Leadership Styles for Effective Leaders

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There are four primary leadership style’s exist.

They are:

  1. Directing style of leadership,
  2. Consulative style of leadership,
  3. Participative style of leadership, and
  4. Delegating style of leadership.

Table 1.1 explains these leadership styles.

Table 1.1. Leadership styles

1.Directing style of leadership

The directing style of leadership is an autocratic style.

It is normally used when the leader must make a unilateral decision that must be followed without comment or question from the workers.

The need to use the directing style of leadership may arise because the leader has more knowledge of the situation or because the decision affects the common good of the organisation.

In this leadership style, those who work for them have little input or feedback.

2. Consulative style of leadership 

The consulative style of leadership is used when a leader is seeking input from those working under him.

This style of leadership encourages participation.

When using this style of leadership, the leader seeks the advice, suggestions, and input of those around him but the leader still remains the final decision maker.

3. Participative style of leadership

In participative style of leadership, a leader assigns work to the employees, provides guidance during the work process, and makes a decision based on the conclusions of the employees working on the task.

Unlike the consulative style of leadership, in this situation the leader is more likely to take the word or work of the employee(s) as the final decision in the matter.

4. Delegating style of leadership

In delegating style of leadership, the leader essentially tells the employee or team what needs to be done, assigns the responsibility, and provides the individual or team with the authority to get the job done.

The individual or team, having been given both the responsibility, and the authority, completes the work with minimal input from the leader.

In this style of leadership, the leader checks to verify the successful completion of the assignment and participates only if necessary.

Effective leaders should realize that different situations call for different leadership styles. Thus a leader must be skilled at recognizing the need for and then putting to use the appropriate style.

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