Leadership is a special case of management, a set of processes of relationships between superiors and subordinates, a teacher and a student. The main task is to encourage employees (children) to take active actions, influencing the collective and individual consciousness. The effectiveness of this process usually depends on leadership style. It should also be borne in mind that each person has a natural inclination or developed communication skills with people. This criterion significantly affects the formation of management style. Let us dwell on this issue in more detail.
Leadership style concept
Management style - especially the behavior and communication of the manager in relation to subordinates. The manager, using it correctly, will be able to influence the employees and make them do what is needed at the moment. In modern science, several concepts have emerged that consider the basics of the formation and application of managerial styles. Their functioning is influenced by specific conditions and circumstances, which we will consider further. Traditionally, authoritarian, democratic and liberal leadership styles are distinguished.
However, as practice shows, they rarely function in their pure form, since a large number of factors (both external and internal) influence human behavior.
Features of manifestations and forms of mixing leadership styles
Firstly, the leader works with subordinates of various educational and cultural levels, worldviews, personal and emotional habits. We note one of the most famous patterns. The lower qualification and level of culture can be noted in the employee, the easier he will perceive the authoritarian leadership style. On the contrary, a subordinate democratic by nature, emotional and open in behavior, will not work with the leader who prefers a rigid management style and unquestioning submission.
Secondly, the specific prevailing conditions, the degree of maturity of the team and its cohesion influence the management style . So, in a critical situation, often a democratic manager will have to apply tough ways to manage employees. At the same time, in a calm environment, he can release everything on the brakes, using the liberal style of leadership.
Thirdly, the presence of practical experience and the cultural level of the manager are often determining when choosing the main areas of management. An authoritarian leader can often behave in a friendly and open manner. On the contrary, democratic due to lack of education or inability to behave correctly in the team is able to disrespect subordinates. Very often, indecisive managers demonstrate in their behavior passivity and examples of a liberal leadership style. By acting in this way, they relieve themselves of responsibility for the result of the company.
Authoritarian (directive) leadership style in the organization
Characteristic for it are the following:
- high centralization of leadership;
- unity of command in making decisions, choosing goals and means of achieving them;
- the head is responsible for the result of the company’s activities, does not trust subordinates and does not ask for their opinions or advice;
- the main form of employee incentives is guidance and punishment;
- tight control over the activities of each subordinate;
- inability and unwillingness to take into account the interests of employees;
- in the process of communication, sharpness, unfriendly tone, tactlessness and often rudeness are predominant.
The unique advantages of using a directive management style are: maximum concentration of all types of resources, the presence of order and the ability to predict the final result even in a difficult situation. However, the containment of individual initiative and the one-way movement of orders flows from top to bottom lead to the fact that there is no feedback from subordinates. Often this leads to the formation of passive and uninterested employee behavior.
Democratic (collegial) leadership style in the organization
Characteristic for it are the following:
- the desire of the manager to develop decisions agreed with employees and deputies;
- distribution of responsibility and authority between subordinates;
- stimulation of employee initiative;
- regular and timely informing the team on all important issues;
- friendly and polite communication;
- the presence of a favorable psychological climate in the team;
- The reward for employees is the achievement of a positive result by the company.
The leader always listens and uses any constructive proposal, organizing a wide exchange of information, attracting subordinates to all matters of the organization. However, the responsibility for the decisions made will not be passed on to employees. The situation, which is created by the leader-democrat, contributes to the fact that the authority of the manager is supported by his personal authority.
Liberal leadership style: pros and cons
This species is distinguished by a variety of forms, the choice of which depends on many factors. To start, let's dwell on its features. The liberal leadership style is characterized by the following features.
Firstly, it is the presence of a minimum participation of the manager in the process of managing the team. Subordinates have freedom, they are left to their own devices. Employees are rarely monitored. This characteristic of the liberal management style, such as detachment from company problems, often leads to the loss of managerial functions and his ignorance of the real situation.
Secondly, questions and problems are decided only by the collective, and his opinion is accepted as an unwritten law. In a liberal style of leadership, the leader usually follows him, as do other employees.
Thirdly, communication is carried out with subordinates only in confidence, the manager uses persuasion, persuasion and tries to establish personal contact.
Liberal leadership style It is not chosen randomly. Usually it becomes optimal in certain situations and with some features of the team. Highlight some mixed forms.
Liberal Democratic Governance in the Organization
The liberal-democratic leadership style implies that the manager fully trusts his subordinates. Moreover, it only at first glance seems that such a state of affairs can lead to a lack of company management.
Such a mixed liberal leadership style is characterized by the fact that performers are most likely better than the boss to understand all the intricacies of professional activity. Usually it is popular in creative groups in which employees need independence and self-expression.
The authoritarian-liberal style of leadership in the organization
It is characterized by a certain ambiguity in making managerial decisions. On the one hand, the manager provides his employees with maximum freedom in solving production issues. But at the same time, it requires positive results, without delving into problems and without taking responsibility.
Such a liberal-conniving style of leadership often leads to self-will and anarchist behavior of his deputies in relation to employees.
Democratic management style in pedagogical activity
A teacher who demonstrates it in communication with students is focused on the development of students. He attracts each student to a common task. This style is one of the most effective ways of organizing interactions between schoolchildren and a teacher. The teacher relies on the initiative of the class.
Authoritarian management style in pedagogical activity
The teacher usually makes decisions and eliminates the problems of the life of the classroom team. The teacher considers it necessary to determine any specific goals, based on this from his ideas. He very tightly controls the process of accomplishing any task and subjectively assesses the results achieved alone. This style is the implementation of guardianship and dictate tactics. In the event that students take the position of opposition, the teacher begins a confrontation.
Liberal management style in pedagogical activity
It is often called condescending and anarchic. The liberal style of teaching leadership is characterized by the fact that the teacher rarely takes responsibility. He usually fulfills his duties formally, eliminates the process of managing a classroom team, avoids mentoring and upbringing, limiting himself to performing exclusively teaching functions.
The liberal leadership style implements the tactic of non-intervention, demonstrates indifference and disinterest in the problems of the school team. Naturally, this approach cannot be without consequences. The liberal leadership style is characterized by the fact that the respect of students and control over them are lost, discipline is worsened. Such a teacher is not able to positively influence the personal development of students.
Afterword
Each person, depending on his views, character, and individual psychological characteristics, develops his own management style. The choice of an effective direction is determined by a variety of factors:
- an authoritarian style is recommended to be used when a crisis of the leader is identified in the organization and the situation gets out of control;
- democratic - it is optimal when the working group is quite mature, works at an established pace, there is discipline and order;
- a liberal leadership style is necessary if the working group is able to act effectively independently.