This style of leadership would be bet suited to new team members and also to existing team members that need close and continual management they require a great deal of supervision and guidance to enable us to meet SLA’s and KPI’s Although this style can be seen by some as a heavy handed, almost as a military approach to leadership, it is necessary. The individual is not placed under any pressure to get things right from the outset. They will hopefully understand that they require additional support and guidance, while they are learning a new role and are able to begin to develop a relationship with the other team members. Democratic (Participative)
Sometimes this style is also described as autocratic. It is a common leadership style and is used when a leader needs to keep as much power as possible and keep control over the decision making. Subordinates are expected to obey orders without arguing back or in need of an explanation to do what they have been ordered to do. In the public services this leadership maybe used when you have all the information to solve the problem or you are working to a deadline. This is not an effective way to get the best result from a team, but it has some advantages in situations where there is pressure to get the task done, like in the armed forces.
Tuckman’s theory helps individuals to understand how team progress evolves. It helps team members within the public services to consider how they encounter different problems at different stages of their development. This then leads to team cohesion because the group comes together during the team tasks. A limitation within this theory may be that it makes team building too linear and consecutive, however this is a useful tool within many public services like the police force, royal navy and fire service, due to it being important to provide the precise services needed as a team. However it is important to understand that not all teams evolve smoothly.
Knowledge shapes a leader’s identity and is reinforced by a leader’s actions. While character and knowledge are necessary, by themselves they are not enough. Leaders cannot be effective until they apply what they know. What leaders DO, or leader actions, is directly related to the influence they have on others and what is done. As with knowledge, leaders will learn more about leadership as they serve in different positions (2006).
You place yourself on the line when you tell people what they need to hear rather than what they “need” to hear.) This brings to mind how people on our department respond to management’s actions. Delivering a message to people whose minds are not primed for it is a source of much unnecessary conflict. As a leader, one must constantly consider how to communicate with the others on the team if overall & long term success is to be achieved. There will be many times, however, when the situation does not afford leadership an ideal time, place, or recipient for the message.
There are several different leadership styles used in the Public Services. These are – Authoritarian, Democratic, Laissez-Faire, Transactional, Task Oriented, People Oriented, Transformational and Bureaucratic. The most effective leadership style is Authoritarian. Authoritarian leadership is when the leader wishes to retain as much power as possible and maintain control over the decision making process. It involves the leader telling the team members what they must do without any form of consultation.
There are many different forms of leadership styles and each differs greatly from the other. All leadership styles share one simple objective; to complete a goal as effectively and efficiently as possible. (Elliot) Effective leadership involves the delegation of tasks and proper training so that people can build upon their foundation of basic skills and grow their competencies. (About.com) An effective leader naturally motivates people to act upon opportunity, encourages others, and empowers people to achieve success rather than place blame. (About.com) To be an effective leader is to care less about your needs, and more about the needs of the people and organization you are leading.
“Thinking about Leadership” by Thomas Cronin According to Thomas Cronin, there is a big difference between being a manager and a leader, “managers do things the right way, while leaders are more concerned with doing the right thing” (27). Throughout his article he provides numerous characteristics to define a leader along with many examples of past time leaders also examples of how a true leader would handle certain situations. A leader knows who they are; they select and solve priority problems, have a sense of humor, are skilled mediators, show signs of integrity and possess brains and breadth. Becoming or being a continuous leader is not an easy task, it really takes a special type of person. In summation, Thomas Cronin wanted the reader to understand that anyone can be a leader; leadership is not restricted to just the government.
But the style we see often is bureaucratic leadership is where the manager manages "by the book¨ everything must be done according to procedure or policy. If it isn't covered by the book, the manager refers to the next level above him or her. This manager is really more of a “police officer” than a leader. He or she enforces the rules. This style can be effective when: employees are performing routine tasks over and over employees are working with dangerous or delicate equipment that requires a definite set of procedures to operate, safety or security training is being conducted.
Some of them are: the importance of honesty and integrity in leadership; the need of effective communication inside the organization; the necessity to understand the team's business or mission; and, the requirement to adapt to changing situational factors. Another topic that has received considerable attention inleadership and management discussions is motivation. The main reason of such popularity is a close connection between leadership and motivation. Motivation is a key component of leadership. It is unlikely that managers or supervisors can be successful without being able to motivate followers.