Summary

According to Daniel Goleman, there are six leadership styles, and leaders need to adjust their leadership style to fit the different circumstances that they encounter. The authoritative leadership style is best used when an organization is being pulled in different directions or lacks a clear direction. Because authoritative leaders are visionaries, they are able to motivate people by helping them see how their work fits into a larger vision for the organization. Interestingly, authoritative leaders often use a democratic leadership style to legitmate their authority.

The Background

Let's see how the democratic leadership style might work in practice. Within six months of becoming the executive director at Education Unlimited (a nonprofit that provides mentoring opportunities to low-income children), David Owings found himself guiding the organization through a strategic planning process. As the strategic planning retreat for board and staff approached, David began to hear rumblings of discontent amongst staff who felt that they were already overworked and that the process would only create additional work for them.

The Solution

David decided to call a meeting for staff members to voice their concerns about the strategic planning process. The meeting was emotionally charged, but David later learned that it had played a crucial role in bringing staff on board with the process.

Lessons Learned

As the example shows, the democratic leader is a collaborator who believes that the best decisions are those that embody people's ideas and buy-in. By letting employees have a say in decisions that affect their daily lives, democratic leaders are able to build trust, respect and commitment to the organization and its goals. However, caution must be exercised not to overuse the democratic leadership style. When taken to extremes, it can lead to endless meetings where ideas are mulled over, and consensus is never achieved. On the other hand, the democratic style is preferred when the time comes to generate fresh ideas rather than consensus. It is most effective when used in conjunction with other leadership styles.