently. Delegative leaders offer little or no guidance to group members and leave decision-making up to group members. While this style can be effective in situations where group members are highly qualified in an area of expertise, it often leads to poorly defined roles and a lack of motivation.