Task-oriented leadership style

1. Autocratic leadership is a task-oriented leadership style in which workers are told what to do with specific guidelines and rules. Unilateral decisions are made with no input from employees.

2. Participative leadership includes workers in the decision-making process. Employees have a higher level of commitment to reaching goals. Participative leaders can be classified into three groups.

a) Consultative leaders discuss issues with workers but retain the final authority for decision making.

b) Consensus leaders seek input from almost all workers and make final decisions based on their support.

c) Democratic leaders give final authority to the group.

3. Entrepreneurial leadership is personality-based with leaders being task-oriented, driven, charismatic, and enthusiastic.

Please:

1. Share a work example of a superior (past or present) that demonstrated one of the above styles of leadership. Was the style* exhibited by your superior effective for the task/situation? Why or why not? *Be sure to indicate the specific leadership style. If participative, indicate consultative, consensus, or democratic.

2. Do you believe there are times when a leader needs to be more autocratic? When might these be?

3. Which style of leadership do you prefer? Why?