Question

A leader’s suitability to an organization may depend on whether the person’s leadership style is compatible with the organizational situation. Write a short essay that describes different leadership styles and how organizational situations may neutralize or substitute for those leadership characteristics.

Answer 1

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Ans) Various styles of leadership are adopted by different leaders. They are categorized as

1) Autocratic style

2) Free rein style

3) Participative style

4)paternalistic style

5) Charismatic leadership

1) Autocratic style

It is also known authoritarian, directive or monothetic style. In autocratic leadership style a manager centralizes decision making power and authority in himself and exercises complete and full fledged control over his subordinates . He sets group goal and structures work. He gives order and subordinates are expected to obey them. He determines policies for the group without consulting them. He does not care to know the feeling of the workers. Here the leadership may be negative because followers are uninformed, insecure and afraid of leader's authority. There are mainly three types of autocratic leaders.

• Strict autocrat : He follows autocratic styles in a very strict sense. He influences subordinates through negative motivation. That is by criticizing subordinates, imposing penalty etc.
• .Benevolent autocrat : Under this method, the leader influences his subordinates through positive motivation . He uses reward and incentives in directing his subordinates towards the organizational goals. By using praise and pats on the back he secures the loyalty of subordinates who accept his decisions.
• Manipulative autocrat: The autocratic leader tries to make the subordinate to feel that they are actually participating in decision making even though he had already taken decision.

An autocratic leader assumes that people are lazy, will avoid work and shirk responsibility. He believes that people basically work for money and want security.

Advantages of autocratic leadership

1. There are many subordinates who like to work under centralized authority structure and strict discipline. They get satisfaction from this style.

Disadvantages

1. employees in av organization do not like it when it is strict and motivation style is negative.

2) Free Rein or the Laissez Faire Leadership

Free rein or laissez faire technique means giving complete freedom to subordinates. That means the leader passes on the responsibility for decision making to his subordinates and takes a minimum initiative in administration. He gives no direction and allows the group to establish its own goal and workout its own problems. The leader plays only a minor role. Group members work themselves and provide their own motivation. The leader or manager exists as a contact man with outsiders to bring for his group the information and resources needed to acomplish the work. this style of leadership can produce quick and good results if the subordinates are highly qualified and intelligent and who have a sincere desire to go ahead and perform their responsibilities . This is also known as permissive style of leadership where there is least intervention by the leader, abdication of authority and letting the group to operate entirely on its own.

3) Participative leadership

This style is also called democratic, consultative or ideographic. Decentralization of authority is vested with this type of leadership. A participative manager decentralizes his decision making process. Subordinates are consulted and their participation in formulation of policies is ensured. Manager or leader is not taking unilateral decision . So, participative leadership style favours decision making through discussion, sharing of power by allowing the group to make decisions and to let decisions emerge from the group.

There are various benefits in participative leadership

1. it provides organizational stability by raising morale of the employees.

2.The employees will get job satisfaction

This style has few limitations

1. Some people in the organization want to interact at the minimum level. As they are concerned participative style is a discouraging one.

4) Paternalistic leadership

Under this style the leader assumes that his function is paternal or fatherly. The relationship between the leader and his group is the same as the relationship between the leader and his group is the same as the relationship between father and his family. The leader guides and protects his subordinates as members of his family. As the head of the family, the leader provides good working conditions and fringe benefits to his subordinates. This style has been successful particularly in japan, with its cultural back ground. It is said that employees under such leadership will work harder out gratitude. This style is not liked by matured adult employee, because they do not like their interests to be looked after by a 'godfather'. Instead of gratitude it might generate resentment in subordinates.

5) Charismatic leadership

A charismatic leader attracts more people. 'Charisma' possessed by a person attracts a number of people towards him. He is known as a charismatic leader. There is something like magic with him. The charismatic leader gathers followers through dint of personality and charm, rather than any form of external power or authority. Charismatic leaders pay a great deal of attention in scanning and reading their environment,and are good at picking up the moods and concerns of both individuals and larger audiences. They then will hone their action and words to suit the situation. Charismatic leaders,who are building a group, whether it is a political party, a cult or a business team, will often focus strongly on making the group very clear and distinct, separating it form other group. They will then build the image of the group., in particular in the minds of their followers, as being far superior to all others.

The charismatic leader will typically attach themselves firmly to the identity of the group,such that to join the group is to become one with the leader.In doing so,they create an unchallengeable position for themselves.

Leadership style are pattern of behaviour which a leader adopts in influencing the behaviour of his followers. It refers to the behaviour exhibited by a leader during supervision of employees . It shows the leader philosophy ,skills and attitude in practice. Leadership style plays an important role in making organization successful. All organization requires leaders to lead the organization. Leadership style helps achievement of organizational objectives. Without a good leadership style, organization cannot function efficiently and effectively.