Participative Leadership Style
The participative leadership style involves the leader engaging the members or colleagues before making decisions (Yukl, 2012). The extent of engagement entails the members of the group sharing ideas, information, as well as perceptions with their leader. Nonetheless, the leader solely makes the decision that implies the leader maintains full control. The leader of the organization or team, in addition, is solely in charge of the consequences of their decisions.
Participative leadership is advantageous in the sense that members have input and sense of involvement regarding decision-making process. This is especially significant when there are possible negative influences for the members. Moreover, the leader has the advantage of alternative perspectives or viewpoints and is better enlightened whenever making the decision. Besides, when the members of the firm are consulted before the decision is executed there are reduced or no surprises, furthermore, sense of engagement is always enhanced (Yukl, 2012). On the other hand, participative leadership style has disadvantages. The main drawback of participative leadership style is that it may be time incentive and a slow process. When security is of concern, the style can be inappropriate since many individuals are engaged in the process (Thompson, 2008).
Delegative leadership entails engaging members in making decision (Eriksen, 2009). It is applied in circumstances where the leader requires skills and experiences of qualified workers. This style is advantageous because a leader may not be an expert in every situation and must rely on others to achieve set objectives or targets. One of the disadvantages of delegative leadership is that it may be slow regarding decision-making.
Strong leaders always are needed for the achievement of organizations’ targets and objectives, participative leadership demand or require decisive, experienced leaders. It is perceived that strongest individuals are required for autocratic leadership, where they make each decision without colleague input. Essentially, participative leadership requires real, innate strength with the lowest level of ego (Harung, Heato, & Alexander, 2010). Allowing honest workers suggestions and feedback needs leaders to guide and advise employees to maintain their communications meaningful. Sitting back and assigning or delegating decision-making to workers is disaster for both weak leaders as well as their workers (Eriksen, 2009). Leadership, therefore, may be best practiced by placing the rest in front, particularly when celebrating victory whenever good things happen. Front line should be taken in situations of danger.
Best Leadership Experiences
Yue Wu was born within Ningbo, China. Wu attended a boarding school from 3rd grade within a primary school within China, and later moved to USA in 2007 and studied in Boston for seven years. Completed high school within Catholic Memorial, W. Roxbury, MA. WU is a senior year within Suffolk University. Wu’s hobbies include travelling, basketball, and reading novels.
The best leadership experience occurred when Wu was responsible for the organization committee of leadership seminar in Boston. Leadership seminar is one of the biggest conferences in Boston with participants from learning institutions in the US. The vision of the conference is to empower and awaken leadership potential of students, in order to have an active as well as influence the society. In the seven-day conference, participants explored their passion, talents, values, and their individual fathoming of leadership and the linkage of these to their environment and lives.
The main responsibilities of the organization committee included maintaining the flow of the seminar occurring as smooth as practicable. Among other things, the organization committee arranged included preparing preliminaries. Moreover, satisfying all the facilitators and delegates’ wishes, besides organizing for evening events like parties as well as chill-outs.
The preparations begun seven months in advance and having been in an organization committee for a regional seminar before, in addition to a great team having different individuals, some of them with a lot of team-and leadership-experience though other a little. It was great; particularly the inexperienced members advance their project- and time-management. The team gained self-confidence by seeing the project come true. Each member of the team worked hard and after a short while, all the assigned tasks were completed. This made working with the team easy and team members must be appreciated for their dedication and hard work throughout the whole process.
Worst Leadership Experience
The worst leadership experience occurred when working for a bank. Was selected to lead a team and assigned the duty of creating new portfolios for clients or consumer financing. The aim of the project was to boost the consumer base by creating new portfolios as well as products, which attract consumers and raise the bank’s profitability. In this private bank, employees came from diverse backgrounds and had huge or vast banking experience. The diversity within the workplace made it challenging to control and lead things. Each team member had different perceptions and beliefs concerning the kind, of services and products customers will prefer.
What is achievable differently after Reading different Leadership Styles
Being able to understand the challenges of team members and solving their concerns. Leading from the front and acting as a role model to others. Moreover, having the ability to ensure the tasks are performed from the team. The above can be realized by understanding the preferred outcome of group, and the responsibility of every member in attaining the targets (Yukl, 2012). Besides, ensuring that decisions and objectives are well regarded and clarified to the team members. It would be appropriate as a leader to guide and support the structure, rather than dictating activities of the team without explanation. It would be prudent to establish an open atmosphere in which workers can ask for clarity, give suggestions and feedback, and concisely clarify the reasoning for every decision.
Being an excellent role model to team members by projecting the behaviors and practices most preferred in the organization. Projecting hypothetical behaviors and practices result in team members not respecting any rule in the team. For instance, if team members are needed to report at work by 8am, but as their leader you report at 10am, none will respect and adhere to such a leader. As a leader, it is important to show exceptional behaviors and practices that inspire team members in behaving in a similar way.
The Type of Leadership Practiced and the Kind of Leadership Preferred
Participative leadership in which consultation with workers is embraced and their suggestions and ideas are considered before making any decision. This process makes workers trust that they are involved in discussing problems and may influence organizational decisions (Faraci, 2013). Leadership where leaders pay attention with empathy, hearing bad and good news, before providing their guidance and create conditions as well as contingencies to promote feelings of empowerment is the most preferred leadership style.
References
Eriksen, M. (2009). Personal Leadership Conundrum. Journal of Management Education, 5(3), 3-6. doi:10.1177/1052562906297142
Faraci P, L. (2013). Assessing leadership decision-making styles: psychometric properties of the Leadership Judgement Indicator. Dove Press.
Harung, H. S., Heato, D. P., & Alexander, C. N. (2010). A unified theory of leadership : experiences of higher states of consciousness in world-class leaders. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 1(2), 10-12. doi:10.1108/01437739510100946
Kinicki, A., & Williams, B. K. (2008). Management: A practical introduction. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
Thompson, L. L. (2008). Making the team: A guide for managers. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Yukl, G. A. (2012). Leadership in organizations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
