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Managing An Organization : Style Of Leadership
Written by Michael Giggs   
Tuesday, 30 June 2009 10:45
In this installment of our guide to organizational management we look at leadership...
by MichaelGiggs


In this installment of our guide to organizational management we look at leadership...

Leaders of organizations normally carry out their role in one (or a combination of) these three leadership styles: autocratic; democratic; laissez-faire.

An autocratic leader supervises in a manner that denies employees an opportunity to provide input or make suggestions, even those suggestions that could be of benefit to an organization. Autocrats lead by exerting unchallenged power over their staff, and, while this may be warranted in situations where staff is providing routine or unskilled labor, generally, most people resent being treated in such a manner. Such resentment will typically result in a high turnover rate and a higher-than-usual employee absentee rate.

Employees who are kept abreast of what's going on in an organization, and who are invited to participate in the decision making process, are more likely to have a higher level of job satisfaction. A democratic leader will seek input and recommendations from his or her team before making a final decision. Thus, democratic leadership has a tendency to slow down the process somewhat, but on the whole results in more satisfied staff with better skill sets and less turn-over.

Laissez-faire (a French phrase meaning 'leave it be') leadership is used to describe a leader who leaves his or her team to get on with their work. It can be effective if the leader monitors what is being achieved and communicates this back to his or her team regularly. Most often, laissez-faire leadership works for teams in which the individuals are very experienced and skilled self-starters. Unfortunately, it can also refer to situations where managers are not exerting sufficient control.

No leadership style is right, wrong, or best for all situations. The most effective approach for a particular organization being dependent on: the skill levels and experience of the members of the organization; the type of work involved; the organizational environment (stable or radically changing, conservative or adventurous).

The best leaders will frequently toggle among leadership styles, employing the best style for the situation in front of them and the personalities with which they are working.

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Last Updated on Saturday, 04 July 2009 08:32