Leadership Styles

Question 1

What are the 7 factors that affect leadership style?

Answer 1

1) risk
2) skills/experience of the workforce
3) personality
4) rate of change
5) nature of the task
6) skills/confidence of manager/leader
7) time constraint

Question 2

What are the 5 styles of leadership?

Answer 2

1) autocratic
2) paternalistic
3) democratic
4) participative
5) laissez-faire

Question 3

Define an autocratic leadership style.

Answer 3

• one leader typically has complete control over a work area or project

Question 4

What are the advantages of an autocratic leadership style?

Answer 4

• quick decisions
• close oversight on employees
• total control

Question 5

What are the disadvantages of an autocratic leadership style?

Answer 5

• employees can become leader dependent
• staff don;t have information, support and confidence to act on their own initiative = business becomes less responsive and slows down decision-making process
• high staff turnover
• leaders overworked
• staff avoid putting themselves on the line to avoid disciplinary actions

Question 6

Define a paternalistic leadership style.

Answer 6

• broadly autocratic but they take into account the interests of the workforce when making decisions

Question 7

What are the advantages of a paternalistic leadership style?

Answer 7

• overall staff turnover and absenteeism rates should decrease = low recruitment costs & improved competitiveness
• decisions taking employees’ best interests into account
• employees given some freedom of speech

Question 8

What are the disadvantages of a paternalistic leadership style?

Answer 8

• dissatisfaction in employees if bad decisions are made

- creative and imaginative skills aren’t encouraged to be used = less efficient use of human resources

Question 9

Define a democratic leadership style.

Answer 9

• allow subordinates some role in decision-making

Question 10

What are the advantages of a democratic leadership style?

Answer 10

• managerial skills in junior employees improved
• creativity of the management team enhanced by expressing views
• good communication
• increased motivation

Question 11

What are the disadvantages of a democratic leadership style?

Answer 11

• slower decision-making

- can allow some managers to absolve themselves of some of the responsibility for taking decisions

Question 12

Define a participative leadership style.

Answer 12

• business leaders fully involve one or more employees in determining what to do and how to do it

Question 13

What are the advantages of a participative leadership style?

Answer 13

• allows managers to utilise the talents and creativity of subordinates
• confidence and skills of junior employees increased
• good communication
• increased motivation

Question 14

What are the disadvantages of a participative leadership style?

Answer 14

• slower decision-making

- less consistency

Question 15

Define a laissez-faire leadership.

Answer 15

• managers have a relatively small say in the management of the business

Question 16

What are advantages of a laissez-faire leadership style?

Answer 16

• allows managers to utilise the talents and creativity of subordinates
• employees are given freedom
• employees tend to be more satisfied with their work

Question 17

What are the disadvantages of a laissez-faire leadership style?

Answer 17

• lack of coordination and direction

- the planning process can be neglected