Leadership

Leadership
Definition
“Leadership is the process of influencing and
supporting others to work enthusiastically toward
achieving objectives”

Newstrom and Davis

“Leadership is the process of influencing the
activities of an individual or a group in efforts
toward goal attainment in a given situation”

Types of leadership

•      Leader is the person who influences and inspires

•      the followers and makes followers to perform their

•      duties willingly, competently and enthusiastically. A

•      good manager should be good leader.

On the basis of leadership style

•      – Autocratic leader

•      – Democratic leader

•      – Laissez- faire leader

 On the basis of recognition

•      – Formal leader: have authority

•      – Informal leader: have no authority; only power

Formal leaders are elected or nominated e.g.  chairman is a formal leader.

Informal leaders are those who are not elected or nominated but are influencing people without designated authority. These leaders emerge in certain situation because of their charm, intelligence, skills or other traits and provide advice, direction and guidance. Religious and civic leaders fit in this category.

•      THE AUTOCRATIC LEADERSHIP

Under this style, power and decision making are centralized in the leader. Autocratic leadership style is centered on the boss. In this leadership the leader holds all authority and responsibility. In this leadership, leaders make decisions on their own without consulting subordinates. They reach decisions, communicate them to subordinates and expect prompt implementation. Autocratic work environment does normally have little or no flexibility.

 Its features are:

•      Leaders make all the decisions. They order what to do and how to do. Subordinates are not consulted.

•      Leaders have full authority so they demand full obedience. They give reward and punishment as they like.

•       Information is controlled by the leader.

•      Characterized by individual control over all  decisions and little input from group members

•      Works best in applied classrooms, where students are pushed and motivated by their teachers to do their best

•      Example: Hitler

•      Hitler was an autocratic leader because nobody had a say in what happened and they couldn’t speak out against his regime

Advantages of Autocratic style

•      Effective in crisis and emergency situations.

•      Chain of command is clear and understandable.

•       Discipline is fully maintained.

Disadvantages of Autocratic style

•      Subordinates participation in decision making process is fully ignored.

•      It does not motivate employees

•      Employees work by fear of punishment.

•      •It does not consider situationalneed.

THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP

 It is also called participatory leadership style. Generally the most effective leadership style. In this leadership style, subordinates are involved in making decisions. Unlike autocratic, this headship is centered on subordinates’ contributions. The democratic leader holds final responsibility, but he or she is known to delegate authority to other people, who determine work projects. The most unique feature of this leadership is that communication is active upward and downward. Under this style, power and decision making is decentralized. Discussion, consultation and participation is fully entertained.

 Its features are:

•      Leaders consult with subordinates about decisions.

•      Authority is delegated to subordinates.

•      Influences flows both up and down ways.

•      Performance based reward and punishment.

•      Information is shared between leader and subordinate.

•      Offer guidance to group members, but they also participate in the group and allow input from other group members

•      Mutual cooperation between a teacher and a student

•      Would work best in both applied and academic classrooms

•      Creative groups such as art and drama classes Makes students feel involved in their own learning and helps to develop their people skills

•      Advantages of Democratic style

•      Subordinates involved in decision making. She/he promotes participation.

•      Effective where team work is needed.

•      Results in high morale and productivity.

•      People feel committed to goals.

•      Motivates subordinates.

•      Provides opportunities for development and growth of subordinates.

•      Creates creativity in subordinates

•      Disadvantages of Democratic style

•      It is time consuming.

•      It can result indiscipline

THE LAISSEZ-FAIRE  LEADER

 In this style, power and decision making is entrusted to subordinates. Laissez-faire leadership gives authority to employees. According to Azcentral, departments or subordinates are allowed to work as they choose with minimal or no interference. According to research, this kind of leadership has been consistently found to be the least satisfying and least effective management style.

Its features are:

•      Leaders use very little power and control.

•      Subordinates have complete freedom to make decision with decentralized authority and responsibility. They are independent to make decision.

•      Subordinates set their own path

•      Least productive of all three groups

•      Offer little or no guidance to group members and leave decision-making up to group members.

•      In classrooms where students are committed to developing learning skills and working independently -Online learning classes

•      Ghandi was a laissez-faire leader because he encouraged peaceful protesting and he didn’t direct the group, they all came together to work towards a common goal

•      Advantages of laissez-faire style

•       Subordinates have freedom and autonomy so they set their own goals.

•      Effective for creative or research oriented job.

•      Employees will have high morale.

•      Disadvantage of laisse-zfaire style

•      Subordinates lack focus towards goal.

•      Hampers productivity.

•      Poor coordination and direction.