Leadership styles in psychology. Presentation with examples

Typology of leaders in psychology, advantages of each type and their disadvantages

Today there is no single theory of how the phenomenon of leadership is formed. There is also no correct guide on how to be a leader: depending on various factors, there are several types that can be combined with each other.

The most common types in psychology are:

• Leader-organizer - his main role is to understand algorithms for solving problems.
• A creative leader has creative thinking, so he always acts as an innovator.
• A fighter leader is a strong personality who is ready to stand up for injustice.
• A leader-diplomat is an excellent leader who will always find a way to get his way, even at the cost of intrigue.
• A comforting leader , due to his high level of empathy, copes well with the task of creating a harmonious environment within the team, which contributes to the effective work of the team.

Leadership styles, while highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of a person’s individual qualities, do not exclude the possibility of combining them.

In the psychology of leader behavior, the secret of success is often based on a skillful combination of different personal qualities and management strategies.

The main approach to developing leadership qualities is to take responsibility for the process and results of the actions of the entire team. Regardless of type, leadership can be constructive, destructive or neutral.

Leadership styles in psychology

Therefore, if strengths lie in achieving set goals, then less noticeable weaknesses may manifest themselves in poor organization, inability to compromise and achieve what you want at any cost.

Leadership concept

There is no exact definition of the concept of “leadership”. Some say it is a way of influencing and controlling, others say it is the ability of one person to motivate others to work hard. First of all, leadership combines:

• strength of character,
• the will to win,
• wonderful gift of persuasion,
• active desire for success,
• willingness to take responsibility for the actions of others,
• ability to interact with people, etc.

The advantages of leadership are that it gives freedom of action, respect from other people, and the joy of doing what you love. It provides spiritual and personal growth. Gives a person satisfaction and self-esteem, because people trusted him, confidence in their capabilities and strengths.

Leadership manifests itself in different areas of life - politics, business, sports. This is part of family life, because there should always be a leader in the family. Leadership is especially important in extreme situations, since only an organizing principle (leadership) can ultimately lead to control over the situation.

A leader can have both positive and negative influences

Laws of Leadership

Psychologists have formulated the main laws of leadership, understanding the essence of which helps to achieve the desired results and move in the right direction.

There are 21 laws in total that help achieve the goal:

Regardless of leadership style, the 21 Laws of Team Management provide a fundamental understanding of how to influence your environment. Therefore, by following these recommendations, you can avoid many failures or the fear of going astray.

Advise to implement appraisal interviews so that employees themselves evaluate their work

At the end of the year, let the employee look at what tasks were assigned to him and evaluate himself. Tasks can look like KPIs, like processes that need to be completed, like a list of competencies that need to be demonstrated. You can make a mixed list, where there are both KPIs and a list of competencies. Based on the list of tasks, the boss also evaluates the employee. Then they meet and discuss how the employee worked, what tasks he solved, and whether he did everything he could. The result should be an agreed upon single assessment. If there is a disagreement, two marks remain on the score sheet. Such an assessment interview (Performance Appraisal) is a serious test, an employee’s report on how he used the freedom and trust that was placed in him.

Case Study

In the Shleman-Zimar concern, in the evaluation sheet the employee himself gives himself points for his work (maximum 7), and later his manager does the same. The assessment is based on eight performance indicators and five competencies. Then the manager and subordinate discuss how the employee worked, what was accomplished and what was not. The evaluation sheet records what questions the boss asked and what the employee answered. Most often they come to a single assessment. If not, the evaluation sheet is submitted to the production commission, which examines it and makes a verdict.

The big advantage of an assessment interview is that employees feel that decisions are made collectively, but the importance of individual results and personal responsibility remains. This means that even if the department fulfills the plan thanks to the advanced workers, the boss will see those who worked poorly.

Leadership theories

Leadership theories are different ways of explaining how leadership came to be and how to define a leader.

Depending on the emphasis on different criteria and goals of leadership, several main theories are distinguished:

• Leader trait theory, or great man theory, emphasizes an individual's innate qualities, initiative, and charisma.
• Attributional theory views the leader as a puppet who receives direct instructions from followers but cannot make any changes on his own.
• Motivational theory determines the effectiveness of an individual as a leader if he successfully influences his followers and their actions.
• Situational leadership theory describes the manifestation of leadership qualities as a result of the interaction of different factors, therefore different situations mean different leaders.

These theories help to better understand what factors influence the formation of a leader and help him maintain his authority.

Basic management methods

Modeling an Effective Leadership Style

The various models reviewed allow us to conclude that a flexible approach to management is necessary. To accurately assess a situation, a manager must have a good understanding of subordinates' abilities, reason for the task, needs, authority, and quality of information.

It is difficult for a manager to choose a leadership style that satisfies all members of the team subordinate to him. The work style develops subconsciously and gradually until a set of methods of communicating with subordinates and influencing them is determined, allowing one to find the most effective and correct solution. The development of a management style is always a complex and long-term process. The manager needs a lot of time to familiarize himself with the activities of the organization, and especially to assess the professional level of his subordinates. A manager needs to know how to approach each of his employees, how to properly direct incentives and punish if necessary.

The success of choosing a style is determined by the extent to which the manager takes into account the ability and readiness of subordinates to carry out his decisions, the traditions of the team, and also evaluates his own capabilities, such as level of education, work experience, and psychological qualities. But the choice of style also depends to a large extent on the training and behavior of subordinates.

The conducted research shows that a separate type of leadership style does not occur in its pure form. In reality, the behavior of each leader exhibits common features and different styles, with the predominant role of one of them. The possibility and feasibility of combining various components of leadership styles is determined by the presence in each style of certain features and role functions that change depending on the situation.

The formation of a leadership style is also affected by the level of management hierarchy, type of activity (linear, functional) and specific situations (a leader can be an autocrat in some situations and a democrat in others).

If we turn to the historical past, then during the period of the socialist economy, with insufficient training of personnel, the autocratic style became widespread, and this was justified. But in modern conditions, when subordinates are prone to independent actions, with the increased intelligence of workers, it is obvious that he has no future. Successes in a system led in a directive style over a long period of time have apparent rather than actual results. Usually, after some achievements, decline inevitably follows. And then it turns out that long-term goals were sacrificed for current ones, and the initiative of subordinates was suppressed.

The above data, as well as management practice in general, indicate an inevitable transition from an autocratic and liberal to a democratic style, the advantages of which are being discovered now that administrative methods of management are gradually being overcome.

Nowadays, a leader who sees his subordinates as nothing more than performers cannot count on success.

A leader who wants to be as effective as possible must learn to use all the styles, methods and types of influence that are most suitable for a particular situation, and not use one leadership style throughout his entire career.

Leadership is to some extent an art. Perhaps for this reason, researchers have not been able to develop and validate a theory of effective leadership style that could be used in a variety of situations and by a variety of leaders. But perhaps if this style had been developed, then the leadership itself would have lost all its attractiveness, riskiness, and would have turned into a set of standard actions and techniques. But all the leadership styles discussed will help the manager learn to choose a style that is appropriate to a specific situation. In some situations, managers can achieve effectiveness in their work by structuring tasks, planning and organizing tasks and roles, and being caring and supportive. In other situations, a manager may consider it more appropriate to influence subordinates rather than structure the conditions for their work. Over time, these same managers will change style due to changes in the nature of the task, challenges faced by subordinates, pressure from senior management, and many other factors specific to the organization. Therefore, effective leaders are those who can behave differently depending on the demands of reality.

Examples of leadership styles

.

Example 1

(Dale Carnegie “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” An example of
a liberal management style
.)

“...At the plant owned by Charles Schwab, there was one shop manager whose workers did not perform shift assignments.

“How can it be,” asked Schwab, “that such a capable person as you is not able to get the job done?”

“I don’t know,” the engineer answered, “I persuaded the workers, I urged them on, I swore, I tore and screamed, I threatened them with eternal damnation and dismissal. But all to no avail. They just don't want to work hard." The conversation took place at the end of the day, just before the night shift arrived.

“Give me a piece of chalk,” said Schwab. Then turning to the nearest worker he asked, he asked: “How many swimming trunks did your shift produce today?” "Six".

Without another word, Schwab drew a big six on the floor with chalk and left. When the night shift workers arrived, they saw the number “six” and asked what it meant.

“Today the owner himself came,” the day shift workers answered. “He asked how many swimming trunks we gave, we said six. He wrote it with chalk on the floor."

The next morning, Schwab went into the foundry again. The night shift erased the number "6" and replaced it with a big "7". The day shift workers arrived to see a large “7” drawn in chalk on the floor. “Oh, so the night shift considers itself better than the day shift?”

They got down to business energetically and in the evening, when leaving, they drew a huge number “10”.

...Soon this lagging workshop overtook all other workshops of the plant in production..."

Example 2

(Dale Carnegie “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” An example of a liberal management style.)

“….Adolph Seltz of Philadelphia, a student in one of my courses, was suddenly faced with the need to arouse enthusiasm among a demoralized and disorganized group of automobile salesmen. Having convened a meeting, he asked them to outline in as much detail as possible everything they expected from him. As they spoke, he wrote down their thoughts with chalk on the blackboard. Then he said, “I am fulfilling everything you expect of me. Now I would like you to tell me what I have the right to expect from you.” The answers came immediately: loyalty, honesty, initiative, optimism, team spirit, eight hours of work, full of enthusiasm. One agent volunteered to work fourteen hours a day. The mood after the meeting became cheerful, new ideas arose, and Seltz told me that sales had increased enormously...”

Example 3

(from life)

An example of an authoritarian style

I can quote from my own life, since I was seriously involved in skiing. I am absolutely sure that rigor is sometimes very useful, and even necessary. She tunes you to the right wave, to work. It is very important that the athlete immediately fulfills the coach’s requirements and trusts him infinitely, although of course, sometimes one’s own initiative must also be present.

Example 4

(from life)

Another striking example from my life is driving school. That’s where the authoritarian style of management is, and the memories still make my hair stand on end. A step to the right, a step to the left - “execution”! This is understandable because driving a car is a big responsibility. Not only the fate of the car depends on you, but your life and the lives of other people. Personally, I was lucky, but many of my friends were cursed at by instructors (although I think that this is not a solution). From personal experience I can say that if they praise, it’s after the lesson. And this, by the way, is a good incentive to continue learning.

Example 5.

(from life)

My mother worked in a construction company, which undertook to build the building of the Karagai Hotel in 4 months, but due to the fact that the head of the company gave freedom of action to the foremen, the construction dragged on for more than 7 months.

This example shows that the use of liberal style

management in a construction company will be ineffective. For this example, a pronounced authoritarian style with elements of a democratic style (discussion of any problem or task with subordinates) is suitable.

Example 6

. (CHIP Computer Magazine)

The well-known computer company IMB has developed a new system for transmitting data through torsion fields. This development was discovered by one group of programmers and some professionals in the field of physics. After this group informed their superiors about this breakthrough, bureaucratic problems began. Only 2 months later this information fell into the hands of the company’s directors, but it was already too late, since this development was shown by another campaign in the market for the latest technologies.

Using this example, we can look at the weaknesses of the democratic style

manuals. In this case, it is necessary to compile 3 leadership styles. Using a liberal, democratic, authoritarian style will create a flexible leadership system that will allow you to manage a company in a constantly changing world.

Example 7.

(Example from life)

In the city of Novouralsk there is an enterprise, JSC UEIP. It has a huge staff. The chief director is busy with current work and pays insufficient attention to communication with subordinates. More precisely, operational operations are carried out, but in a very narrow circle. It is almost impossible to convey any information “from the bottom to the top”. The director believes that he is a very competent specialist and feels very comfortable in the operational role.

Department employees, in turn, evaluate themselves as very capable professionals who strive to take part in the department’s activities and show initiative.

If we talk about this example, I would like to note that the head of the department uses an authoritarian leadership style; this style was described in the theoretical part of the work. This style has strengths and weaknesses, but in this case, sticking to one leadership style will not be profitable since human resources will not be fully used. The best way out of the situation would be a compilation of a democratic style and an authoritarian one. Combining these leadership styles will lead to improved connections between boss and subordinates.

Example 8

. (Example from life)

in the city of Novouralsk has several artists on staff who must work together. The head of the company uses a liberal leadership style. All employees of this company are satisfied with the management style, but, unfortunately, customers suffer from this. Because it takes too much time to make joint decisions.

In this situation, we can say that the solution to this problem lies in changing the leadership style, or more precisely, in combining leadership styles. We can say that better control on the part of the head of the company is simply needed; this can be achieved by including elements of an authoritarian style in the current leadership style. At the same time, control over employees will improve and, therefore, order fulfillment will be faster.

Example 9

.

During the selective campaign, one of the political parties began to use an authoritarian management style, while all the management threads were held by the PR manager. Due to a shortage of personnel in the form of marketing managers, the PR manager had to shoulder some of the responsibilities, as a result of which there was a lack of time and control over the election campaign deteriorated.

Classifications of leadership styles, personality characteristics, examples

Leadership styles in psychology are effective examples of how to form relationships with subordinates in order to get the maximum desired results. Depending on the goals and objectives pursued, there are 3 main types of behavior - authoritarian, democratic and liberal leadership.

Authoritarian leadership style

The authoritarian or directive leadership style provides maximum control over the performance of tasks by subordinates.

It is typical for small organizations, where the process depends entirely on the opinion of the manager, and subordinates are deprived of any opportunity to show initiative or a creative approach to work. Abuse of this approach threatens the loss of respect and trust from the team.

Democratic leadership style

The democratic leadership style is characterized by the division of powers between the leader and the team. The main principle of work is based on partnership and mutual benefit from the results of work. This leadership style is characterized by autonomy, where the opinions of all group members are taken into account.

This management process is suitable for leaders who have earned the trust of the team, and who have well-developed skills to conduct dialogue and motivate others, and take initiative.

Liberal leadership style

The liberal leadership style is the weakest. In this case, management takes a back seat, allowing employees to make their own decisions within the project.

Typically, this leadership style is suitable for a highly qualified team, where good discipline and motivation are unquestionable. This approach, better than any other, allows you to develop the creativity of employees, which can lead to good final work results.

Typology of leadership styles

The world situation is constantly changing, which requires changing types of leadership and management. Therefore, today there are a large number of them. But the main types of leadership are classified according to style, nature and content of activity.

According to K. Levin (or according to style)

One of the most popular concepts remains the typology of individual leadership styles, developed back in the 30s of the 20th century by the German psychologist Kurt Lewin. Each type of leadership has its own formal and substantive characteristics. Formal ones define management techniques and methods. Content characterizes decisions that are proposed by the leader and accepted by the group.

Directive

Another name is authoritarian leadership style. Based on the principles of delivering clear, precise, short commands, briefly and to the point. He does not waste time on long discussions, but acts quickly and effectively. May voice threats or prohibitions if a team member does something not according to plan.

He has a very unfriendly tone. Rarely gives praise, ignores emotions and requests. Sets clear evaluation criteria. This makes it easier to work with the team, because colleagues know exactly what is required of them and what the punishment will be for non-compliance with the rules.

The authoritarian type of leadership is characterized by detailed planning of the volume of work of the group for a short period of time. Further prospects are considered based on the results of production activities.

A directive leadership style is effective in the following cases: A

• in crisis situations,
• when specific tasks are set from top management,
• when any initiative is punishable (you just need to adhere to the guidelines of senior managers),
• in dealing with incompetent, slow employees.

An authoritarian leadership style is ineffective in cases where extraordinary decisions need to be made. In this case, the rule applies: the more complex the task, the lower the effectiveness of this management style.

It is also ineffective in the long term. Not suitable for a creative team where the originality of ideas and the uniqueness of each employee are valued.

Leadership styles: authoritarian, democratic and liberal

Democratic

One of the best leadership styles. A democratic leadership style involves tactful behavior and objectivity towards employees and colleagues. For such a leader, the human factor is important; he often makes concessions.

The democratic type of leadership has its own characteristics:

1. Constant exchange of information. For this leader, it is important that employees are kept up to date with all developments. But he shares that part of the information that he considers important. Likes to hold meetings where he brainstorms. It is important to him that employees are not afraid and know how to exchange information.
2. Meeting on democratic principles. During the conversation, anyone can speak, and the leader will voice his opinion only at the end. A leader knows how to get a silent employee to talk or calm down an overly active subordinate. He is patient, tolerant and respects the ideas of others, even if they completely contradict his judgment. Knows how to listen. If he begins to criticize someone, he does it carefully and constructively.
3. Involves employees in decision making. With a democratic management style, the manager considers himself part of the team, and not a separate element. He often arranges something like a referendum, where every employee can influence his decision.
4. He really appreciates other people's work. He always rewards his subordinates for excellent work. This manifests itself in material or moral stimulation.

In psychology, this type of management is considered the best, because employees are rarely under stress. They are less susceptible to irritability, depression, and anxiety.

The democratic leadership model is especially effective in teams where employees are highly specialized and are true professionals in their field. It often happens that when a manager does not know what type of management to use, he prefers democratic management.

This leadership style should not be introduced in teams where employees are not interested in the development of the company. They are incompetent, have poor knowledge of the state of affairs at the enterprise, or need constant motivation. Another circumstance when the democratic method of leadership will be ineffective is a crisis situation when there is no time for lengthy discussions.

Permissive or passive

This leadership model is characterized by a lack of praise from subordinates. A purely business relationship is formed between the manager and employees. In some situations, delegation of basic powers between employees of different departments or positions is actively used.

Other concepts on which the passive management style is based:

• there is a leader, but he is not visible (the leader is on his own, the employees are on their own),
• lack of interest in each other's successes,
• employees discuss and make decisions themselves,
• the psychological climate in the team is unfavorable, which negatively affects the performance of creative people,
• The team rarely deals with the issue of motivation.

This leadership style has no positive qualities. With it, the quality and volume of work will be low. There is no team cohesion. Employee initiative is not valued - no one takes it into account.

By nature of activity

According to this criterion, leadership styles are distinguished as universal and situational. Universal, also called standard, assumes that a person acts the same way in different situations. Situational – the manager’s actions directly depend on the specific situation.

Universal

His main goal is brilliant performance of work. Such managers themselves set an example of quality work for their subordinates.

They strive to get the job done, not always wanting to interact with colleagues. Friendships are made only with those with whom communication can bring some benefit.

Such managers want employees to work just as hard, but are very afraid to trust them with difficult tasks. They can finish some work for them. They do not interfere in the work of their subordinates until they themselves ask for it.

They create conditions in which employees can perform at their best. May require outstanding achievements. If a subordinate cannot cope with some task, then he is given another task.

By adhering to this type of leadership, managers always maintain a high level of professionalism. They demonstrate themselves as highly competent employees and motivate employees to become the same.

A universal, or reference, management style will be effective in the following situations:

• the main employees are highly qualified specialists,
• the situation is crisis, but not critical,
• you need to manage the work of one department,
• subordinates are purposeful, proactive,
• it is necessary to achieve rapid development of the organization,
• It is necessary to improve the professional level of especially promising employees.

It is better not to use it if the company is on the verge of bankruptcy or if there is a sharp decline in the success of its activities. It is better not to use this leadership style if the manager himself cannot cope with his responsibilities.

Versatile leaders are goal-oriented

Situational

In this case, the leader focuses on a specific situation. He learns the peculiarities of the organization of work of different groups of subordinates, and if the team is small (up to 15 people), then their character traits. Gives preference to working with subordinates who are at the same level of development.

Possible situations:

1. Low level of preparedness of workers. It is necessary to introduce strict rules and announce clear guidelines. Subordinates are specifically explained what is required of them and given advice on how to achieve this. Literally every step of employees is monitored, which allows you to quickly identify a possible problem. If a subordinate makes a deliberate mistake, he is punished. If he tried and successfully completed the task, he should be praised and rewarded.
2. The second, or average, level of employee development. It differs in that employees already have an incentive to work and a desire to develop, but they do not have sufficient experience to perform all tasks efficiently. In this case, a mentoring approach is used, when the manager helps employees and gives recommendations. Monitoring the execution of tasks is constant and very strict. In a team, psychological aspects gradually gain value. But even in this case, the leader does not forget to give clear instructions and demands precise execution of all tasks.
3. The third level of collective cohesion implies the presence of a friendly atmosphere in the team, excellent work organization, and professional experience. The manager and employees are one team, united by a common goal. Employees bear greater responsibility for their actions. Initiative is welcomed and encouraged.
4. The fourth level is characterized by a very cohesive team, where employees know how to distribute responsibilities, and the leader only manages the process. In this case, the authority of the boss can be delegated to the employees when the need arises.

According to M. Weber

M. Weber saw in the leader a tough, authoritarian person who likes to give orders. The basis of his typology is the concept of “authority”.

He identifies the following leadership styles: traditional, rational-legal, charismatic.

• Traditional style is based on adherence to traditions and habits. Weber believes that the relationship between leaders and followers is based on the latter's personal devotion to their leader, partly due to tradition, partly due to the arbitrariness of the leader, who is allowed freedom of action based on tradition.
• The rational-legal style is based on the rationality and legality of the procedure for electing a leader. The actions of a leader are always controlled by legislative acts and regulations. Creativity and individuality are not taken into account or applied in this type of management.
• Charismatic leadership is based on faith in the individual, his individuality. When electing a leader, his characteristics, professional skills, and unusual character traits are taken into account. Such a leader is very important in crisis situations. He is able to mobilize many people to achieve common goals. Such leaders were Lenin, Stalin, F. Castro.

Three types of leadership according to M. Weber)

Situational Leadership

Leadership styles in psychology describe the idea of ​​situational leadership as a method of leadership in which the management style is selected depending on the situation, task and abilities of the team.

Here you can choose one style from 4 possible ones, or combine them with each other:

• Directive leadership involves setting clear goals.
• Mentoring style - takes into account the competence of subordinates and their capabilities in completing tasks.
• A supportive style helps to develop the potential of employees, this is work for the future.
• The delegating style provides for subordinates to receive authority, rights and responsibility, and the manager does not interfere.

Each of these styles is compatible with each other, and also provides an optimal strategy for solving problems.

The concept of leadership and leader functions

Definition 1
Leadership is an interpersonal relationship built on the dominance and power of one person and the subordination of others to achieve common interests and goals.

Based on the definition, the main function of a leader is the formation of common motivations and objectives to achieve a result that will be desirable for everyone.

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The manager is obliged to control the psychological situation within the group. To do this, he needs to be able to:

• prevent and resolve conflicts,
• create a positive attitude,
• organize interaction between community members.

The leader usually makes the entire set of important and responsible decisions, and also represents the interests of his group. For example, the president speaks on behalf of the state, and the director speaks on behalf of the organization. The leader distributes powers within the community and controls the execution of all orders and tasks.

Informal leadership

The essence of informal leadership is that this status belongs to a person who does not hold an administrative position, but enjoys good authority among colleagues.

Emotional style

The emotional leadership style is characterized by a high level of empathy, as well as influencing the atmosphere within the team, the ability to reduce psychological stress, maintain motivation and inspire employees to achieve results.

Organizational style

The organizational leadership style provides for clear management of derivative processes. Typically, the ability to exhibit good organizational skills is the result of high professional competence and business acumen.

Despite a clear understanding of how to solve many problems, this type of leadership can often lack the ability to inspire employees and maintain a good atmosphere.

Revolutionary style

Revolutionary leadership style is not always constructive. It usually manifests itself in constant arguments and criticism of the actions of others. Despite the generation of new ideas and opportunities through debate, this type of leadership rarely contributes to the formation of a friendly environment and trust among employees.

Situational Marketing Concepts

Returning to the beginning of the article, it is worth asking the question: “Is an authoritarian style always bad?” A democratic manager is most often characterized positively by hired employees, but sometimes the reason is not that he allows initiative and delegates his powers to subordinates. Employees are often attracted by the free-spirited atmosphere, which allows them to work less.

The problems of an authoritarian leadership style are expressed by the need for total control, which places a heavy burden on the manager himself. He does not trust anyone and must constantly delve into all the intricacies of the matter himself: without this, he will not be able to give detailed instructions. Workers function like robots, afraid to deviate even one step from the indicated direction.

Elements of the image of a leader adhering to an authoritarian style include:

• command voice;
• strict appearance;
• a way of dressing that emphasizes status.

A democratic manager talks with his subordinates in a friendly manner, convincing them of the feasibility of good work rather than giving orders. But teams are also different. There are no universal methods for anything.

In connection with this circumstance, in the seventies, scientists Mitchell and Howes put forward the concept of situational marketing. Their research is based on “motivational expectancy theory.”

A comparative description of authoritarian and democratic leadership styles is possible only if other operating factors of production are conditionally equal.

Scientists Mitchell and Howes identified four management models:

It is obvious that a leader with a democratic leadership style is successful in managing a team, the core of which is made up of employees who are prone to self-government and the manifestation of useful initiative.

An example of a creative personnel approach is the organization of a circular conveyor at Swedish car factories. In the 60s of the 20th century, there was an oversupply of engineers in this country. There was not enough work for everyone, and therefore specialists with higher education were offered employment in car assembly. At the same time, each of them received all the information about the technology and the opportunity to make proposals for improving processes. The result was a rapid increase in product quality.

Diversity of Leadership

Modern leadership is inherently a multifaceted phenomenon: it is impossible to be a highly focused specialist in one area and, without good social, analytical and critical skills, achieve success and recognition among others.

Therefore, a true leader must develop skills that will help him in organizing a team, in gaining authority and in the ability to achieve his plans. Key leadership skills include being reflective, diagnosing problems, being flexible in decision making, partnering, directing others, and inspiring.

Authoritarian style, or “As I said, so it will be”

Gennady Pavlovich P. has been leading the team for many years. Just as he became a manager back in Soviet times, he still manages. It is clear that after so many years his style has already been formed and is not subject to change. But it should be: Gennady Pavlovich is one of those bosses who firmly believes in the instructions from the joke: “Point 1. The boss is always right. Point 2. If the boss is wrong, see point 1.” Yes, yes, there are still such things. It is not surprising that there is a turnover in his team : young people come, brought up in a new society, who are not afraid to offer their ideas and are very surprised when they come across the boss’s principles. They are surprised and leave - to more loyal managers. Only the main core remains in the team - people who have been working for decades and have long been accustomed to Gennady Pavlovich’s quirks. And everything would be fine, only this backbone is almost entirely pensioners. Modern methods of promotion are alien to them - the company has no development, everything is going on the old fashioned way. The company is not doing well.

Do you know such Gennadiev Pavlovichs? They are also found among the younger generation of entrepreneurs. As a rule, they are very authoritarian, harsh in their judgments, and recognize only their own opinions . They do not allow the slightest deviation from instructions, regulations, charters and the established order of the company. They carefully observe subordination - they do not take liberties with the common people, this is not a lordly matter. Here's the paradox: they don't trust their own employees, but at the same time they want work tasks to be completed flawlessly.

Disadvantages of an authoritarian style

1. You can throw out the baby with the bathwater: those who are accustomed to not listening to the opinions of online store employees risk not hearing valuable ideas that will bring profit to the company . Anyone who does not allow informal relationships with subordinates may not notice the love of his life or someone who could become his best friend. Human relationships sometimes go beyond the chain of command.
2. Stubbornness is not yet persistence. Fanatical adherence to instructions, a step to the left - a step to the right equals execution - a disastrous position for the company . Read the biographies of great entrepreneurs: they all admit that you need to deviate from the rules, think more broadly, and allow creativity.
3. Not everyone agrees to work with a dictator - in companies where an authoritarian management style reigns, the percentage of dismissals is higher. And, as a rule, the most talented ones leave. The ones who survive in such a team are opportunists or conservatives who don’t care.
4. Employees in such companies do not develop, do not offer ideas, and do not learn new things. Maybe they would be happy - but why, because it will still be as the local god ordered. And since initiative is punishable, why show it at all?

Pros of an authoritarian style

1. Iron discipline. You can't indulge a dictator: either you fulfill all his demands, or the door to the street is open. As a rule, in such a team fines for the slightest violation bloom in full bloom. Total submission makes employees obedient and agreeable to any demand from management.
2. Clarity and transparency of all business processes. The dictator boss knows exactly how and what is happening in the company at every stage, what tasks are being solved and who is performing them.
3. In a crisis or stressful situation, employees will not be confused, but will strictly follow the orders of their superiors - they are no strangers to this. With a democratic or liberal leadership style, this is more difficult to achieve: in the event of force majeure, both management and employees can be stormy like a ship in bad weather. And this is fraught with hasty and erroneous decisions.

Psychology of Political Leadership

The psychology of political leadership, which studies the main factors in the success of ideologies and parties, links the origin of all types of leader behavior with the desire for power.

Different typologies of political-psychological processes focus primarily on the internal qualities of a leader, highlighting several styles of behavior:

• “Agitator” - seeks to achieve support through propaganda, verbally influencing the public.
• “Administrator” solves the problems of the organization; he tends to convince with actions, not words.
• “Theorist” - his actions are aimed at a narrow target audience, which is usually engaged in solving ideological problems.

Leadership styles primarily describe the individual traits of a political leader, but psychology also includes theories of different ways to persuade followers.

The most popular types of political influence are the coercive type, which is characterized by authoritarianism, the dramatizing type, which achieves the goal primarily through manipulation, and the impartial one, the most rational approach, more capable of rational presentation of facts than any other.

Ask the manager to take the ideas of his subordinates seriously and implement the best

A new manager appeared in the restaurant chain, who began to introduce a democratic management style. The employees began to communicate with him freely. One day a young chef said that he had been studying French cuisine for several years and suggested adding several French dishes to the menu. The manager supported the idea, and soon there were more visitors - many came to enjoy French cuisine. A year later, the chef was sent to France for an internship, and when he returned, the restaurant changed its concept and received a higher status in the restaurant rating.

When employees see that their ideas are supported and ready to be implemented, they become more actively involved in their work, take responsibility for complex projects and give their best for a worthy result.

Democratic management style

Democratic management style is a set of management techniques, the behavior of a leader, based on a combination of the principle of unity of command with active involvement in the processes of decision-making, management, organization and control of subordinates. A democratic leader prefers to influence people through convictions, reasonable faith in the performance and skill of his subordinates.

The democratic style is the most suitable for the formation of team relationships, since it creates goodwill and openness in the relationship both between the leader and the subordinate, and between the subordinates themselves. This style combines methods of persuasion and coercion to the maximum extent, helps each employee clearly formulate his personal goals, and establish effective communication between the manager and subordinate. The negative consequences of using a democratic style include additional time spent discussing the problem, which in extreme conditions can sharply reduce the efficiency of management.

Democratic management style is the adoption of fundamental management decisions, laws, policy documents, taking into account public opinion, with the consent of the majority of persons who are subject to the adopted rules and regulations. The opposite of an autocratic management style.

The democratic style is characterized by granting subordinates independence within the limits of the functions they perform and their qualifications. This is a collegial style that gives greater freedom to subordinates under the control of the leader.

A democratic leader prefers such mechanisms of influence that appeal to higher-level needs: participation, belonging, self-expression. He prefers to work in a team rather than pull the strings of power.

A Democrat's view of his staff boils down to this:

1) labor is a natural process. If conditions are favorable, then people will not only accept responsibility, they will strive for it; 2) if people are involved in organizational decisions, they will use self-control and self-government; 3) involvement is a function of the reward associated with achieving the goal; 4) the ability to creatively solve problems is common, and the intellectual potential of the average person is only partially used.

A true democrat avoids imposing his will on his subordinates. He shares power with them and controls the results of their activities.

Enterprises where the democratic style dominates are characterized by high decentralization of powers. Subordinates take an active part in preparing decisions and enjoy freedom in carrying out tasks. The necessary prerequisites for performing the work have been created, a fair assessment of their efforts is carried out, and a respectful attitude towards subordinates and their needs is observed.

The leader puts a lot of effort into creating an atmosphere of openness and trust so that if subordinates need help, they can not hesitate to contact the leader.

In his activities, a democratic leader relies on the entire team. He tries to teach his subordinates to delve into the problems of the unit, give them effective information and show them how to look for and evaluate alternative solutions.

Personally, the manager deals only with the most complex and important issues, leaving his subordinates to decide everything else.

He is not subject to stereotypes and varies his behavior in accordance with changes in the situation, the structure of the team, etc.

Instructions are issued not in the form of instructions, but in the form of proposals, taking into account the opinions of subordinates. This is not due to a lack of personal opinion or a desire to share responsibility, but to the belief that in a skillfully organized process of discussion, better solutions can always be found.

Such a leader is well versed in the strengths and weaknesses of his subordinates. Focuses on the capabilities of the subordinate, on his natural desire for self-expression through his intellectual and professional potential. He achieves the desired results by convincing performers of the appropriateness and significance of the duties assigned to him.

The democratic leader constantly and thoroughly informs his subordinates about the state of affairs and prospects for the development of the team. This makes it easier to mobilize subordinates to implement assigned tasks and to instill in them a sense of true masters.

Being well informed about the true state of affairs in the unit he leads and about the moods of his subordinates, he is always tactful in his relationships and is sympathetic to their interests and requests. He perceives conflicts as a natural phenomenon and tries to benefit from them for the future, delving into their root cause and essence. With such a system of communication, the activities of the leader are combined with his work in educating his subordinates, and a sense of trust and respect between them is strengthened.

The democratic style encourages the creative activity of subordinates (largely through delegation of authority) and helps create an atmosphere of mutual trust and cooperation.

People are fully aware of their importance and responsibility in solving the problems facing the team. Discipline transforms into self-discipline.

The democratic style does not at all complicate unity of command and does not weaken the power of the leader. Rather, on the contrary, his authority and real power increase, since he controls people without harsh pressure, relying on their abilities and taking into account their dignity.

A democratic management style is characterized by a high degree of decentralization of powers, the active participation of employees in decision-making, and the creation of conditions under which the performance of official duties is attractive, and the achievement of success serves as a reward for them.

There are two types of democratic style: consultative and participatory.

In a consultative environment, the manager largely trusts his subordinates, consults with them, and strives to use the best that they offer. Among incentive measures, encouragement predominates, and punishment is used only in exceptional cases. Employees are generally satisfied with this management system, despite the fact that most decisions are actually prompted to them from above, and usually try to provide their boss with all possible assistance and moral support when necessary.

The participatory type of democratic management style assumes that managers fully trust subordinates in all matters, always listen to them and use all constructive suggestions, organize a wide exchange of comprehensive information, involve subordinates in setting goals and monitoring their achievement. At the same time, responsibility for the consequences of decisions made is not shifted to subordinates.

Typically, a democratic management style is used when the performers understand the intricacies of the work well, sometimes even better than the manager, and can bring novelty and creativity to it. A democratic leader, if necessary, can compromise or abandon the decision altogether if the subordinate’s logic is convincing. Where an autocrat would act with orders and pressure, a democrat tries to convince and prove the feasibility of solving the problem and the benefits that employees can receive. In this case, the internal satisfaction received by the subordinate from the opportunity to realize his creative abilities acquires paramount importance. Subordinates can independently make decisions and look for ways to implement them within the framework of the powers granted. When exercising control, the manager values ​​the final result without paying much attention to the details. The conditions and forms of using the democratic management style are given in Table. 1.

Table 1. Conditions and forms of using the democratic style

If you want to form a reliable and cohesive team, the democratic style is the best choice. He will help instill openness, honesty and a sense of teamwork in his subordinates. The boss must competently combine methods of coercion and persuasion that will help each employee formulate their own goals.

However, this style also has disadvantages:

• Large amounts of time spent on discussion and making a decision; • Reduced level of management efficiency in emergency situations; • Dissoluteness of the team due to the wrong approach.

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