Styles/Types of Leadership | CHAPTER 1 | Leadership And Management

Types of Leadership – This book covers the entire syllabus of “Leadership & Management” prescribed by the BNMC for Diploma in Nursing Science & Midwifery Students.

We tried to accommodate latest information and topics. This book is examination friendly setup according to the teachers’ lectures and examination’s questions. At the end of the book previous university questions are given. We hope in touch with the pook students’ knowledge will be upgraded and flourished. The unique way of presentation may make your reading of the book a pleasurable experience.

Types of Leadership

Types/Styles of Leadership:

There are four types of leadership styles:

A. Autocratic style of leadership

Autocratic leadership is described as:

• Authoritarian leadership
• Directive leadership and the leader is referred to as
• Extreme form of “Director”

B. Democratic style of leadership

A democratic leadership is described as:

• Participative or
• Consultative style of leadership

C. Laissez Faire style of leadership

Also known as:

• Permissive
• Free-rein
• Anarchic
• Ultraliberal style of leadership

D. Bureaucratic style of leadership-

Which emphasis rules and regulation.

Another Answer:

➤ The Dictatorial style – this leader acts as a dictator they make all the decisions about what, where, when, why, how things are done, and who will do them and others carry them out

➤The Boss style – seldom lets others makes decision as feels they are the most qualified and experienced, considers his/her views to be most valid, lacks confidence in others abilities, critical of differing opinions, rarely gives recognition, is easily offended, uses others for his/her benefit, action oriented, very competitive.

➤The consultative style – this style focuses on using the skills, experiences, and ideas of others. However, the leader or manager using this style still retains the final decision-making power. However usually they don’t make major decisions without first getting the input from those that will be affected.

➤ The participatory style – A unique style that many feel uncomfortable with as most of the authority, if not all, is given to the team. The manager remains the team leader but all the team members’ ideas are equal and input considered equally. The leader is facilitator or coach and frequently accepts other ideas over their own stimulating creativity, creates culture
of innovation

➤ The Team styles. This is where the leader realizes they are nothing without those in the terms. These leaders will typically be quick to perform difficult tasks with those beneath them, and will not place themselves above those they lead, even though they have enough
power to do so. Decisions are made through consensus

➤ Pacesetting style. In this style of leadership, the leader creates high standards that others will follow. Within this style the leader is basically telling others to “act as I do.”

➤ Coaching style. With this style the leader will place an emphasis on the development of the followers. In this style of leadership, the leader invests in the followers with the understanding that when skills and knowledge is enhanced, they will be more productive.

➤ Laissez-Faire style. This style gives little or no direction to group/individuals. Opinion is offered only when requested and no-one seems to be in charge. In this method a sense of team exists and often high degree of involvement but can also create problems if members want to be told what to do.

Comparison of Leadership Style

I prefer democratic leadership style because-

• Democratic leadership style is effective to control.
• It leads to protection and quick decision
• It relives the top manager for access work load.
• It provides job satisfaction
• It established sense of togetherness between all members.
• It maintains to any communications between all workers in the organization and outside of the organization.
• It creates an environment to make further manager.
• It considered subordinates as colleague
• A democratic give order only after consulting the group.
• Work motivation may strong and in absence of the leader work may continue.

The Factor which Influence the Leadership of a Nurse Manager

• The nature of work (ICU, regular unit)
• The characteristics of nursing staff (knowledge, competencies, attitute)
• The time available
• The important of the results (quality of care)

Autocratic Leadership

Autocratic leadership, also known as authoritarian leadership, is a leadership style characterized by individual control over all decisions and little input from group members. Autocratic leaders typically make choices based on their ideas and judgments and rarely accept advice from followers. Autocratic leadership involves absolute, authoritarian control over a group.

Types of Autocratic Leadership:

Autocratic leadership can be of two types. These are as follows:

Characteristics of Autocratic Leadership:

• Firm personality, insistent, self-assured, highly directive, dominating and with or without intention
• The leader works as a director.
• Has higher concern for work than for the people who perform the task.
• Uses the efforts of workers to the best possible advantage, shows no regard to the
  interests of the employees.
• Sets rigid standards and methods of performance and expects the subordinates to obey the rules.
• Makes all decisions and passes orders to the workers, expecting them to carry them out.
• There is minimal group participation or none at all from the workers.
• Thinks that what he or she plans and does is best. May listen to them but not influenced by their suggestions.
• Has no trust or confidence in subordinates, who in turn fear him and feel they have.
  nothing much in common.
• Exercises power, manipulate subordinates to act according to his goal plans and stays at the Centre of attention.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Autocratic Leadership:

A. Merits of Autocratic Leadership:

• This form of leadership, when suitable, can increase quality of work, save time and get fast results, especially in an emergency or crisis.
• Quick handling of emergencies and take decisions within very short time.
• Productivity may be high.
• Optimum utilization of human and material resources.
• The paternalistic form of this style of leadership works well with employees who feel insecure with freedom and even minor decision-making requirements.
• Have a low tolerance for ambiguity and flourish under clear, detailed and achievable instructions.
• This reduces frustration in the work group and gives members a feeling of security.

B. Demits of Autocratic Leadership:

• The autocratic leader is alone in the decision making process.
• The leader may be over burden.
• All blame has come to the leader.
• Sometimes develop chaotic situations.
• He or she gets little or no information and ideas from employees.
• The apparent efficiency of one way communication often becomes ambiguous since one way communication, without feedback, typically leads to communication breakdowns, misunderstanding and costly errors.
• These days, many people dislike authoritarian rule which excludes them from involvement and reduces them to machine like cogs without human dignity or importance. Their resentment is shown by low morale, low productivity and massive resistance.

Democratic Leadership

Democratic leadership, also known as participative leadership, is a type of leadership style in which members of the group take a more participative role in the decision-making process.

Everyone is given the opportunity to participate, ideas are exchanged freely, and discussion is encouraged. While the democratic process tends to focus on group equality and the free flow of ideas, the lead of the group is still there to offer guidance and control.

The democratic leader is charged with deciding who is in the group and who gets to contribute to the decisions that are made.

Researchers have found that the democratic leadership style is one of the most effective and leads to higher productivity, better contributions from group members, and increased group morale.

Characteristics of Democratic Leadership:

Some of the primary characteristics of democratic leadership include:

1. Group members are encouraged to share ideas and opinions, even though the leader retains the final say over decisions.
2. Members of the group feel more engaged in the process.
3. Creativity is encouraged and rewarded.
4. S/he considers subordinates as a colleagues.
5. There is no domination each other.
6. S/he never asks people to do things without giving long time plans on which they are working
7. S/he participates in the group as a member.

Researchers suggest that good democratic leaders possess specific traits that include:

• Honesty
• Intelligence
• Courage
• Creativity
• Competence
• Fairness

Advantages/Merits Democratic Leadership

• When people get involved and help in formulating a decision, they support it and work hard to make it work, because it is their idea. In other words, the participative leader has the crucial factor of built in personal motivation of members working for him.
• Effective control
• It leads to promote action and quick decision.
• It creates an environment to make future manager.
• The leader regularly gets the benefit of the best ideas, suggestions, information, talent and operating experience for his people.
• This style of leadership allows and encourages people to develop, grow and rise in the organization.
• It reduces resistance to change and increases the acceptance of management’s ideas.
• People are highly motivated, as their ideas and suggestions are considered for decision
  making.
• The employee’s productivity is increased as decisions are implemented wholeheartedly.
• This type of leadership reduces the number of grievances of people.
• It seeks to develop a self-disciplining and self-regulating mechanism.
• As the members participate in the decision making process, there is a greater possibility of developing better ideas than if they were made singly.

Disadvantages/Demerits of Democratic Leadership

• Participation of each member may take enormous amounts of time and if not exercised properly, may degenerate into a complete loss of leader’s control.
• It may lead to chaotic situations
• It makes administration operation difficult.
• Sometimes junior members are uncontrolled due to freedom.
• It may be frustrating for those who want decision made rapidly.
• This style can be used by some leaders as a way of avoiding responsibility

Laissez-Faire Leadership

Laissez-faire leadership, also known as delegative leadership, is a type of leadership style in which leaders are hands-off and allow group members to make the decisions. Researchers have found that this is generally the leadership style that leads to the lowest productivity among group members.

In this style there is no interference by the manager, who although participating in decision making, attempts to do so with or more influence than any other member of the group.

Since subordinate basically have complete decision making field with minimum participation by the manager. The role of subordinate is to carry out orders without having any opportunity to materially after decision already made. The supervisor or manager provides little opportunity for subordinate to participate.

In hospital management, personnel usually don’t exercises a pure form of autocratic leader decision authority. It is often the physicians or surgeon who adopts this style. in fact, the physicians or surgeons occupy the unique position of having responsibility and enormous authority in patients care, often without having any formal management delegated authority.

Characteristics Feature of Laissez – Faire Leadership

A. This leadership encourages independent activity by group members.

• An outsider would not be able to identify the leader in such a group
• The leader exerts little or no influence on the group members.
• There is lack of central direction, supervision, coordination and control.

B. Group members are free to set their own goals and determine their own activities. A variety of goals may be set by every individual, and it will be difficult to accomplish the task by the group easily.

C. This style may be chosen by the leader or it may evolve because:

• The leader is too weak to exert any influence on the group.
• He attempts to please everyone to feel good.
• He fails to function as an effective leader.

D. This style is effective in highly motivated professional groups. For example, research projects where independent thinking is rewarded or when the leader feels that the problem must be solved by the group alone.

E. This style is not useful in a highly structured health care delivery system or any institution.

F. Where there is no appointed leader the group collectively assumes leadership.

A. Advantage of Laissez-faire leadership style

• The group member may act independently.
• In limited situations creativity may be encouraged for specific purposes. E.g. highly qualified people plan a new approach to a problem that need freedom of action.
• No work for the leader.
• Empowers the group.
• This leader does not lead.
• It allows the members to develop themselves.
• It is effective when people are highly educated.
• To try new methods of actions.

B. Disadvantage of Laissez- faire leadership style

• May lead to instability, disorganization, inefficiency, no unity of actions,
• Neither the group nor anyone in the group will feel to responsible to solve the problems that may arise. The individual members will lose interest, initiative and desire for achievement.
• Apathy chaos, and frustration may arise.
• Lack of coordination
• No control.

Leadership Theory.

Types of Leadership Theories:

It is not very difficult to understand leadership theory, if it’s presented right. There are many different types of theories on leadership. There is Fielder’s situational theories, contingency theory and House’s path-goal theory on leadership. These theories are adopted to make someone or individual or manager a good leader. These theories are:

1. Trait Theory
2. Style Theory
3. Contingency Theory
4. Situational Leadership Theory
5. Path-Goal Theory
6. Leader-Member Exchange Theory
7. Transformational/Transactional Leadership Theory
8. Servant Leadership Theory
9. Strengths-Based Leadership Theory

Trait Theory:

This theory is based on the personal characteristics of a leader. Which represents that “A Leader is a Hero” It is been assumed that leader are born than made. Leadership consists of certain characteristics or personality traits. The main categories of characteristics are physical features, ability characteristics and personality traits.

Style Theory:

This approach is made popular by the work of Mc Gregor Blake, Mounton, and Likert, which concerned with the effects of leadership on to the followers and effectiveness has to do with how the leaders behave with the followers.

Contingency Theory:

Made popular by fielder and Vroom, this shows the effectiveness of leadership is affected by the situation/context means leader should take the decisions according to the situation

Situational Theory:

In this approach of leadership there is no single style of leadership appropriate to all situations, because every time there is a different situation in an organization so according to the situation leader should change his behaviour.

Path-Goal Theory:

The theory states that a leader’s behavior is contingent to the satisfaction, motivation and performance of his subordinates. This theory originally refers originally manager’s ability on the job as guiding workers to choose the right and best paths to reach their visions and missions as well company goals. This also refers the different behaviors depend on the nature and demands of a particular situation.

Leader-Member exchange theory:

According to this theory Leaders often develop relationships with each member of the group that they lead, and Leader-Member Exchange Theory explains how those relationships with various members can develop in unique ways.

The leader-member exchange theory of leadership focuses on the two-way relationship between supervisors and subordinates. These are not the only 2. Also known as LMX, LMET or Vertical Dyad Linkage Theory, leader-member exchange focuses on increasing organizational success by creating positive relations between the leader and subordinate.

Transformations Leadership Approach:

This approach shows the engagement of the employees with the commitment of work in the context of shared vision, shared values and shared goals as well as the set objectives.

Servant Leadership theory:

Servant Leadership is a leadership philosophy “The Servant as Leader.” In this theory it is been stated that leaders are first servant and then leader later. Such people have a natural tendency to serve and power to lead. This is in sharp contrast to the traditional leaders who aspire to lead to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions.

Strength Based Leadership theory: 

Strength Based Leadership theory also known as Organizational management. It refers the method of maximizing the efficiency, productivity and success of an an organization by focusing on and continuously developing the strengths of organizational resources, such as computer system, tools and people.

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