DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP STYLE:
ADVANTAGES, DISADVANTAGES, AND TYPICAL EXAMPLES
01/08/2024
Managers apply democratic leadership style to manage human resources, promote
autonomy and positive contributions from all members of the organization, thereby
creating breakthrough and creative solutions to the problems that need to be solved.
The democratic leadership style is a concept attracting the attention and research of
many leaders and managers. This is a form of management that managers often use
when interacting with and motivating the team under their management in the business.
Let's explore this issue with Navigos Search in the article below for further insight into
this concept.
1. What is democratic leadership style?
Democratic leadership style is a leadership style in which every member of the group
participates in the decision-making process. This method can be applied to all
organizations, private businesses, schools, and government agencies.
The democratic leadership style promotes discussion, debate, and efforts to reach a
consensus among group members. Democratic leaders always appreciate the
individuality and contribution of each member, considering it a critical factor in making
accurate and effective decisions. They focus on building positive relationships between
members and creating a motivating work environment.
With democratic leadership style, leaders do not use their power to dominate and
influence others. Instead, they guide and support the group to achieve common
organizational goals.
2. Typical example of democratic leadership style
Below are a few examples of leaders with famous democratic leadership styles:
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, is often regarded as one of
the greatest presidents in this country's history. He is known for his leadership in the
Civil War and the abolition of slavery. Abraham Lincoln believed in democracy and
worked tirelessly to guarantee that all citizens had equal rights.
Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II. The
leader was known for his inspirational speeches and leadership during one of the
darkest periods in British history. Churchill was a strong advocate of democracy and
fought fascism and despotism throughout his lifetime.
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs is an American businessman and inventor. He wholeheartedly involves
employees in the decision-making process. He only guides and coordinates the
discussion to listen to new opinions and ideas from members about the product.
However, after a while, he began to embrace an autocratic leadership style, which led to
his resignation. However, after rejoining Apple, he regained power and promoted his
democratic style.
People that Steve Jobs invited to work are encouraged to give opinions and develop
themselves. He is willing to let his teammates agree and implement important
decisions while he supervises and provides advice when necessary.
3. Characteristics of democratic leadership style
Democratic leadership style has the following characteristics:
Encouraging creativity and collaboration
Democratic leadership style encourages diverse views and opinions. They enable all
members to participate in decision-making by using communication skills and creating
openness. This promotes creativity and positive interaction within the group.
Setting collective goals to solve problems
To achieve success, people with democratic leadership styles frequently focus on
creating common goals and solving challenges. They regard this as a critical aspect in
ensuring productive and efficient work. Furthermore, those who adopt this style foster
an environment that encourages conversation and the input of ideas to find the best
solution to the problem.
Focusing on results
This leadership style always puts focus on results as the top priority. These leaders are
continually looking for methods to improve performance and meet objectives. They are
accountable for their team's outcomes and frequently establish precise goals and
expectations to keep everyone on track.
High flexibility
Democratic leadership is highly adaptable. These leaders are always transparent and
share vital information with members to ensure that decisions are based on correct and
trustworthy information.
They are willing to change direction if it can produce better results, and they are always
open to new ideas and different perspectives. They understand that no single
leadership style is appropriate in all situations and that flexibility in decision making is
critical for achieving the greatest results.
4. Advantages and disadvantages of democratic leadership style
Democratic leadership style has distinct advantages and disadvantages, specifically as
follows:
Advantages
• Creating inspiration and a cooperative spirit: The democratic leadership style
promotes solidarity in the group, making members feel more connected and
encouraged to share thoughts and ideas. This creates a sense of comfort and
encourages collaboration.
• Using diversity and expertise: Democratic leaders seek a diverse range of
viewpoints from its members. As a result, leaders can use their members' skills
to create the most comprehensive and objective operating plans.
• Boosting morale and motivation: Everyone on the team feels as if they are
working toward a common objective, and democratic leadership boosts team
morale, motivation, and dedication.
• Many opinions and solutions: Contributions in this style provide many great
business solutions. Although the review and selection process will take time, the
final option will be the most efficient solution.
• Suitable for many business environments: The democratic leadership style is
suitable for many types of business environments, helping to promote
development and success in different organizations and businesses.
Disadvantages
• Indecisiveness: If too many individuals are involved in a decision, democratic
leadership can lead to indecisiveness. The conversation and decision-making
process can be time-consuming and inefficient.
• Conflict in the group: Conflict in the group is possible when members hold
conflicting viewpoints on an issue. This diminishes productivity and creates a
tense work atmosphere.
• Taking advantage of the situation: Some employees may attempt to manipulate
leaders into making decisions that are detrimental to the team or business.
When making judgments, this might lead to ambiguity and even failure.
• An experienced staff is required: When the staff has equal experience and
abilities, democratic leadership works well. If members lack skills or awareness,
the solutions presented may fail to solve the problem.
• Requiring a lot of time: This style requires a lot of time because people need to
discuss and debate to get a final decision. Therefore, democratic leadership is
unsuitable for contexts requiring quick and timely decision making.
• Some members feel frustrated: Some team members may feel disappointed if
their ideas are not accepted or if the final decision is not the greatest answer in
their perspective.
5. Advice for people following the democratic leadership style
Below are tips to help you apply a democratic leadership style effectively:
Determine whether the democratic leadership style is suitable for the actual
situation
The democratic leadership style is not a suitable solution for all members and all
situations and circumstances. There will be cases when appointing democratic leaders
is not the best approach. Therefore, leaders must ensure the application of this style
when they grasp the current situation and have the ability to create more value for the
business.
Be open and transparent
If a leader decides to apply this leadership style in a given scenario or challenge, they
should make every effort to maintain open communication with all team members.
Collaboration in the establishment of processes, communication of information, and
proactive problem-solving will help to strengthen the efficacy of the democratic
leadership style.
Make sure everyone is committed to doing it
Leaders must make an effort to create conditions to encourage people's participation in
the planning process and commitment to carrying out assigned work and for them to
understand that they are responsible for the final results achieved.
Review, evaluate, draw lessons
After applying the democratic leadership style, business administrators should observe
to draw lessons from similar situations and problems in the future by asking questions
such as:
• Which method has brought the best results?
• What factors played a decisive role?
• Is there another better method?
By answering these questions, leaders can learn and improve their leadership process
better in the future.
6. When should democratic leadership style be applied in the workplace?
Democratic leadership style should be applied when every team member possesses
the skills to contribute quality ideas and has sufficient time. Setting a deadline ensures
that the collected opinions are responded to promptly for application when numerous
people offer their opinions. Furthermore, this style is also appropriate when the
information does not require confidentiality, is not private, and needs to be discussed
by everyone to reach a final decision.
7. Is democratic leadership the best leadership style?
There is no optimum leadership style because each style has advantages and cons
based on the leader's capacity. However, democratic leadership can be an effective
leadership style, particularly where creativity and innovation are prioritized.
When leaders encourage everyone to participate in decision-making, they promote
cohesion and harmony among team members. This leads to higher job satisfaction and
makes each team member feel happy and satisfied with their work.
