Whether you’re a veteran of manufacturing management or you’ve only recently stepped into a supervisory role, you want to be the best leader you can be. And one of the ways you can move toward achieving that goal is by understanding the different types of leadership and when each style is the most effective. Read on to learn what the styles are and what each style’s strengths and weaknesses are.
Autocratic Leadership – ‘My Way or the Highway’
Autocratic leaders make all the decisions without taking any suggestions from their subordinates. They set the team’s priorities, choose how to address each project, communicate orders with their team members, and expect their subordinates to follow their directions to the letter. It’s not necessarily that they crave power; rather, they have a clear idea of how things should be done and want them done as efficiently as possible.
Autocratic leadership has a couple of things going for it. First, decisions come quickly, so there isn’t much downtime before the team starts executing the plan they receive from their manager. One other potential benefit for team members is knowing that all the external pressure is on the leader to show results.
On the other hand, the subordinates of an autocratic leader may resent not having a say in developing strategies or daily activities. They may also be frustrated by only getting top-down communication.
Though autocratic leadership appears, on its face, to be the least desirable style, there are situations in which it makes sense. When a team’s success depends on acting quickly and following directions to the letter, a temporary autocracy may be the most effective.
Democratic Leadership – ‘Let’s Collaborate’
Under democratic leadership, all team members participate in forming strategies and implementing them. Leaders encourage open discussion and solicit ideas. Their role is more to guide than to order, although they are still ultimately responsible for the team’s production.
This style of leadership encourages confidence and a desire to grow among team members. Performance and production increase with increased employee engagement. And because everyone is a participant, there’s a sense of shared responsibility for results, which lessens the chance of catastrophic failure.
The downside to democratic leadership is that taking any and all suggestions into consideration slows down the velocity with which work gets done and can lead to a lack of focus. But in situations where leaders trust the expertise and professionalism of their team members and the success of projects won’t be measured by how quickly they’re completed, democratic leadership provides the best opportunity for success.
Laissez-Faire Leadership – ‘You Can Go Your Own Way’
This style of leadership is the polar opposite of autocracy. Laissez-faire leaders take a hands-off approach to management and allow their teams to self-direct. That includes setting goals, dividing the work, and making operational decisions. These leaders are less concerned with the process and more focused on the vision.
Laissez-faire leadership can yield the highest engagement of any of the styles because team members have all the responsibility. Self-directing teams are also able to identify problems and implement solutions without waiting for decisions from those higher on the “food chain.” Finally, employees in a laissez-faire environment are more likely to stay with their employer because they feel valued for their skills and opinions.
Unfortunately, when no one is in charge, chaos can result. Accountability can vanish, and individual accomplishments can go unnoticed. Plus, a hands-off approach can cause teams to miss deadlines, particularly when employees are unclear about their roles. This is less of a concern with members who have lots of experience and expertise.
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