Essay Sample on Democratic Leadership

Introduction

I am writing about various leadership styles applied by leaders, and how they affect life. Through an in-depth comprehension of the various leadership styles, the overall leadership patterns of the whole community changes, and most likely take a better course. This is a possibility because the study presents leadership styles to leaders so that they can choose an option that has a minimum negative impact on their subjects, and maximum positive impacts. This essay chooses and majors on the democratic style of leadership among other styles such as coercive style, affiliative, authoritative, coaching and lastly pacesetting styles of leadership (Rosenberg, Lisbao, Handford & Birkin, 2012).

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Democratic Leadership

A better part of leadership experts and theories argue out that studying human nature is one of the most significant ways of establishing a grip on subjects to elucidate influence among them. This narrows down to a behavioral approach in leadership in which the democratic style is an excellent example (Ricketts & Ricketts, 2010). The democratic style of leadership emphasizes the performance of the subjects while assuming that they are individuals of uncompromised integrity, trustworthy, and action-oriented. This means that the application of democratic leadership is logical where and when the subjects and the leadership have common interests; achieving the outlined goals and objective within the stipulated time without much supervision. To this end, it infers that subjects must be self-driven figures.

Even though subjects could be action-oriented and competent, there is a need to motivate and guide such persons. The essence of motivating and guiding subjects is a means of helping them exploit their exponential potential (Rosenberg, Lisboa, Handford & Birkin, 2012). The net effect of motivating staff, or rather, subjects triggers more productivity courtesy of the accommodative nature of the style of leadership. Demonstrating this point is the assistance and guide it offers to staff and subjects when subjected to a challenging working environment. In such scenarios, an individual may be bewildered because of the dilemma of whether to pursue individual objectives or organizational objectives as both of them are essential and worth pursuing. As with democratic leadership, it gives the individual for choosing between the two as long as the primary objective and goals are achieved.

What is the Origin of Democratic Style of Leadership?

The modern democratic leadership theories and styles date back to a period between the 1930s and 1940 during which Kurt Lewin, Ronald Lippitt alongside Robert White derived three distinctive ways of making decisions. The three individuals believe that these decision-making procedures had close ties with leadership. Lewin and his partners illustrated that democratic leadership is a neutral zone found between leadership styles applying excessive authority and styles where authority is non-existent.

Lewin's works came later on after the Greek formed grounds for democratic leadership style. The term democracy is a product of the Greek language. Greek splits the term democracy into Demos and Kratos (Euben, Wallach & Ober, 2018). The two words mean people and rule respective, and this loosely translates into what is known as people's rule. In this manner, it means that the Greek had the opportunity to take part in leadership because this style of leadership was already dominating Greek's political systems mid-5th century Before Common Era (BCE). Like any other leadership style, the democratic style has distinct advantages and disadvantages visible in places it is applied.

Advantages of Democratic Style of Leadership

The Motivation of Staff and Subjects

Even though motivation of employees is a significant advantage of democratic leadership, much of other advantages of this style of leadership are interrelated because of the great interplay among them as well as how they influence on one another. Considering motivation as an example, it fires the drive to achieve and exploit exponential potential among individuals. The net effect of this is cooperation, commitment as well as high productivity among staff as well as the society as well (Rosenberg, Lisboa, Handford & Birkin, 2012). To this end, it is arguable that one advantage of this leadership style triggers other advantages. In combination, commitment, cooperation, and motivation materialize the performances of the individuals in question; whether staff or subjects.

Participation

The fact that democracy gives individuals the right and responsibility for themselves is a default gateway for open-mindedness, proper behavior, direction as well as purposefulness in whatever they do. It is through this that these individuals will find it necessary to fully express themselves as they suggest new ideas of doing things as well as rebuking issues that they are against (Ricketts & Ricketts, 2010). In this manner, none of these individuals will hesitate from assuming the roles given to them and participate, and this is because they are aware of the fact that should anything go astray, they are solely responsible. Thus, because they will have no one to hold accountable for any issues arising, they take full charge of the aspects of their life, and this is achieved through participating in decision-making processes as well as leadership activities.

Progress

The progressive advantage of democratic leadership is the product of participation and motivation as their manifestations and effects materialize in society. It is a tangle of a web weaved by commitment, participation, direction, purposeful leadership, cooperation, and the consequential high productivity of the individuals subjected this style of leadership. However, the most fundamental point here is that these qualities of democratic leadership yield progress when the individuals subject to it become naturally active and consequently set goals to achieve with which they strive to achieve (Ricketts & Ricketts, 2010). This demonstrates that such individuals do not practice absenteeism at their workplaces as they seek to be fully accountable for their actions and achieve their goals. The aspect of cooperation can be linked to the quality of open communication among such individuals. It is through communications that they can share ideas harmoniously work together in pursuit of the common goals they are chasing.

Disadvantages of Democratic Style of Leadership

This style of leadership depends on the subjects for direction and decision-making. Thus, much of the demerits associated with it are associated with the flaws that normal human beings possess (Hamilton, 2011). The countdown of the disadvantages of this style of leadership goes down as follows;

Untimely Decision-Making

This style of leadership involves masses, and as such decision may either be untimely or wrong depending on various factors. The untimely decisions arise when there are too many subjects taking part. In this way, it will take too long to arrive at a decision (Hamilton, 2011). For instance, in a democratic election of heads of states, nations with large populations take too long before arriving at a decision. in the process, things may go haywire due to fraud and deliberated moves to doctor the results.

Wrong Decisions

The untimely decisions have close ties with the point touching on wrong decisions. Normally, large groups may arrive at the wrong decisions. Considering a presidential election as an example, decisions of individuals can be influenced through bribes. In another way, subjects in a democratic style of leadership may not be well-informed on the subject of the matter. As such. They end up deciding based on guesswork. In this manner, innocent individuals suffer because of the recklessness of other individuals. Still, on recklessness, some individuals may not act fast in cases where urgent decision-making is necessary, and without the input of others (Timby & Smith, 2013). A typical example to illustrate this point is an emergency that may require an individual to act independently. In the process of waiting for colleagues to assist in the decision-making, things may run out of hands, and the results could be fatal.

Undermining the Role of Managers, and their Positions

The fact that democracy issues power to the common man, they may tend to disregard and ignore the role of managers as well as their roles (Timby & Smith, 2013). As such, they end up making the wrong decisions. Normally, managers are responsible for their subjects by offering advice on how and when to do things or make decisions about particular issues. Democratic leadership undermines the managerial roles because the people have the voice to speak for themselves.

Where is Democratic Leadership Applied today, and by who?

Democratic style of leadership is widespread in many states as well as business organizations. In countries, governments adopt it to engage their citizens in leadership and decision-making (Ricketts, & Ricketts, 2010). For instance, in the selection of individuals filling public offices, and this achieved through democratic electoral processes. An excellent example is the presidential election of America's president. American citizens are involved in the electoral process as they choose their leader.

Is it Effective? Explain its Effectivity

The democratic leadership style engages every member of the system in leadership. As such, no one cries foul of the awful decisions as each one of them is responsible. However, it is ruined by the fact that the majority will always reign. Ideally, if the majorities are ill-motivated, they make other innocent subjects suffer because of their actions (Ricketts, & Ricketts, 2010). Again, the aspect of compromising subject in the decision-making processes such as the election of leaders is also an issue. It waters down democracy by taking away the subjects' freedom to choose independently. Lastly, subjects tend to ignore their leaders even in scenes where they need to take and head the advice of their leaders. This aspect also renders the style inappropriate.

Conclusion

Democratic leadership is a style transferring power from the leaders to their subjects. It confers cooperation, motivation, open-mindedness as well as interest among subjects in leadership. Ideally, it makes subjects responsible for themselves for they make the decisions. This increases their performance as well as productivity. However, this is watered down by corruption from leaders, especially during electioneering periods where failing politicians compromise voters by bribing them so that voters cast their votes in their favor. Again, the majority always wins, and as such, they are ill-motivated, they inflict pain and suffering on their colleagues through the awful decisions they make.

References

Euben, J. P., Wallach, J. R., & Ober, J. (2018). Athenian Political Thought and the Reconstitution of American Democracy. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=CaJhDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA166&dq=demos+kratos&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjYmOSYuNngAhXRDWMBHQd9B-kQ6AEIPzAE#v=onepage&q=demos%20kratos&f=false

Hamilton, C. (2011). Communicating for results: A guide for business and the professions. Belmont, Calif: Thomson/Wadsworth. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=dHy7Z22CuwoC&pg=PA273&dq=disadvantages+of+democratic+leadership&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiepvDxwNngAhUp5eAKHQQkBvMQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=disadvantages%20of%20democratic%20leadership&f=false

Ricketts, C., & Ricketts, J. (2010). Leadership: Personal development and career success. Nelson Education. Retrieved...