"Leadership can be defined s the exercise of interpersonal influence toward the attainment of goals. It consists of the two key terms direction and influence" according to O'hair and Wiemenn. They also state that leadership comes with providing direction to the team/group from the leader. Also, a leader should be able to influence his or her group/team members and have an impact on them. They provided four types of leadership: authoritarian, consultative, participative, and laissez-faire.
Authoritarian leadership is characterized by the exercise of control by the leader without input from other group members. In most cases, the leader makes a decision and just deliver it to the group. This style produces faster decisions, but it results in lower group member satisfaction and commitement to the task.
Consultative leadership bases decisions upon the opinions or ideas of group members. This type of leader asks others for their opinions or ideas and then makes the final devision alone after considering this input. Leaders use this style when they lack the necessary information to make an effective decision.
Participative leadership involves a leader working with other group members to achieve a desired goal. This style is used when leaders work together with a group in solving a problem or performing a task.
They guide and facilitate but has no more influence over the outcome than does any other group member. Decisions made take longer to reach, mostly higher quality, result in greater satisfaction and elicit greater commitment than do decision made by any other leadership style.
Laissez-faire leadership style involves little or no direct leadership. The group simple proceeds with the task. "It has been consistently found to be the least satisfying and effective management style," according to the communication researcher Bass. This is the type of leader who, according to subordinates, stays out of the way, is difficult to find when there is a problem, communicates the absolute mininum for members to do their job, and if not bothered, won't bother the group.
To me, I think I fit the to be as a laissez-faire leader since I don't speak during group discussions until I am being asked for my opinion. Maybe because I am a shy type person since I don't communicate much to people I do not know well or do not know at all. But, I should change this trait of mine so I can be more effective as a group leader or member in group discussions and become a much better group leader or member for the group.
Your conclusion sounds familiar... I think I remember Misao said that you're the laissez-faire type as well! Well I guess there are some advantages to having laissez-faire leadership style, perhaps members within that group could also have the possibility of exploring their creative side. I guess this could fit into a very, very relaxed organization like Google, but at the same time, there is definitely a need for communication from the leader. Glad you're taking an initiative to become more proactive! ;D
ReplyDeleteI find authorization leadership to be dissatisfying as it seems like the leader is a dictator. I'm very comfortable and experienced with consultation leadership as interaction with a group is much greater than no interaction at all. I used consultation leadership when I was an orientation leader during the Summer of 2010. There was lots of group interaction as well as giving the group members a chance to become leaders.
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