When people on your team are looking to you for direction and motivation, your leadership style matters. Your individual style encompasses how you make decisions and how you direct others. Early research on leadership identified three main styles, along with their implications for team performance. These leadership styles are outlined below.
Today, leadership theory suggests that there is no best or worst style, but that each style can be appropriate for specific situations. Situational leadership requires an ability to adapt your approach to fit the circumstances at hand. This article can help you to identify your natural leadership style, and begin to adjust your style as needed.
The Authoritarian Leader
If you tend to provide direct and detailed instructions for how a task should be done, then you might have an authoritarian leadership style. Authoritarians exert power and control when it comes to making decisions and managing people. They tend to make decisions on their own, without seeking input from others. This leadership style is characterized by a “command and control” approach that creates a clear distinction between leader and follower.
Authoritarian leadership is advantageous in situations that require quick and decisive action. This style is also good for guiding new or inexperienced workers. Authoritarians provide clear expectations, so workers know exactly what to do. However, this style discourages creativity and independent problem solving. In the long run, authoritarian leadership can harm morale and productivity if team members feel that their ideas are not valued, or that they have no say in decisions that directly affect them.
If you lean toward an authoritarian leadership style, you may be shouldering more than your share of stress and responsibility in your operation. Find ways to support and reward autonomy, and encourage problem solving in your workers, especially those who are skilled and experienced. Look for opportunities involve your team members in decisions that are related to their work. Supporting your staff to make good decisions and solve problems independently can improve morale and productivity. In the long run, this may take some of the management load off your plate.
The Democratic Leader
Do you offer guidance to your team, but also encourage input and ideas from team members? If so, you may have a democratic leadership style. This style is characterized by engaging team members to participate in decision making. A democratic leader creates opportunities for followers to provide input, but the leader still has the final say. This approach is highly effective at fostering collaboration, creativity, and a shared commitment to team goals.
A democratic leadership style is especially useful when team members bring expertise from different areas, as often happens on a dairy. It may take longer to reach a decision when more people are involved. Yet, in the long run, engaging worker participation can improve team morale and performance. The key to adopting a democratic leadership style involves listening to team members and encouraging their input. It may take time for workers to feel comfortable sharing ideas, so the leader must be consistent in this effort. However, the democratic leader still has the final say.
The Laissez-Faire Leader
If you prefer a hands-off approach that allows team members to work independently and make their own decisions, you may be a laissez-faire leader. This leadership style is characterized by delegating authority to followers, who have freedom to make decisions and solve problems on their own. Laissez-faire leaders provide very little guidance, yet they still take responsibility for the actions and accomplishments of their team.
Laissez-faire leadership can produce excellent results when team members are highly skilled, motivated, and capable. However, research suggests that this style more often results in low productivity. Lack of clear expectations can cause workers to become confused and uncertain about their role on the team, leading to poor performance and low job satisfaction. A hands-off leadership style may work well when leading a team of experts, but most teams perform better with a higher level of direction and supervision. This applies to agriculture as well as other industries.