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The style view of leadership focuses on the behaviors leaders use to influence others. This perspective identifies three basic behavioral styles. Someone who exhibits an autocratic leadership style directs others, telling them what to do. Leaders displaying this style accept limited input from others in the group. Think of a community theater director. For each production, she might choose a script, cast actors in roles, and determine how the actors should interpret the script, with no input from anyone else. Although the cast members are critical for a production’s success, the director retains ultimate authority over the play.

On the other end of the spectrum are leaders who provide little direction or structure to their teams. They use what’s known as the laissez-faire leadership style. When leaders use this style, the group maintains control of what happens. If the theater director were to use this style, she might let cast members make production decisions, such as how the costumes will look or where each actor should stand during particular scenes (Kramer, 2006).

Finally, leaders who invite input from group members and encourage shared decision making are exercising a democratic leadership style. A theater director with a democratic style might start production planning by asking the cast and crew for ideas about set design and other matters related to the play. As the production unfolds, the director may remain open to suggestions and feedback.

The style view of leadership gives us a way to talk about leaders. For example, if you tell your dad that the new director is “really autocratic,” he’ll probably know what you mean. This view can also help you think about the type of leader you’d enjoy working with. Do you like a leader who is laid-back, forceful, or somewhere in between? If a leader is democratic in his or her approach, how does he or she handle a group that is reluctant to give input when planning an event? The style view provides a convenient vocabulary for describing leaders.

Like the traits view of leadership, the style view has limitations. First, it suggests that a leader’s style is constant and unchanging. But there are situations in which you, as a leader, may try to direct others (autocratic), as well as times you may let others have more direction over you (democratic or laissez-faire). Moreover, it doesn’t address the question of which style will be most useful in a given situation. The situational view of leadership, which we cover next, can help with this.