Levin’s Leadership Styles
Psychologist Kurt Lewin identified following three styles of leadership.
Authoritarian (Autocratic)
- Task-oriented
- Leader does not involve team while making decisions or does not explain rationale
- Leader provides all the instructions about what needs to be done, how it needs to be done
- Micro-management, leader uses authority
- Does not nurture creativity, innovation
- Demoralizing and demotivating for the team
- Applicable in crisis management where quick decisions are needed
- Applicable in case of team with low skill levels
Participative (Democratic)
- Team is involved in decision making, leader takes the final decision
- Nurtures creativity, innovation among the team
- High job satisfaction and productivity
Laissez‐faire (Delegative)
- Hands-off leadership
- Team is left to make all the decisions with very little engagement from leader
- Effective when team is high skilled, independent and highly motivated
- Damaging in case team is not able to take responsibilities, plan work, distribute tasks