Paul Christian P.

Santos Notes in NCM 104

U-Pang PEN Nursing Management and Leadership
BSN IV-P18/07-2409/2010 Prelims

Lesson 7 Leadership Styles 2.2 Disadvantages of Democratic Management Style

➢ Decision becomes lengthy process
1. Autocratic/Authoritarian ➢ Coworkers not confident in participating in
 Manager makes most of the decisions in decision making
isolation ➢ Employees may think manager is not
 Found in bureaucratic organizations that capable to DM
reinforce centrality of authority and reliance ➢ Employees think they are made to do
upon formal rules something they are not paid for
 Managers issue orders and expect to be ➢ If decision not implemented employees think
obeyed their time is wasted
 Authority derives from position power tied to
official hierarchical title 3. Laissez-Faire
 Authoritarian managers will have  Permissive management
subordinate support if they are involved in  Least structure and control
overall goals and process  Requires coworkers to make own goals,
 Strong control is maintained decisions
 Others are motivated by coercion  Managers provide maximum support
 Others are directed with command and freedom for workers
 Communication is downwards  Provision of little or no direction
 “I” and “You”  Communication upward and downward
 Punitive criticism  DM is dispersed throughout group
 Criticism withheld
1.1 Advantages of Autocratic/Authoritarian
 Results to well-defined group actions 3.1 Advantages of Laissez-Faire
 Decision making can be done expeditiously  Providing maximum support and
 Appropriate when immediate action is freedom
needed  Allows practice of high levels of
 Authoritarian managers will have independence
subordinate support if they are involved in
overall goals and process 3.2 Disadvantages of Laissez-Faire
 Not possible to let workers arrive at an
1.2 Disadvantages individual decisions about patient care
 Subordinates don’t have stake in  Because of multidisciplinary care,
achievement/failure of management goals decision must be centralized
 Employee may subvert goals
 Managers issue orders and expect to be
obeyed
 Authority derives from position power tied to
official hierarchical title

2. Democratic Management Style

➢ Involves subordinates in decision making
➢ Democratic managers see themselves as
coworkers
➢ Stresses importance of communication and
consensus
➢ Promotes autonomy and growth
➢ Manager leads by providing information,
suggesting direction and being supportive of
coworkers
➢ Function best in less centralized and where
there is less reliance on formal rules and
policies
➢ Emphasis “We”
➢ Constructive criticism

2.1 Advantages of Democratic Management Style

➢ Coworkers are consulted
➢ Coworkers have input on decision making
➢ Employees are involved in all the processes
prior to decision making
➢ It is appropriate if decision at hand does not
require urgent action

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