Leadership style is the manner and approach of providing direction, implementing plans, and motivating people. Leadership style is very individual and how you incorporate those characteristics into your own individual Leadership style is entirely up to you. There is just no way that Leadership can be reduced to a "cookie cutter", simplistic, "do it this way" type of approach.
There are a number of different Leadership styles. Head on over to Don Clark's "The Art & Science Of Leadership" for a more comprehensive discussion on Leadership. For our Command purposes we will look at the following three:
Authoritarian or Autocratic
This is a direct and dominant style of Leadership characterised by strong and individualistic people. This type of Leader does not involve subordinates, likes to maintain as much control as possible, make decisions independently and is very task orientated. Exercises authority rather than Leadership. Most followers resent this type of Leadership in normal circumstances. The focus is firmly on the Leader.
Participative or Democratic
This is a shared Leadership style with the Leader including and involving their followers to make the most of the team’s strengths and minimise their weaknesses. However the Leader maintains the final decision making authority. The focus is on the team.
Delegative or Free Reign
In this style the Leader allows his followers to get on with their tasks relatively unsupervised and make their own decisions. This may be because the followers have the required skills or information or because the Leader delegates to competent and suitably skilled followers (good) or because the Leader abrogates his responsibility due to laziness or incompetence or defers to others (bad). The focus is on the followers.
There is no right or wrong way. But more importantly, YOU will have to "discover" what works for you and how you will adopt and adapt these Leadership characteristics and traits into YOUR way of doing things as the Captain (see Situational Leadership).
It's all about learning and educating yourself about Leadership.
There are a number of different Leadership styles. Head on over to Don Clark's "The Art & Science Of Leadership" for a more comprehensive discussion on Leadership. For our Command purposes we will look at the following three:
Authoritarian or Autocratic
This is a direct and dominant style of Leadership characterised by strong and individualistic people. This type of Leader does not involve subordinates, likes to maintain as much control as possible, make decisions independently and is very task orientated. Exercises authority rather than Leadership. Most followers resent this type of Leadership in normal circumstances. The focus is firmly on the Leader.
Participative or Democratic
This is a shared Leadership style with the Leader including and involving their followers to make the most of the team’s strengths and minimise their weaknesses. However the Leader maintains the final decision making authority. The focus is on the team.
Delegative or Free Reign
In this style the Leader allows his followers to get on with their tasks relatively unsupervised and make their own decisions. This may be because the followers have the required skills or information or because the Leader delegates to competent and suitably skilled followers (good) or because the Leader abrogates his responsibility due to laziness or incompetence or defers to others (bad). The focus is on the followers.
There is no right or wrong way. But more importantly, YOU will have to "discover" what works for you and how you will adopt and adapt these Leadership characteristics and traits into YOUR way of doing things as the Captain (see Situational Leadership).
It's all about learning and educating yourself about Leadership.
0 comments:
Post a Comment