Leadership 120 Styles Approach

General Theory Emphasizes the behavior of the leader Focuses on what leaders do and how they act (rather than who they are as with the Traits and Skills approach) Three main styles:  Authoritarian/autocratic  Participative/democratic  Delegative/Free Reign

History of the Theory Kurt Lewin (1939) led a group of researchers to identify different styles of leadership. Although good leaders use all three styles, with one of them normally dominant, bad leaders tend to stick with one style.

1. Authoritarian (or autocratic ) Leaders tell their followers what they want done and how they want it accomplished, without getting the advice of their followers.

appropriate to use when you have all the information to solve the problem, you are short on time, and your followers are well motivated should normally only be used on rare occasions Joe Clark perhaps???

2. Participative (or democratic) Leader includes one or more followers in the decision making process

the leader maintains the final decision making authority (it is still clear who the leader is) using this style is not a sign of weakness, rather it is a sign of strength that your followers will respect. normally used when you have part of the information, and your followers have other parts

3. Delegative (or “free reign”) leader allows the followers to make the decisions “hands off” approach the leader is still responsible for the decisions that are made used when followers are able to analyze the situation and determine what needs to be done and how to do it

used when you fully trust and have confidence in the people below you