Understand Leadership Styles
Assignment Task for Unit – Understanding Leadership
Understand leadership styles
1. AC 1.1 -Describe the factors that will influence the choice of leadership styles or behaviours in workplace situations. ( 24 Marks)
Before describing factors that influence a manager’s chosen style it is first necessary to identify what these styles actually are. Leadership studies stem back as far as the mid 19th century with the “Great man theory”, just as the title suggests the theory implies that only men hold the characteristics to become leaders and assumes that the traits are intrinsic or rather that leaders are born. Much later studies such as Tannenbaum & Schmidt’s Continuum looked at the balance between the use of authority by the leader and how much input the employee has in the decision making process, their studies categorize in to three main styles being, autocratic, democratic & Laissez faire or free rein. In today’s workplace a manager will use an array of styles dependent upon the situation they are presented with, below are examples of different factors and what styles may be adopted by a manger.
Skill/Experience
In this instance the style adopted is dependent upon the skill & experience of the subordinate.
Inexperienced staff are generally new to the business or role and therefore are less skilled. In this instance a manger will take on a more directing or autocratic style to get the employee started. This is normally exercised through basic instruction necessary for the employee to perform his or her duties on a day to day basis.
At the opposite end of the spectrum we have the experienced staff member, generally highly skilled competent & motivated individuals. In this instance a delegating or free rein style can be considered by the manager. Used correctly a manager will be able to fully utilise the more experienced team members to carry out tasks outside that of their normal remit, for example in the generation of standard operating
Understand leadership styles
1. AC 1.1 -Describe the factors that will influence the choice of leadership styles or behaviours in workplace situations. ( 24 Marks)
Before describing factors that influence a manager’s chosen style it is first necessary to identify what these styles actually are. Leadership studies stem back as far as the mid 19th century with the “Great man theory”, just as the title suggests the theory implies that only men hold the characteristics to become leaders and assumes that the traits are intrinsic or rather that leaders are born. Much later studies such as Tannenbaum & Schmidt’s Continuum looked at the balance between the use of authority by the leader and how much input the employee has in the decision making process, their studies categorize in to three main styles being, autocratic, democratic & Laissez faire or free rein. In today’s workplace a manager will use an array of styles dependent upon the situation they are presented with, below are examples of different factors and what styles may be adopted by a manger.
Skill/Experience
In this instance the style adopted is dependent upon the skill & experience of the subordinate.
Inexperienced staff are generally new to the business or role and therefore are less skilled. In this instance a manger will take on a more directing or autocratic style to get the employee started. This is normally exercised through basic instruction necessary for the employee to perform his or her duties on a day to day basis.
At the opposite end of the spectrum we have the experienced staff member, generally highly skilled competent & motivated individuals. In this instance a delegating or free rein style can be considered by the manager. Used correctly a manager will be able to fully utilise the more experienced team members to carry out tasks outside that of their normal remit, for example in the generation of standard operating