One way to explore leadership is in terms of the use of authority by the leader and the amount of freedom given to their direct reports. Clearly, as one increases the other will decrease and this will have a major impact on the way the leader leads. With this in mind, we can recognise two distinct styles of leadership:
- Autocratic Leadership – someone who likes to centralise and control. They derive their power from their position of authority and control.
- Democratic Leadership – someone who delegates authority, encourages participation and empowers employees. They derive their power from their personal qualities and team members’ respect.
These two leadership styles are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Skilled leaders will blend the use of authority and empowerment of their team to different degrees appropriate to the situation. Some situations, such as an emergency, require quick decision making in an autocratic style. On the other hand, there are times when a more consultative or democratic approach may be better suited, e.g. when reviewing quality initiatives.
Style |
When best to use it |
Strengths |
Weaknesses |
Autocratic |
Best used in crises where decisions must be made quickly and without dissent. |
Incredibly efficient – decisions are made quickly, and work gets done.
|
People resent being treated in this manner. Often leads to high levels of absenteeism and high staff turnover. |
Democratic |
Most suitable when working in a team is essential and when quality is more important than efficiency or productivity. |
Team members have high job satisfaction and are more productive as they are involved in decisions. Staff are engaged and creativity is encouraged. |
Decision-making can be slow. Hinders situations where speed or efficiency is essential. Team members may not have expertise to provide high-quality input. |
It is important for you to remember that no leader can ever have total authority, since their team members can always ‘vote with their feet’. By the same token, you can never give total freedom since you remain accountable for your team’s actions.