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To finish off my series on leadership styles, I would like to look at democratic leadership- also known as participative, or shared, leadership. In this style, ALL members of a group participate in the decision-making process. While, in some cases, a supervisor or owner must make a final decision, everyone has equal say prior to the decision being made.
According to the online resource Verywell Mind, www.verywellmind.com/what-is-democraticleadership-2795315, characteristics of democratic leadership include the following:
* All members are encouraged to share ideas and opinions, even though the leader retains the final say over decisions.
* Members feel more engaged in the process.
* Creativity is encouraged and rewarded.
Members of a group practicing participative leadership believe their leaders are honest and intelligent. They believe the leader will provide them with all the information prior to any discussion or decision being made. How often have you thought that a leader was withholding information from you just so they could feel important?
Democratic leaders encourage creativity; they want their team to think outside of the box to look at the same issue with different eyes. How many times...