Unit 501: Use and develop systems that promote communication

Handout 6: Leadership skills and styles

Learning outcome 1, 2, 3 Assessment criteria 1.2, 1.3, 2.4, 3.1

Effective communications is essential if you are to lead a successful team. Your leadership style will influence the way you communicate. Whether you are communicating with staff or co-ordinating partnership working, you will often need to take a leading role and understand the communication needs of the people you are working with.

There are not necessarily ‘correct’ or ‘incorrect’ leadership styles, but as with any area of practice, it is useful to know your strengths and to use them. You will also find that different styles may be appropriate for different situations -- this theory is called ‘situational leadership’. Many theorists have written about leadership and management styles. A small sample is covered here, but you are recommended to carry out further reading and research on the subject.

In 1938 Lewin, Lippit and White studied how different types of leadership affected groups of school children. The three types of leaders identified were Authoritarian, Democratic and Laissez-faire.

These styles can be expressed on a continuum of control and trust:

Authoritarian Democratic Laissez-faire

The Authoritarian leader has a high level of control (tight) and a low level of trust. In Lewin, Lippitt and White’s observations this type of leader told the children what to do and with whom they would be working. If the work was good, praise would be given but not explained. If the work was poor the leader would point this out but not give any suggestions on how improvements could be made.

The Democratic leader has less control and more trust in the abilities of the workers. This type of leader encouraged discussion within the group and let them decide who to work with (flexible). Good work was praised and the reasons given. If on the other hand the work was poor the leader discussed this with the group and showed them how to improve. The Democratic leader joined in with the group activities and was friendly towards the group members.

The Laissez- faire leader has more trust and less control. In the experiment the group was not directed and could choose what they wanted to do. The leader gave neither praise nor criticism.

In terms of achievement the group with a Democratic leader worked the hardest and produced an end product (models). The group with the Laissez-faire leader did not achieve much and were noisy and quarrelsome. The Authoritarian leader’s group worked when he was in the room but tended to flounder without direction.

Learner activity

  • How would you describe your leadership style?
  • Leadership style needs to be flexible to fit the needs and nature of the task and the group you are managing. Give examples of how you have used each style and the rationale behind your decision to vary your style.
  • There is also a dimension of time here. Authoritarian managers ‘save’ time by making all the decisions whereas democratic managers need more time for consultation. Thinking of this aspect, when would you use each style?

You should also consider the style of management preferred by the staff team.

A generalisation could be that staff prefer tight management because:

  • they have no responsibility
  • like unchanging routine and order
  • have no ambition or motivation
  • like/need control
  • lack confidence
  • new staff – need training
  • are worriers
  • time watchers
  • untrained.

Staff prefer flexiblemanagement because:

  • they show initiative
  • like to take responsibility
  • are ambitious
  • confident
  • self motivated
  • qualified
  • creative
  • enjoy challenges
  • fulfill trust
  • committed
  • open minded.

Learner activity

  • How could using an inappropriate management style affect staff?

Hersey and Blanchard put forward a theory called situational leadership which is a combination of supportive and directive styles.

A supportive leader listens to people, provides support, guidance and encouragement. They facilitate the group’s involvement in problem solving and decision making. This approach could be used with a skilled, knowledgeable person who perhaps lacked self confidence, commitment and perhaps motivation.

A directive leadership approach involves more control. It could involve the leader as the superior or ‘boss’ having been given a brief to solve a particular problem. The leader would then tell the worker what the solution was, instruct them what to do and how to do it and then supervise and control the work. This approach is useful with a person who is enthusiastic but needs direction and supervision to start them off.

Hersey and Blanchard further developed their theory to identify four leadership styles: directing, coaching, supporting, delegating. The use of these depends on the nature of the task and the experience and skills level of the team being managed. The manager needs to be able to adapt their approach and style to meet the changing needs of the team members involved. They must be able to assess the interaction between competence or knowledge and commitment or confidence in the team member/s. The manager can relinquish control as expertise and confidence develop. Support is available as needed.

Style / Type of approach required / Level of individual competence / Level of individual commitment / Rationale
Directing / Highly directive, little support / Low / High / Traditional expert role. Individual needs to be told what to do and how to do it.
Coaching / Highly directive, highly supportive / Low / Low / Individual will need direction and supervision to gain knowledge and experience. Self esteem built through support, recognition. Commitment and ownership built by involvement in decision making.
Supporting / Little direction, highly supportive / High / Variable / Self esteem built through support, recognition. Commitment and ownership built by involvement in decision making.
Delegating / Little direction, little support / High / High / Manager’s help not needed. Monitor progress of task.

Source: Adapted from Situational Leadership: Kenneth Blanchard and Paul Hersey

Handy’s Best Fit

Charles Handy, a management guru, evolved the ‘Best Fit’ approach to management. He explains that in a leadership situation the leader should take into consideration four sets of factors:

  • the leader – her/his preferred way of working eg tight or flexible, and personal characteristics
  • staff members – how they prefer to be managed high or low control, high or low trust
  • the task itself – including the objectives and any technology involved eg flexible or tightly structured
  • the environment – the organisational setting eg power position of the leader in the organisation, organisational norms, values, culture. (This factor is less central than the others.)

This approach maintains that there is no such thing as the right style of leadership, but the leadership will be most effective when the requirements of the leader, staff and task fit as closely together as possible.

Learner activity

  • How could you apply the different styles of leadership outlined by Hersey and Blanchard and Handy to your staff team?
  • How could you use these to improve your management performance?