Leadership Styles and Traits

The purpose of this lesson is for students to comprehend the different styles of
leadership and their appropriateness in different situations
Desired Learning Outcomes:
1. List the traits of authoritarian, democratic, and laissez faire leadership styles.
2. State in which situations the above leadership styles are appropriate.
3. Summarize the path-oal theory and which method is appropriate for which
subordinates.
Scheduled Lesson Time: 3! minutes
Introduction
"o form of oranization has ever e#isted without leadership. $owever, an individual
need not be the senior officer or commander to be a leader. "evertheless, for an
oranization to function with some deree of efficiency, havin a leader at its head is
important. %f a leader is also a ood manaer, that is even better. &hile leadership and
manaement are terms that are often used interchaneably, they are not the same. 'y
definition and in practice, leadership and manaement are different functions.
(anaement deals with the )thin) or technical side of a *ob, relyin on control and
power by position, while leadership deals with the people side, inspirin trust and power
by influence. Thus manaers have subordinates, and leaders have
followers. 'oth, however, are important functions. This section will deal first with the traits
and situational effectiveness of three leadership styles+ authoritarian, democratic, and
laissez faire, and only casually with manaement. Then remar,s on leadership definitions,
leader traits, and factors influencin style choice will precede a summary of the path-oal
theory that identifies four leader behaviors, which depend on situation factors and follower
characteristics.
1 and 2. The Traits of Leadership Styles and Their Uses
Traits of authoritarian leadership and situations where this style of leadership is
effective+
This style, sometimes called autocratic -do what % tell you., is used when leaders tell their
followers what they want done and how they want it accomplished, without input or advice
from their followers. The leader identifies a problem, considers alternative solutions,
chooses one, and then tells others what to do. Subordinates neither participate in the
decision ma,in process, nor are they consulted in the matter until after the decision is
made. /ften the leader will then try to persuade them to accept it. This is fre0uently used
as a primary method of manaers.
1ppropriate conditions for a leader to use this style would be when one has all the
information to solve the problem, time is short, and the staff is well motivated to follow
throuh with the decision, even if not involved in the decision ma,in process. %t would
be suitable to use also with an individual who is *ust learnin the *ob, and is motivated to
learn a new s,ill.
Some people tend to thin, of this style as a vehicle for yellin, usin demeanin
lanuae, and leadin by threats and abuse of power. This is not the authoritarian
style, rather it is an abusive, unprofessional style called bossing people around, which
has no place in a leader2s repertoire.
The authoritarian style should normally only be used on rare occasions, and often is
unproductive in a volunteer situation. %f a leader has the time and wants to ain more
commitment and motivation from others, then the democratic style should be used.
Traits of democratic leadership and situations where this style of leadership is
effective+
&ith this style, also called participative, -Let2s wor, toether to solve this. the leader
includes one or more other individuals in the decision ma,in process to determine
what to do and how to do it. $owever, the responsibility and authority for ma,in the
final decision remains with the leader. 3sin this style is not a sin of wea,ness but
rather a sin of strenth which others will respect. The leader presents the problem to
the roup, re0uestin ideas on how to solve it. 1fter hearin the roup2s viewpoints
and suestions, the leader ma,es the decision.
This is normally used when the leader has part of the information, and other fol,s may
have other parts or ideas. 1 leader is not e#pected to ,now everythin -- this is why a
successful leader will ma,e use of ,nowledeable and s,illful unit members to produce
a solution to a problem or a decision on a *ob. 3sin this style is of mutual benefit -- it
allows others to become part of the team and allows the leader to ma,e better
decisions.
This style is also appropriately used with a roup of individuals who ,now their *obs and
want to become part of the team. The leader ,nows the problem, but may not have all
the information. This style is most li,ely to be effective, more often than not, with
volunteers.
Traits of Laisse !aire leadership and situations where this style of leadership is
effective+
Laissez faire comes from the 4rench - )to allow to do,) and is essentially the
noninterference in the affairs of others. %n this style, also ,nown as deleative or free
rein -you ta,e care of the problem while % o elsewhere.5 the leader allows others to
ma,e the decisions. $owever, the leader is still responsible for the decisions that are
made. %n discussin a problem, the leader participates as )one of the roup,) areein
in advance to carry out whatever decision the roup ma,es, within the limits set by
reulations and policies from hiher head0uarters.
This is used when someone else is able to analyze the situation and determine what
needs to be done and how to do it. 1 leader must set priorities and occasionally
deleate certain tas,s to others. This is not a style to use so that others can be blamed
when thins o wron, rather this is a style to be used when you, the leader, fully trusts,
and has confidence in, the people wor,in with you. 6o not be afraid to use it5 however,
use it wisely7
1 laissez faire style would be appropriate to use with one or more individuals who ,now
more about the *ob than the leader. 8emember, whether or not you are the leader, one
cannot do everythin7 1lso, the situation miht call for the leader to be at other places,
doin other thins. $owever, the individual assined the *ob needs to ta,e ownership
of the *ob.
"ow that the styles of leadership have been described, how is leadership defined, and
what are some traits of a leader9
3nited States 1ir 4orce 6octrine 6ocument 1.1 defines leadership as the art of
influencin and directin people to accomplish the assined mission. The 3.S 1rmy
definition is 0uite similar+ )Leadership is influencin people by providin purpose,
direction, and motivation -- while operatin to accomplish the mission and improvin the
oranization). The 1rmy further oes on to define )influence) as a+ means or method to
achieve two ends+ operatin and improvin. 'ut there2s more to influencin than simply
passin alon orders. The e#ample a leader sets is *ust as important as the words s:he
spea,s. The leader sets an e#ample -- ood or bad -- with every action they ta,e and
word they utter, on or off duty. Throuh a leader2s words and e#ample, s:he must
communicate purpose, direction, and motivation ;1<.
Thus leadership is the manner and approach of providin direction, implementin plans,
and motivatin people to perform at the very pea, of their abilities, and can be placed
into one of the three ma*or styles -authoritarian, democratic, or laissez faire. discussed
above. "o one style is the )best) method of leadership5 each may wor, effectively
under the riht conditions. 1 ood leader must be capable of a wide rane of behavior,
and, dependin on what forces are involved between the followers, the leader, and the
situation, may use all three styles, with one of them normally dominant5 however, a poor
leader tends to stic, with one style.
Leader Traits: The 0ualities necessary for leadership can be seen as a balance, with
interity as the stron, solid base, with respect and responsibility balanced on either
side. =eople with interity are honest, trustworthy and enuine. They also respect
others and have a stron sense of personal responsibility for ensurin standards of
moral and ethical conduct ;2<. 8espect is developed by the 0ualities of >mpathy,
>motional (astery, Lac, of 'lame, and $umility. =eople who demonstrate respect
show unconditional hih reard for others, ac,nowledin their value as human beins,
reardless of their behavior. The respect comes throuh in all situations, even durin
times of conflict or criticism.
6emonstratin respect for others re0uires developin and refinin+
-1. >mpathy. &hen a leader treats everyone in the oranization with consideration,
shows enuine concern for others, listens with understandin and is respectful even if
nothin is to be ained from the relationship, it helps the leader earn trust. Leaders who
are empathetic create stron bonds and are seen as less political.
-2. >motional (astery. 4or those in positions of formal power, the most important
aspect of emotional mastery may be controllin aner. /utbursts of aner have no spot
in the wor,place, and can 0uic,ly destroy a sense of oranizational e0uity and
partnership. 1 person with this 0uality says what he or she thin,s, but never berates
others, and stays calm even in crisis situations. 1n#iety is not allowed to interfere with
public spea,in or with other thins that the leader needs to do. 1 leader with this
0uality thin,s before reactin and is able to consciously choose an appropriate
response.
-3. Lac, of 'lame. =eople who don2t blame others are not defensive5 they are able to
reflect honestly on their own behavior and are willin to admit mista,es. &hen thins o
wron, they don2t spend time assinin blame5 they spend time fi#in the problem. 1n
individual, who demonstrates this core 0uality, admits fault when appropriate, and does
not loo, for a scapeoat in a crisis.
-?. $umility. $umility is a lac, of pomposity and arroance. %t is the reconition that
all people are fallible, that we are all combinations of strenths and wea,nesses.
%ndividuals who demonstrate humility, as someone has said, )don2t thin, less of
themselves5 they *ust thin, more of others.) 1rroance derails more leaders than any
other factor. 1 person with the attribute of humility listens to others with an open mind5
doesn2t bra or name drop5 clearly sees and admits their own limitations and failins,
and is not afraid to be vulnerable.
8esponsibility, at the other end of the interity base, is the acceptance of full
responsibility for personal success and for the success of the pro*ect, team and
oranization. To become responsible re0uires development and refinement of the
followin+
-1. 1ccountability. Leaders who are truly accountable e#pand their view of
oranizational responsibility and do what they can to et done what needs to et done,
no matter where in the oranization they have to o. They ">@>8 say, )%t2s not my
*ob). They also hold themselves accountable for ma,in relationships wor, - they don2t
say, )&ell, %2ll o halfway if they will). They ta,e 1!!A responsibility for ma,in any
relationship wor,. 1n individual with this feature ta,es the initiative to et thins done5
is not afraid to hold others accountable5 is willin to cross departmental boundaries to
help with a meaninful pro*ect5 and ta,es personal responsibility for oranizational
success.
-2. Self-Bonfidence. Self-confident fol,s feel that they are the e0ual of others, even
when those others are in positions of much reater formal power. They also reconize
the value of buildin the self-confidence of others and are not threatened by doin so.
Self-confidence in everyone builds a sense of partnership and helps the oranization
et ma#imum effort and ideas from everyone. 1 self-confident person has a self
assured bearin5 is fle#ible and willin to chane5 easily ives others credit5 and isn2t
afraid to tell the truth.
-3. Bourae. Bouraeous persons are assertive and willin to ta,e ris,s. They as,
foriveness rather than permission, and are willin to try even thouh they miht fail.
They are willin to ris, conflict to have their ideas heard, balancin that with the respect
that ma,es constructive conflict possible. These individuals often champion new or
unpopular ideas. 4urther, they will tal, to others, not about others, when there is a
problem5 accept feedbac, and really hear what others say, as well as ta,e the ball and
run with it, even when there are obstacles.
-?. 4ocus on the whole. =eople who focus on the whole thin, in terms of the ood
for the entire oranization, not in terms of what2s ood for them or their team.
Cood leadership refers not only to competence, but to ethics and transformin people
as well. 1 leader is responsible for influencin followers to perform an action, complete
a tas,, or behave in a specific manner. >ffective leaders influence process, stimulate
chane in attitudes and values of followers, enhance followers2 beliefs in their worth,
and foster the leader2s vision by utilizin strateies of empowerment.
>thical leadership re0uires ethical leaders ;3<. %f leaders are ethical, they can ensure
that ethical practices are carried out throuhout an oranization. >thical leadership is
leadership that is involved in leadin in a manner that respects the rihts and dinity of
others. 1s leaders are by nature in a position of power, ethical leadership focuses on
how leaders use their power in the decisions they ma,e, actions they enae in, and
ways they influence others ;?<. Leaders who are ethical demonstrate a level of
interity that is important for stimulatin a sense of leader trustworthiness ;D<, which is
important for followers to accept the vision of the leader ;?<. These are critical and direct
components to leadin ethically ;E<. The character and interity of the leader provide
the basis for personal characteristics that direct a leader2s ethical beliefs, values, and
decisions ;?<. %ndividual values and beliefs impact the ethical decisions of a leader ;F<.
Leaders who are ethical are people-oriented, ;?< aware of how their decisions impact
others ;G<, and use their power to serve the reater ood instead of self-servin
interests ;?<. %n ethical leadership it is important for the leader to consider how
decisions impact others ;?<. (otivatin followers to put the needs or interests of the
roup ahead of their own is another 0uality of ethical leaders ;H<. (otivatin involves
enain others in an intellectual and emotional commitment between leaders and
followers that ma,es both parties e0ually responsible in the pursuit of a common oal
;E<. >thical leaders assist followers in ainin a sense of personal competence that
allows them to be self-sufficient by encourain and empowerin them ;?<.
%n addition, ethics in leadership are very important in oranizational communications as
leaders must ma,e decisions that will not only benefit them, but they must also thin,
about how other people will be effected ;1!<. The best leaders ma,e ,nown their values
and their ethics and promote them in their leadership style and actions. %t consists of
communicatin complete and accurate information, where there is a personal,
professional, ethical, or leal obliation to do so ;11<. &hen practicin ethics, one ains
the respect and admiration of others, with the satisfaction of ,nowin the riht thin was
done. ;4or further discussion on this topic refer to the >thics lesson of this course<.
There is a difference in the way leaders approach others. =ositive leaders use
rewards, such as education, independence, etc. to motivate individuals5 while neative
leaders emphasize penalties. &hile the neative approach has a place in a leader2s
repertoire of tools, it must be used carefully due to its hih cost on the human spirit.
"eative leaders act domineerin and superior with people. They believe the only way
to et thins done is throuh penalties, such as loss of position, reprimandin
individuals in front of others, withholdin awards and:or promotions, etc. They believe
their authority is increased by frihtenin everyone into a hiher level of productivity.
Iet what enerally happens when this approach is used wronly is that morale falls5
which of course leads to lower productivity, and in the case of volunteers, often a loss of
the individual to the unit, or to Bivil 1ir =atrol.
Base Study - Iou may come to an answer on your own5 discuss it with other members
of the course or with other members of your unit. "o written response is re0uired. $ow
do the above 0ualities of a leader, relate to B1=2s Bore @alues9 ;See the Bore @alues
lesson in this course<.
!actors that influence the style to be used include:
1. The leader
1. The habits and behavior patterns of the leader and others in wor,in with people.
2. The leader2s confidence in his followers.
3. The attitude of the leader toward participation, sharin the decision-ma,in
process, and roup decision-ma,in.
?. The leader2s need for certainty and predictability.
D. &ho has the information - you -the leader., your fellow volunteers, or both9
'. The subordinates:followers.
1. Their level of ,nowlede and e#perience.
2. Their desire to do independent wor,.
3. Their ability to assume responsibility.
?. Their interest in the problem or the overall proram.
D. $ow well others are trained and how well the leader ,nows the tas,.
B. The situation.
1. $ow much time is available9
2. The values, traditions, and policies of the oranization.
3. The unity, cohesiveness, and spirit of the roup.
?. The nature of the problem itself.
6. /ther possible factors.
1. 1re relationships based on respect and trust or on disrespect9
2. %nternal conflicts.
3. Stress levels.
?. Type of tas,--is it structured, unstructured, complicated, or simple9
D. 8eulations or established procedures or trainin plans.
". The #ath$%oal Theory and ho& to use it to choose the type of leadership style
for the situation.
The path-oal theory of leadership was developed by 8obert $ouse in 1HF1;12< and
describes the way that leaders encourae and support their followers in achievin the
oals that have been set by ma,in the path that should be ta,en clear and easy. %n
particular, leaders clarify the path so subordinates ,now which way to o5 remove
roadbloc,s that stop them oin there5 and increase the rewards alon the route.
Leaders can ta,e a stron or limited approach in these. %n clarifyin the path, they may
be directive or ive vaue hints. %n removin roadbloc,s, they may clear the path or
help the follower move the bier bloc,s. %n increasin rewards, they may ive
occasional encouraement or pave the way with awards, promotions, or more
responsibility in the unit. This variation in approach will depend on the situation,
includin the follower2s capability and motivation, as well as the difficulty of the *ob and
other factors.
1ccordin to $ouse, the essence of the theory is the proposition that leaders, to be
effective, enae in behaviors that complement the environments and abilities of
subordinates in a manner that compensates for deficiencies in individual and wor, unit
performance, and is instrumental to subordinate satisfaction ;13<. The theory identifies
four leader behaviors, -1. achievement-oriented, -2. directive, -3. participative, and -?.
supportive, which are dependent on situation factors and follower characteristics. The
path-oal model states that the four leadership behaviors are fluid, and that leaders can
adopt any of the four dependin on what the situation demands. The path-oal model
can be classified both as a continency theory, as it depends on the circumstances, but
also as a transactional leadership theory, as the theory emphasizes the ive-and-ta,e
behavior between the leader and the followers. $ouse and (itchell ;13< further
e#panded on these four behaviors as follows+
'chie(ement$oriented leadership sets oals, both in wor, and in self-improvement5
hih standards are demonstrated and e#pected5 and the leader shows faith in the
capabilities of the follower to succeed. This approach is best when the tas, is comple#.
Directi(e leadership, where the followers are told what needs to be done and are iven
appropriate uidance alon the way by the leader. This includes ivin them schedules
of specific wor, to be done at specific times. 8ewards may also be increased as
needed and role ambiuity decreased -by tellin them what they should be doin.. This
may be used when the tas, is unstructured and comple# or the follower is
ine#perienced. This increases the follower2s sense of security and control and hence is
appropriate to the situation.
#articipati(e leadership, in which the leader consults with followers and ta,es their
ideas into account when ma,in decisions and ta,in particular actions. This approach
is best when the followers are e#pert and their advice is both needed and they e#pect to
be able to ive it.
Supporti(e leadership, which considers the needs of the follower, shows concern for
their welfare and creates a friendly wor, environment. This includes increasin the
follower2s self-esteem and ma,in the *ob more interestin. This approach is best when
the wor, is stressful, borin or hazardous.
Later $ouse and =odsa,off ;1?< attempted to summarize the behaviors and approaches
of )outstandin leaders). The listed leadership behaviors cover+
-1. @ision+ outstandin leaders e#press a vision which matches with the deeply-held
values of followers, a vision that describes a better future to which the followers have an
alleed moral riht.
-2. =assion and self-sacrifice+ leaders display a passion for, and have a stron
conviction of, what they reard as the moral correctness of their vision. They enae in
outstandin or e#traordinary behavior and ma,e remar,able self-sacrifices in the
interest of their vision and mission.
-3. Bonfidence, determination, and persistence+ outstandin leaders display a hih
deree of faith in themselves and in the attainment of the vision they articulate.
Theoretically, such leaders need to have a very hih deree of self-confidence and
moral conviction because their mission fre0uently challenes the status 0uo and,
therefore, may offend those who have a sta,e in preservin the established order.
-?. %mae-buildin+ $ouse and =odsa,off reard outstandin leaders as self-
conscious about their own imae. They reconize the desirability of followers perceivin
them as competent, credible, and trustworthy.
-D. 8ole-modelin+ leader-imae-buildin sets the stae for effective role-modelin
because followers identify with the values of role models whom they perceive in positive
terms.
-E. >#ternal representation+ outstandin leaders often act as spo,espersons for their
respective oranizations and symbolically represent those oranizations to e#ternal
constituencies, and
-F. >#pectations of and confidence in followers+ outstandin leaders communicate
e#pectations of hih performance from their followers and stron confidence in their
followers2 ability to meet such e#pectations.
Lesson Summary and )losure
Base Study - Iou may come to conclusions on your own or discuss it with other
students in the course or with other members. "o written response is re0uired. There is
a ood li,elihood you are familiar with the show (J1JSJ$J. Ta,e a moment and thin,
about the leadership style of the ?!FF2s leaders. &as the leadership style of Lt Bol
$enry 'la,e, (a*. 4ran, 'urns, Bol Sherman =otter, (a*. (araret $oulihan, or even
Baptain )$aw,eye) =ierce appropriate for the situation and the followers they had9 6id
they use the path oal theory effectively9 %f you are not familiar with (J1JSJ$J any
other show:movie that is set in a wor,in environment will do.
1 ood leader must be capable of a wide rane of behavior. Today, whether in
industry, or in a volunteer oranization, a leader will be called upon to function in a wide
variety of situations and to wor, with all ,inds of people. Leaders who are concerned
about the human needs of their fellow members build teamwor,, help others with their
problems, and provide emotional support. There is evidence that leaders who are
considerate in their leadership style are hiher performers and are more satisfied with
their *ob. %f a leader becomes more considerate, it does not necessarily mean that the
leader has become less structured -tas, oriented. ;1D<. 4urther, leadership is most
effective when a leader tries to satisfy roup oals and individual oals simultaneously
;1E<.
&hile leadership is the art of influencin and directin people to accomplish an assined
mission, the manner in which that is done is dependent on many factors+ the leader,
the followers, the situation, and the style of leadership used by the leader. (ost leaders
do not strictly use one or another approach, but are somewhere on a continuum ranin
from e#tremely positive to e#tremely neative. =eople who continuously wor,
at the neative end are bosses, while those who primarily wor, near the positive end
are considered real leaders. Leaders who show the way and help followers alon a
path are effectively 2leadin2.
This section of the B1= /fficer 'asic Bourse has provided material on leadership
styles, when and how they can be effectively used, as well as a brief introduction to the
path-oal theory on leader behavior actions which can assist individuals develop into
effective Bivil 1ir =atrol leaders. Knowlede of what factors could affect which style of
leadership was best to use, dependin on the circumstances, plus information on
positive and neative leader traits should also be useful for members in understandin
how decisions are made.
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