LEADERSHIP STYLES

LEADERSHIP STYLES

Leadership Style is the typical pattern of behavior that a leader uses to influence his employees to achieve organizational goals.

Two Basic Leadership Styles

1. Participative Leadership Style

A participative leader is one who shares decision making with group members. Shared leadership might be considered an approach to carrying out this style. Participative leadership is also referred to as the team leadership style.

Forms of Participative leadership:

a) Consultative.  Consultative leaders confer with subordinates before making a decision. However, they retain the final authority to make decisions.

b) Consensus. Consensus leaders encourage group discussions about an issue and then make a decision that reflects the general opinion (consensus) of group members. All workers who will be involved in the consequences of a decision have an opportunity to provide input. A decision is not considered final until all parties involved agree with the decision.

c) Democratic.  Democratic leaders confer final authority on the group. They function as collectors of opinion and take a vote before making a decision

2. Autocratic Leadership Style

An autocratic leader is a task-oriented leader who retains most of the authority for himself and is not generally concerned with group members’ attitudes toward decisions. Typical autocratic leaders tell people what to do, they assert themselves and serve as models for group members.

During a crisis, autocratic leadership is often welcome because group members want someone to point them in the right direction in a hurry. In a crisis, the situation may be so dire that the leader does not have the sufficient time to attain consensus on a recovery plan.

Entrepreneurial Leadership Style

Managers who initiate one or more innovative business enterprises show several similarities in leadership style.

Personal Characteristics and Behaviors of Entrepreneurs:

1. A strong achievement need. 

          Entrepreneurs have stronger achievement needs than most managers. Building business is an excellent vehicle for accomplishment. As part of their achievement need, entrepreneurs are often in a hurry to get projects accomplished and move on to the next project.

The high achiever show three consistent behaviors:

· Takes personal responsibility to solve problems

· Attempts to achieve moderate goals at moderate risks

· Prefers situations that provide frequent feedback on results

2. High enthusiasm, creativity, and visionary perspective.

          The enthusiasm of entrepreneurs propels them to into hurrying mode most of the time. Their enthusiasm makes them persuasive.

          Creativity is needed to find new business ideas. Successful entrepreneurs carefully observe the world around them, in constant search for their next big marketable idea, leading to a vision.

3. Uncomfortable with hierarchy and bureaucracy.

           Many successful entrepreneurs are people who were frustrated by the constraints of a bureaucratic system. The entrepreneurs want to focus their energies on products, services, and customers. They want the freedom to concentrate on making sales, raising capital, and pursuing other external contacts.

          Once a typical entrepreneur launches a successful business, he often hires a professional manager to take over the internal workings of the firm.