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PSSg Michelle Q Foliente

RPRMD, PRO5
Subject: Leaders and Followers
Professor: F/SINSP SARENA SOCORRO S TORALBA, Ph.D

Question:

Which of the following leadership style (Autocratic, Democratic, The Laissez-


faire and Empowerment) is the best for you? And why?

Answer:

I prefer Democratic Leadership Style because everyone is given the


opportunity to participate, ideas are exchanged freely, and discussion is encouraged.
While it tends to focus on group equality and free flow of ideas, the leader of the
group is still there to offer guidance and control and the followers tend to feel
inspired to take action and contribute to the group. Given that leadership style, it
may also apply to the PNP Organization wherein the Police Commissioned Officers
who is higher in rank, whenever conducting a command conference, seek ideas and
inputs to his subordinates when there is a Memorandum, Plans and Programs, Letter
of Instruction and Directives mn that was disseminated by the higher headquarters,
purposely to come up with a fruitful and impressive outcome.

To sum it up, democratic leadership has been described as the most effective
leadership style because it encourages team involvement, engagement and
participation. Yes, it does have some potential downsides especially when time is of
the essence, but it cannot negate the fact that this kind of leadership leads to higher
productivity among group members.
Questions:

1. Discuss experience where a leader was not “leading by example”.


What was its impact to you, to the team or to the unit?

Answer:

When I was assigned at the far-flung area, my superior officer always instill
in our minds to always be in proper prescribed uniform while on duty and in the
performance of other law enforcement functions and must adhere to “Tamang
Bihis”. However, I’ve notice that he is the one violating the rule, his uniform was not
proper.

In relation thereto, it always had a negative impact on my part. How can I


follow him if he is not leading by example.

If a superior officer is not leading by example, it is impossible for a team or


unit to work together successfully. Hence, productivity will drop, enthusiasm may
disappear, all because a team/unit doesn’t trust the leader anymore.

2. Given a chance to lead the team in the future, how would you “lead
by example”, as a leader?

Answer:

“That is the most important for me – you take responsibility as a commander. I will only ask them to do things that I would do. I
won’t ask them to do those that I won’t be able to do,” he adds.

saying leadership by good example discourages even the lowest ranking policemen to commit wrongdoings or be involved
in illegal activities.

“Through leadership by example, all the subordinates of any commander would be forced to do good knowing that being
lazy, being irresponsible, and being a scalawag will never be tolerated
Good leaders push their people forward with excitement, inspiration, trust,
and vision. If you lead a team that doesn't trust you, productivity will drop.
Enthusiasm may disappear. The vision you're trying so hard to make
happen may lose its appeal, all because your team doesn't trust you
anymore.

If you say one thing and do another, they likely won't follow you
enthusiastically. Why should they? Everything you tell them after that may
meet with suspicion and doubt. They may not trust that you're doing the
right thing, or that you know what you're talking about. They may no
longer believe in you.

If you say one thing and do another, they likely won't follow you
enthusiastically. Why should they? Everything you tell them after that may
meet with suspicion and doubt. They may not trust that you're doing the
right thing, or that you know what you're talking about. They may no
longer believe in you.

When leaders don't "practice what they preach," it can be almost impossible for a
team to work together successfully. How can anyone trust a leader who talks about
one thing, but does another?
And so it is with your team. If you say one thing and do another, they
likely won't follow you enthusiastically. Why should they? Everything you
tell them after that may meet with suspicion and doubt. They may not trust
that you're doing the right thing, or that you know what you're talking
about. They may no longer believe in you.

When leaders don't "practice what they preach," it can be almost impossible for a
team to work together successfully. How can anyone trust a leader who talks about
one thing, but does another?
Questions:

1. Discuss experience where a leader was not “leading by example”. What was
its impact to you, to the team or to the unit?

When I was a Patrolwoman my superior officer always told us to always follow the
basic, such as by attending flag raising/lowering ceremony, observing tamang bihis
and while in formation quit moving, however,
When I was a Patrolwoman my superior officer always told us to always
follow the basic, such as by attending flag raising/lowering ceremony, observing
tamang bihis and while in formation quit moving, however,

And so it is with your team. If you say one thing and do another, they
likely won't follow you enthusiastically. Why should they? Everything you
tell them after that may meet with suspicion and doubt. They may not trust
that you're doing the right thing, or that you know what you're talking
about. They may no longer believe in you.

When leaders don't "practice what they preach," it can be almost impossible for a
team to work together successfully. How can anyone trust a leader who talks about
one thing, but does another?
Good leaders push their people forward with excitement, inspiration, trust,
and vision. If you lead a team that doesn't trust you, productivity will drop.
Enthusiasm may disappear. The vision you're trying so hard to make
happen may lose its appeal, all because your team doesn't trust you
anymore.
Key Points
Good leadership takes strength of character and a firm commitment to do
the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason. This means doing
what you say, when you say it. If your team can't trust you, you'll probably
never lead them to greatness.

Leading – and living – by example isn't as hard as it might sound. It's


really the easiest path. If your team knows that you'll also do whatever you
expect from them, they'll likely work hard to help you achieve your goal.

Mahatma Gandhi and Alexander the Great helped change the world
because they lived by example – and, as a result, they accomplished great
things.
Apply This to Your Life

 If you ask a co-worker to do something, make sure you'd be willing


to do it yourself.
 If you implement new rules for the office, then follow those rules
just as closely as you expect everyone else to follow them. For example,
if the new rule is "no personal calls at work," then don't talk to your
spouse at work. You'll be seen as dishonest, and your staff may become
angry and start disobeying you.
 Look closely at your own behavior. If you criticize people for
interrupting, but you constantly do it yourself, you need to fix this. Yes,
you want people to pay attention to one another and listen to all
viewpoints, so demonstrate this yourself.
 If, in the spirit of goodwill, you make a rule for everyone to leave
the office at 5:00 p.m., then you need to do it too. If you stay late to get
more work done, your team may feel guilty and start staying late too,
which can destroy the whole purpose of the rule. The same is true for
something like a lunch break – if you want your team to take a full hour
to rest and relax, then you need to do it too.
Leading by Example
How to Lead a Team Honestly and
Authentically
© Veer
Greg Epperson

Be sure to walk the talk.

There's the boss who tells everyone to stay late, and then leaves promptly
at 5:00pm to go golfing.

There's the supervisor who criticizes everyone for spending time on the
internet, but is discovered buying groceries online in the middle of the
afternoon.

And the CFO who recommends layoffs to stop "unnecessary spending,"


but then buys herself brand-new luxury office furniture.

Do you know any of these people?

There's hardly anything worse for company morale than leaders who
practice the "Do as I say, not as I do" philosophy. When this happens, you
can almost see the loss of enthusiasm and goodwill among the staff. It's
like watching the air go out of a balloon – and cynicism and
disappointment usually take its place.

No matter what the situation is, double standards – witnessing people say
one thing, and then doing another – always feel like a betrayal. They can
be very destructive. If this ever happened to you, you can probably
remember that sense of disappointment and letdown.

If you're in a leadership position, then you know that you have a


responsibility to your team. They look to you for guidance and strength;
that's part of what being a leader is. And a big part of your responsibility is
to lead them with your own actions.
So, why is it so important to lead by example; and what happens when you
don't?

Making Sure You "Walk the Walk"


There's an old saying about the difference between a manager and a leader,
"Managers do things right. Leaders do the right things." (It's best to be
both a manager and a leader – they're just different processes.)

As a leader, part of your job is to inspire the people around you to push
themselves – and, in turn, the company – to greatness. To do this, you
must show them the way by doing it yourself.

Stop and think about the inspiring people who have changed the world
with their examples. Consider what Mahatma Gandhi accomplished
through his actions: he spent most of his adult life living what he preached
to others. He was committed to nonviolent resistance to protest injustice,
and people followed in his footsteps. He led them, and India, to
independence – because his life proved, by example, that it could be done.

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Although Gandhi's situation is very different from yours, the principle is


the same. When you lead by example, you create a picture of what's
possible. People can look at you and say, "Well, if he can do it, I can do
it." When you lead by example, you make it easy for others to follow you.
Look at legendary businessman, Jack Welch of General Electric. Welch
knew that to push GE to new heights, he had to turn everything upside
down. So that's just what he did.

He developed the whole idea of a "boundaryless organization." This means


that everyone is free to brainstorm and think of ideas – instead of waiting
for someone "higher up" in the bureaucracy to think of them first. He
wanted his team turned loose, and he promised to listen to ideas from
anyone in the company. And he did. Everyone from the lowest line
workers to senior managers got his attention – if they had something to say
or a new idea that might make the company better. It wasn't just talk, and it
didn't take his team long to figure that out.

Welch stayed true to his passions and what he knew was right. As a result,
GE became an incredibly successful company under his management. His
team was always willing to follow his lead, because the people within it
knew that he always kept his word.

What does this mean for you? If you give yourself to your team and show
them the way, then, most likely, they'll follow you anywhere.

When You Don't Lead by Example


We've seen just how powerful it can be to lead by example. But what
happens when you don't follow this rule? How does your team feel when
you tell them to do one thing, and then you do the exact opposite?

As we said earlier, if this ever happened to you, then it shouldn't be hard to


remember how angry and disappointed you were.

When leaders don't "practice what they preach," it can be almost


impossible for a team to work together successfully. How can anyone trust
a leader who talks about one thing, but does another?

Consider what might have happened if Gandhi had, even one time, been in
a physical fight with his opposition. His important message of nonviolent
protest would probably have been much harder to believe after that. His
followers would have looked at him with suspicion and distrust. The
chances of them getting into physical arguments or committing acts of
violence probably would have increased dramatically.
Do you think that Alexander the Great's soldiers would have fought so
hard for him if he had sat on top of a hill, safe from the battle? Probably
not. He would have been just another average general in our history books,
instead of the example of a successful leader that we know today.

And so it is with your team. If you say one thing and do another, they
likely won't follow you enthusiastically. Why should they? Everything you
tell them after that may meet with suspicion and doubt. They may not trust
that you're doing the right thing, or that you know what you're talking
about. They may no longer believe in you.

Good leaders push their people forward with excitement, inspiration, trust,
and vision. If you lead a team that doesn't trust you, productivity will drop.
Enthusiasm may disappear. The vision you're trying so hard to make
happen may lose its appeal, all because your team doesn't trust you
anymore.

Key Points
Good leadership takes strength of character and a firm commitment to do
the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason. This means doing
what you say, when you say it. If your team can't trust you, you'll probably
never lead them to greatness.

Leading – and living – by example isn't as hard as it might sound. It's


really the easiest path. If your team knows that you'll also do whatever you
expect from them, they'll likely work hard to help you achieve your goal.

Mahatma Gandhi and Alexander the Great helped change the world
because they lived by example – and, as a result, they accomplished great
things.
Apply This to Your Life

 If you ask a co-worker to do something, make sure you'd be willing


to do it yourself.
 If you implement new rules for the office, then follow those rules
just as closely as you expect everyone else to follow them. For example,
if the new rule is "no personal calls at work," then don't talk to your
spouse at work. You'll be seen as dishonest, and your staff may become
angry and start disobeying you.
 Look closely at your own behavior. If you criticize people for
interrupting, but you constantly do it yourself, you need to fix this. Yes,
you want people to pay attention to one another and listen to all
viewpoints, so demonstrate this yourself.
 If, in the spirit of goodwill, you make a rule for everyone to leave
the office at 5:00 p.m., then you need to do it too. If you stay late to get
more work done, your team may feel guilty and start staying late too,
which can destroy the whole purpose of the rule. The same is true for
something like a lunch break – if you want your team to take a full hour
to rest and relax, then you need to do it too.
it does have some potential downsides. In situations where roles are unclear or time
is of the essence, democratic leadership can lead to communication failures and
uncompleted projects. 

useful in guiding a group toward commitment to their mission.


To enforce the law, to prevent and control crimes, to maintain peace and order, and
to ensure public safety and internal security with the active support of the
community.
Hence, it encourages team involvement, engagement, and participation. The
performance preferences of each member are acknowledged and honored.
The Democratic Style of Leadership
By 
Kendra Cherry 
 Reviewed by 
Amy Morin, LCSW 
Updated on January 06, 2020
Print 

Illustration by Hugo Lin, Verywell

Democratic leadership, also known as participative leadership or shared leadership, is a type of leadership
style in which members of the group take a more participative role in the decision-making process.1 This type
of leadership can apply to any organization, from private businesses to schools to government.

Everyone is given the opportunity to participate, ideas are exchanged freely, and discussion is encouraged.
While the democratic process tends to focus on group equality and the free flow of ideas, the leader of the
group is still there to offer guidance and control.1

The democratic leader is charged with deciding who is in the group and who gets to contribute to the decisions
that are made. Researchers have found that the democratic leadership style is one of the most effective types
and leads to higher productivity, better contributions from group members, and increased group morale.1

Characteristics
Some of the primary characteristics of democratic leadership include:

 Group members are encouraged to share ideas and opinions, even though the leader retains the final
say over decisions.
 Members of the group feel more engaged in the process.
 Creativity is encouraged and rewarded.2

Researchers suggest that good democratic leaders possess specific traits that include honesty, intelligence,
courage, creativity, competence, and fairness. Strong democratic leaders inspire trust and respect among
followers.3

These leaders are sincere and make decisions based on their morals and values. Followers tend to feel inspired
to take action and contribute to the group. Good leaders also tend to seek diverse opinions and do not try to
silence dissenting voices or those that offer a less popular point of view.

Pros and Cons of Democratic Leadership


Pros
 More ideas and creative solutions
 Group member commitment
 High productivity
Cons
 Communication failures
 Poor decision-making by unskilled groups
 Minority or individual opinions overridden

Pros

Because group members are encouraged to share their thoughts, democratic leadership can lead to better
ideas and more creative solutions to problems. Group members also feel more involved and committed to
projects, making them more likely to care about the end results. Research on leadership styles has also shown
that democratic leadership leads to higher productivity among group members.1

Cons

While democratic leadership has been described as the most effective leadership style, it does have some
potential downsides. In situations where roles are unclear or time is of the essence, democratic leadership can
lead to communication failures and uncompleted projects.1

In some cases, group members may not have the necessary knowledge or expertise to make quality
contributions to the decision-making process. Democratic leadership can also result in team members feeling
like their opinions and ideas aren't taken into account, which may lower employee satisfaction and morale.

Best Settings for Democratic Leadership


Democratic leadership works best in situations where group members are skilled and eager to share their
knowledge. It is also important to have plenty of time to allow people to contribute, develop a plan, and then
vote on the best course of action.

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