Types of Leadership Styles

The task of a great leader is to get his people to where they have not been.

The time, place, and space are the factors that make people be different from one another, and these lead to different styles of leadership when they become leaders. According to Kurt Lewin (1939), he identifies and establishes three major leadership styles as follow:

A. Authoritarian/Autocratic/Dictatorial style: This style refers to a complete obedience to authority. It is used when the leaders tell the subordinates what they want them to do and how they want it to be accomplished. The leaders do not listen to the followers, do not get their advice, and even blame the followers when they have mistakes. This style is judged to be rude, abusive, bossing people around, and unprofessional by almost all the people. It can be said that, with this style, the leaders always use the word “I”  

B. Participative/democratic style: This refers to the participation for both leaders and followers in doing something. The leaders and followers work together in order to achieve the desired goal. They share ideas, experience, and power in managing and arranging tasks, learn from each other, or plan together. Moreover, both leaders and followers get more involved in discussion and meeting to make work run smoothly. This style is much considered to be good and successful for both communicating and managing the work in the organizations. It can be said that, with this style, the leaders always use the word “We”  

C. Delegative/free reign/laissez-faire: This refers to the ways of allowing people within the groups to make all decisions, but the leaders are still responsible for the decisions that are made. The leaders fully empower the followers or a group of followers to make a decision in relation to their own wok. The followers have enough freedom and rights in working and determining. It can be said that, with this style, the leaders always use “You”  

Sam Aun (Andy)