Laissez-faire is a style of leadership in which the leaders leave the workers or their subordinates to engage in their work using their own developed rules and policies. In Laissez-faire style of leadership, the leaders leave the responsibilities for their subordinates to execute them without the involvement of their seniors. Furthermore, the subordinates are left to choose the means in which to accomplish the tasks as there are strict rules, policies and regulations germinating from their superiors. The laissez-faire leadership is characterized by a deliberate abstention from interference or direction, and there is individual freedom of choice and action. This style of leadership empowers groups, individuals or teams to make their decisions without necessarily following the strict rules or policies and is considered a self-rule (Turgot 65). Some critics argue that this style of leadership is risky as the subordinates might make inappropriate decisions which negatively affect the smooth running of the operations in the organization. Furthermore, critics argue that teams, individuals and groups using laissez-faire style of leadership might not be in a position to make appropriate strategic decisions as it just allows people to compete for their tasks using any means they wish to use. Laissez-faire is the opposite of autocratic leadership where a single leader is allowed to make the decisions and policies that will be used by the whole organization or society. Instead of a leader making decisions that will be followed by subordinates, laissez-faire allows teams, groups, and individuals to make decisions that will appropriately suit the execution of particular tasks in the organization.
Laissez-faire leadership is a style of leadership which provides staff and managers a wider latitude to execute their responsibilities. Leaders in laissez-faire style of leadership do not just complete tasks, but they also identify issues affecting the society or the organizations. Laissez-faire leadership leaves individuals in a society freely except in situations where social liberties are infringed where laissez-faire rules and regulations apply. Ideally, this style of leadership has been applied by economic thinkers since the 19th century. For instance, in American political and economic thought, laissez-faire has been employed in the development of traditions and policies that allow effective management of the government or the organization (Turgot 56). Economists think that laissez-faire leaders should be allowed to run the affairs of the government or an organization and they will in turn make appropriates strides that will see either the government or government agencies making progress. According to economists, most governments or organizations that have employed other styles of leadership such as the authoritarian style of leadership have not appropriately executed their mandate. Leaders who employ laissez-faire style of leadership expect their subordinates to be accountable to their tasks.
On the other hand, subordinates smartly execute their tasks because they want to achieve the best by using their decisions rather than the decisions from the top management. Through this style of leadership, managers, and their subordinates are productive as they identify the milestones which hinder them from achieving their goals and objectives. The laissez-faire leaders, however, must observe individual and group performance. It involves working with the group members to ensure quality services. Additionally, the leaders should track results that enable them to stay on top of the problems and issues affecting them. In this way, they should give credit where it deserves and encourage their subordinates to responsibly execute their responsibilities. Furthermore, they should allow experts to work optimally and encourage them to make correct decisions that result in a health working environment. Additionally laissez-faire leaders should motivate people to work optimally and take personal responsibility for their failures and achievements What is more, they need to reinforce successful leads and performance which enable the organization to retain experts who thrive in an environment that is creative and more structured. This in turn enables the laissez-faire leaders to responsibly delegate the duties to their subordinates and still work towards achieving the organizational goals and objectives. Laissez-faire leaders tend to work towards serving the needs and desires of the people who are the most beneficiaries of their leadership. Other models of leadership such as servant leadership depend majorly on the laissez-faire style of leadership. As a style of leadership, laissez-faire has been associated with effective management that is necessary for the initiation of positive change which in turn transforms the society or the company in a positive way. As explained by Henry C. Simons, laissez-faire is important because it is an active leadership style that can be used to analyze the institutional changes and governmental interventions on the running of the government or an organization for utilization of scarce economic resources. He argues that laissez-faire is crucial in the contemporary society as it permits for a healthy competition and opposes individualism but appreciates social coercion.
Laissez-faire is said to have emerged after the 1500 AD when Colbert a French Finance Minister and Le Gendre a businessman met. The meeting was scheduled by the minister to see how the government can assist businesses in that society to grow and thrive. Commerce in France during that period had gown down. Thus, Le Gendre was summoned by the minister to represent other business people. During that period most businesspeople were arguing that the government was setting strict policies which negatively affect the smooth running of the businesses. Therefore, they wanted the government to lessen the business policies and regulations. After meeting, both Colbert and Gender resolved that it was important for the businessmen to do what they want. The minister told him instead of depending on the government policies and regulations; they should set policies that would better help them execute their tasks effectively. The minister, however, told them that they should engage in morally accepted activities. After the meeting, the French businessmen had to devise their policies that suited the smooth operations of their organizations. This, in turn, was replicated by the leaders in that society since the style was effective and produced desired results.
Laissez is the style of leadership whose principles create a behavioral leader who provides freedom and necessary materials that will allow workers to achieve the set goals and objectives (Cunningham 34). Leaders, in this case, participate only to answer questions that are raised by the citizens and cannot be handled by the subordinates. This philosophy is significant especially where the workers or the citizens are knowledgeable, goals-directed, motivated or independent. Laissez-faire has the following principles that enable leaders to effectively discharge their duties and in turn achieve the desired results. The first principle is that it provides total freedom to the employees or the citizens. Laissez-faire has been viewed as a significant style of leadership since it provides total freedom to the workers or the citizens. This is significant as the workers or the subordinates can discharge their duties in the best way so long as they achieve the set goals and objectives. When people are given freedom, they become motivated and will, in turn, be able to work towards the best. Another principle is that it delegates all the duties to the subordinates. Unlike other styles of leadership, the laissez-faire leaders delegates the duties to the subordinates. The subordinates are expected to discharge their duties in the best way possible using their devised methods that can best produce good results to the company. Furthermore, it also relies on worker self-motivation, flexibility, and freedom. Laissez-faire leaders after delegating the duties to their subordinates do not just leave them, but they follow to ensure that the policies and regulations they set are significant and will result in good results (Twiss 91). The leaders can then encourage their subordinates to work hard so as to achieve the best results possible. Leaders believe that motivated workers have the ability to produce best results. The most significant principle is that it creates a relaxed working climate. In the Laissez-faire style of leadership, workers work in a relaxed environment since there are no strict rules and regulations. The motivation given to workers is that they should be able to deliver the best results working with their devised schedule. Additionally, laissez-faire believes on liberally sharing responsibility. Leaders believe sharing of responsibilities is the driving force to the achievement of the set goals and objectives. Leaders believe that shared responsibilities are significant and produce high-quality leadership and management results. What is more, the laissez-faire style of leadership does not enforce strict rules and procedures. Subordinates, in this case, are allowed to devise their methods and procedures for executing particular tasks. However, the procedure and methods of handling the tasks should be morally accepted and favor the employees (Cunningham 45) Furthermore, the procedure and approaches should reflect the overall goals and objectives of the organization.
Many thinkers have emulated the principles of laissez-faire in their management styles. The organizations they lead have thus been successful. These thinkers include Andrew Mellon who was a 20th-century American leader and employed the laissez-faire principles. He was a brilliant motivator and an innovator as well. At first, he was a commercial banker before he eventually became a politician and philanthropist. He encouraged the American commercial businesses and banks to emulate the principles of laissez-faire to achieve the organization's goals and objectives. Through his ideas concerning the principles of laissez-faire, many political leaders in U.S have been able to prosper. He encouraged the selected experts to employ the principles of laissez-faire to ensure that their organizations are effectively run. Warren Buffet is also another personality who is known for taking the hands-off approach towards company's leadership. He was a successful laissez-faire leader. His investments were based on the principles of laissez-faire style of leadership (Twiss 47). He knew that making investments requires good leadership approach that enables the subordinates of the organization to execute the tasks as a team (Fine 79). Another Laissez faire leader is Ronald Reagan. He is a leader who is known for allowing his subordinates to compete for their responsibilities in the manner they deem fit for executing them. He could not authoritatively lead his employees but allowed them to give out their opinions on the best way of running the company.
There are some other leaders who also employed laissez faire principles. They include Lou Holtz who was a Notre Dame University football coach. Most of the football coaches during his time were using authoritative principles of leadership to lead their football teams. However, Lou Holtz being a thinker chose to lead his football team in a laissez-faire manner. He emphasized laissez-faire principles for the team to win any match they play since the players through the principle of shared responsibility will play as a team. Another leader is Jack Welch who is the chief executive officer of General Electric Company. Being a thinker, he tried all the styles of leadership such as authoritarian leadership but after failing, he resorted to laissez-faire styles of leadership. He believes in giving the employees the latitude to run the company’s operations freely without the interference from the top management. He received recognition due to his smart performance and free thinking capability. John Paul is also another leader who employed laissez-faire principles. He is believed to be a leader who was effective during the Darwinian period. He is the first leader to employ the principles of laissez-faire style of leadership in the society. He formed the center of associations that enabled leaders during that time to share their management's skills (Fine 33). Being a great thinker, he demonstrated to other leaders that independent thinking is crucial for the successful running of different organizations or the society. He argued that for the people to lead successful ventures, they must have good leadership styles.
Conclusively, laissez-faire style of leadership is important for the smooth running of the organizations or the society. Its principles allow leaders to have independent thinking which in turn make them work towards producing quality results. Many businesses or governments that have employed the laissez-faire style of leadership have become successful. Furthermore, many thinkers argue that for business or society to become successful, its leaders must adopt the laissez-faire style of leadership.
Works Cited
Cunningham, William. Laissez Faire. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 2007. Print.
Fine, Sidney. Laissez Faire and the General-Welfare State: A Study of Conflict in American Thought, 1865-1901. Ann Arbor: U of Michigan P, 2006. Print.
Laissez Faire! Gilbert: ISIL/Laissez Faire Books, 2009. Print.
Turgot, Anne R. J, and Alain Laurent. "Laissez Faire!” Paris: Les Belles lettres, 2007. Print.
Twiss, Benjamin R. Lawyers and the Constitution: How Laissez Faire Came to the Supreme Court. New York: Russell & Russell, 2002. Print.
