Lewins Leadership Styles Morgan Helsom What is Lewins

Lewin’s Leadership Styles Morgan Helsom

What is Lewins Leadership Styles? ● In 1839, Kurt Lewin set out to identify different types of leadership ● This early study identified 3 major leadership styles ○ Autocratic ○ Democratic ○ Laissez-Faire

Autocratic ● Provides clear expectations for what needs to be done, when it should be done, and how it should be done. Strongly focuses on both command by the leader and control of the followers. ● Benefits: ○ Needed when there’s little time for decision making ○ Can work best when the leader is the most knowledgeable ● Downfalls: ○ Ideas are less creative ○ Can lead to a controlling and hostile environment

Democratic ● Leader offers guidance to group members, but they also participate in the group and allow input from other group members. ● Benefits: ○ higher quality contributions ○ participants feel engaged and motivated ● Downfalls: ○ less productive at times

Laissez-Faire ● A type of leadership style in which leaders exercise little control and allow group members to make the decisions. ● Benefits: ○ Effective when members are highly skilled, motivated and can work independently ○ Empowers members to delegate tasks and achieve goals ● Downfalls: ○ No direction or order is given ○ Leaders are often seen as uninvolved, which can lead to a lack of cohesiveness within a group