Leadership Styles Advantages and Disadvantages

Autocratic Leader

With this leadership style the leader makes all decisions and is very bossy and strict. Subordinates must be submissive in following orders. In addition workers are closely supervised.

Advantage

Time is saved in decision making because only one person makes the decisions and that is the leader.

Disadvantage

There are no workers initiatives and original ideas because one person does the entire decision making and the other workers must just conform to directives.

Democratic

A democratic leader permits the involvement of subordinates in the decision making process. The leader expects growth rate reports on a timely basis with less close supervision.

Advantage

There is a better relationship between management and workers since workers are given some form of opportunity in decision making.

Disadvantage

The decision making process is slowed down because you may have a number of ideas to consider.

Laissez-Faire

In looking at this type of leadership style the leaders will give least amount of commands and allow greatest independence for workers to make decisions about their work.

Advantage

The organization will gain from the initiative or inventiveness and originality of workers. More profits can be made in this way.

Disadvantage

This can lead to confusion and disorder in the organization. In looking at this type of style one can use only persons that are very self- determined and controlled.