Leadership Philosophies and Styles

• A person’s individual approach to leadership based on attitudes about the nature of people, the nature of work, and one’s own cultural outlook

• How a leader approaches aspects of leadership relating to

  • Interactions

  • Relationships

  • Power

  • Activities

• Theory X

• Theory Y

Assumption 1: The average person dislikes work and will avoid it if possible

Assumption 2: People need to be directed and controlled Assumption 3: People want security, not responsibility

• Tendency to view followers as lazy

• Tendency to act in a controlling and directing way

• Use of threats or persuasions to get followers to accomplish tasks

Assumption 1: The average person does not inherently dislike work. Doing work is as natural as play

Assumption 2: People will show responsibility and self control toward goals to which they are committed

Assumption 3: In the proper environment, the average person learns to accept and seek responsibility

• Followers are viewed as capable and motivated

• Leaders define requirements and allow followers to work toward achievement

• Belief in follower capability for self-motivation

• No regular reliance on the use of rewards and punishments

• Encouraging and supportive

• How a leader acts

• Behaviors of leaders, focusing on what leaders do and how leaders act

  • Observable aspect of leadership

• Commonly Recognized Styles of Leadership

  • Authoritarian

  • Democratic

  • Laissez-Faire

• Subordinates require direction

• Leader prefers to exercise control

• Direction set by leader

• Communication is one directional

• Most similar to Theory X

• Efficient and productive

• Quick to produce results – more accomplished in a shorter period of time

• Useful in establishing goals and work

  standards

• Subordinates treated as fully capable of doing their work

• Emphasis on working with followers

• Collaborative decision making and problem solving

• Two directional communication

• Most similar to Theory Y

• Mostly positive performance outcomes

• Greater group member satisfaction

• Team mentality

• Increased follower motivation

• Initiative and creativity

• Can be useful when applied thoughtfully

• Some groups and teams can thrive in situations of complete freedom (eg: SkunkWorks)

• Success requires the right combination of leader, followers, and situation

• More time and commitment are required by the leader

• Less speed and efficiency than authoritarian leadership

• Dissimilar to both Theory X and Theory Y

• “Non-Leadership”

• Leaders take minimal role with subordinates – “hands-off” approach

• Leaders make no attempt to establish or appraise the work process

• Fosters dependency, submissiveness, and loss of individuality

• Inhibits creativity

• Long term use results in follower dissatisfaction

• Mostly described as negative

• Considered lazy or disinterested in most literature

• Followers can become directionless

• Frustration is common

• Decreased motivation

• Usually unsuccessful and unproductive

• Styles are not mutually exclusive

• None of the styles are universally applicable

• Leaders have a dominant, preferred style

• An adapt leader can move between styles as the situation dictates

Individual Leadership Style

• Based on individual cultural outlook, career paths, level of leadership/management, personal preference, situational factors, and other factors