LEADERSHIP

OBJECTIVES: Students will be able to:

✓ Define leadership
✓ Identify characteristics of a leader
✓ Explain the essential characteristics of a good leader
✓ Discuss the different leadership styles
✓ Identify the advantages and disadvantages of the different leadership
styles
✓ Compare and contrast the different leadership styles

DEFINITION
Leadership refers to style of management. It is the manner in which an
organised group is influenced or managed so that success can be achieved by a
combination of good management techniques and leadership skills.
Leadership is the ability of getting things done through the efforts of other
persons
It has been said that ‘Leaders are born and not made’. Being a leader requires
some skills which may include:
• Patience
• Empathy
• Active listening
• Reliability and Dependability
• Creativity
• Positivity
• Effective and timely feedback
• Team building
• Flexibility
• Risk-taking
Even though leaders may have these skills, the ESSENTIAL
CHARACTERISTICS of a good leader includes the following:
ESSENTIAL DEFINITIONS
CHARACTERISTICS

• HONESTY • The moral aspect of leadership is highly significant.

Effective leaders must demonstrate high levels of
honesty and integrity.

• Honesty is essential to inspire confidence and trust

from employees and other followers

• A leader who is dishonest or uses unethical practices

will not stay in that position for a long time
• FLEXIBILITY • Leaders must be able to modify their style or
approach in response to uncertain and unpredictable
situations

• Flexible leaders can adapt to change as they come.

This will enable them to adapt new methods, include
new innovations and overcome challenges to achieve
their objectives

• FOCUS • Focus means that leaders must be aware of what is

happening around them

• Leaders must focus so they are not distracted from

their goals

• A focused leader will help guide employees in a

definite direction so that the team knows the
collective goals they’re working towards

• A focused leader will understand the needs of the

organization as it relates to people /capital/
equipment etc..
• TRUSTWORTHINESS • A trustworthy leader is a person that believes the
best in people.

• Trustworthy leaders expect the best in others and

enjoying being around people.
 • These leaders are approachable, accept responsibility
for their actions, and are mutually supportive of
• Everyone and not just the people that they like
• ABILITY TO MAKE • One obvious trait that many people look for in
INTELLIGENT leaders is intelligence.
DECISIONS
• Regardless of the emotional state of leaders, they
must be able to make intelligent decisions,

• Intelligent decision-making requires making the

best decision while considering the needs and
interests of the group

ACTIVITY 1:

Identify a public figure who you think is a leader. List the characteristics/
essential characteristics of this person:
 DISCUSS THE DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP STYLES;

LEADERSHIP STYLES
Determine which leadership style is depicted by each cartoon based on your
research
 AUTOCRATIC LEADERSHIP STYLE:

This is based on the old authoritarian school of management. It is also

known as authoritarian leadership.

➢ This management holds the view that management should do the

thinking, give orders and closely control activities through personal
supervision.

➢ Leadership must have full control of the group and entire decision-
making process

➢ Authority is closely associated with power

➢ This leader tends to survive by issuing threats

➢ Management sees its authority as the right to manage, to command, to

act along with the ability to supply or withhold what people want, to
hire and fire; to promote or not to promote; to control wages etc.

➢ This authority is either reluctant or unable to delegate responsibility to

others

➢ The authoritarian style is most useful in specific situations or tasks or

based on the characteristics of the group or its members
 ADVANTAGES
• Relieves pressure for others as it
allows for quick decision-making
especially in stress-filled
situations e.g. military/
laboratories
• Offers a clear chain of command
or oversight
• Provides direction for small
groups. It works well where
strong, directive leadership is
needed
• Provides leaders with the ability
to dictate work methods and
processes. (Military or where a
group has no clear leadership and
continues to miss deadlines)
Autocratic leaders tend to do well in
these settings because they ensure
that projects are finished on time and
that workers follow safety rules to
prevent accidents and injuries.
DISADVANTAGES
• Allows little or no input from
group members
• Requires leaders to make almost
all of the decisions.
• Leaves group feeling like they
aren't trusted with decisions or
important tasks and so employees
are not motivated to do their jobs
well.
• People who use an autocratic
leadership style are often viewed
as bossy, controlling, and
dictatorial. This can sometimes
result in resentment and low
morale among group members.
• Tends to create highly structured
and very rigid environments
• Discourages creativity and out-of-
the box thinking. Initiative and
innovation are stifled as it ignores
and prevents creative solutions
and expertise from subordinates
• Establishes rules and tends to be
clearly outlined and
communicated
 DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP STYLE:

This is middle way between the autocratic and the laissez- faire styles of
leadership

It is also referred to as the shared leadership or participative leadership.

It encourages members of a team to take on responsibilities in decision-making.

It is a leadership style that can be used by any leader in any industry, from
corporations to educational facilities to government positions.

➢ The leader takes the initiative but is also receptive to the group

➢ The leader leads but does not dominate

➢ The leader accepts ideas and suggestions from workers

➢ He ensures that everyone in the organization/group receives fair

treatment and is encouraged to take part but he remains capable of
making decisions

➢ This leadership style gives the leader the authority to control while at the
same time providing an open democratic atmosphere in which others
may express their views and vote according to their convictions

➢ It is suited for small businesses and situations

 ADVANTAGES
• There is a two-way flow of
communication
• The leaders delegate authority
while retaining responsibility
• It enhances personal commitment
in meeting the objectives of the
organisation
• It works well when trying to solve
a complex concern.
• It encourages creativity.
• It strengthens the relationships
of a team.
• It is a leadership style that
anyone can practice. And job
satisfaction is increased
DISADVANTAGES
• The decision-making process is
time consuming as the views of
many persons have to be
considered
• There might be difficulty if the
leader tries to exert control or
dictate terms to a group in a
situation/ or if they are late with a
project. He might be seen as a
hypocrite
• It can create negative emotions
(If one team member is consistently
having their ideas implemented, the
other team members can grow
resentful of the leadership style. It
makes them feel like their opinions
are not valued)
• It can lead to procrastination.
Leaders that use this style of
leadership can fall into a dangerous
trap. Instead of making a decision,
they defer to their team for ideas.
• It encourages no one to take
responsibility for failure.
When the team fails for some reason
under this leadership style, there tends
to be a lot of blame that is passed
around.
 LAISSEZ-FAIRE LEADERSHIP STYLE:

This is translated as meaning ‘leaves to do’. Workers are aware of the tasks
they must perform and what is expected of them.

The leaders provide the necessary training and support and is accountable for
the output or the completion of the project even though decisions are left to
the employees.

Laissez-faire leadership, also known as delegative leadership, is a type

of leadership style in which leaders are hands-off and allow group members to
make the decisions.

Researchers have found that this is generally the leadership style that leads to
the lowest productivity among group members

➢ There is minimum supervision and much depends on the initiative,

competence and integrity of each worker to make his own decisions
about how to achieve his objectives

➢ The workers are given the freedom to work on their tasks

➢ This type of leadership style may succeed where workers have

experience and are loyal to the company.

ADVANTAGES
• Workers learn to be innovative.
• The freedom given to employees
can encourage creativity and
innovation.
DISADVANTAGES
• Lack of role clarity as staff
works with little or no guidance.
• The leadership is absent from day
to day operations of the company
 • Responsibility is encouraged
among workers
• This environment encourages
personal growth and development.
Leaders are so hands-off in their
approach; employees have a
chance to be hands-on.
• It allows for faster decision-
making. Employees under laissez-
faire leadership have the autonomy
to make their own decisions
without waiting weeks for an
approval process.
• This style is particularly effective
in situations where group
members are highly-skilled and
experienced and more
knowledgeable than the group's
leader.
• The laissez-faire style allows
them to demonstrate their deep
knowledge and skill surrounding
that particular subject
There is no one style of leadership which can work in all situations. Leadership
must be flexible and adapt to changing situations
• Poor involvement with the group:
It is very difficult for the group to
arrive at a consensus due to the
independence of the staff.
• Laissez-faire leaders are often
seen as uninvolved and
withdrawn, which can lead to a
lack of cohesiveness within the
group. Since the leader seems
unconcerned with what is
happening, followers sometimes
pick up on this and express less
care and concern for the project
• Decision making can become
tardy through numerous
discussions and deliberations
• Delay in making decisions can
lead to unnecessary costs to the
business
• Low accountability: Some
leaders take advantage of this
style as a way to avoid
responsibility for the group's
failures. When goals are not
met, the leader can then blame
members of the team for not
completing tasks or living up to
expectations.
• If team members are unfamiliar
with the process or tasks, it can
create chaos or time and costs
overrun
 COMPARISON OF LEADERSHIP STYLES
AUTOCRATIC
Leader decides alone
Power oriented
Task oriented
Good for: urgent situations where
results must be accomplished
quickly; situations where the
leader has far more knowledge
than the team; new employee
training
Bad for: creative or knowledge-
based jobs; often damages
employee morale, initiative and
loyalty
DEMOCRATIC
Leadership is people oriented
Encourages participation
Delegates to the group
Good for: encouraging loyalty;
boosting employee morale;
improving work, product quality
and creativity
Bad for: urgent situations where
fast response is needed
LAISSEZ-FAIRE
Leadership provides little or no direction
Consults individually
Does not criticise
Good for: highly motivated, highly skilled or
expert employees
Bad for: situations demanding quick results;
new or untrained employees; employees who
refuse to take responsibility; employees who
need guidance; employees who can’t agree
 LEADERSHIP STYLES
Determine which leadership style is depicted by each cartoon