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him/her; a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves.
“Coaches” or team-builders, which will be discussed in more detail in
Chapter 10, are examples of this democratic style.

Democratic leadership tends to work best in situations where group
members are skilled and eager to share their knowledge. The flow of work
in an organization needs to allow plenty of time to allow people to
contribute, develop a plan, and then decide on the best course of action.
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Historically, effective leadership has incorporated elements of both styles.

Observers must be cautious not to misread or stereotype a leader’s style.
The most effective leader adopts the style most productive in a given
situation. For instance, if the situation calls for quick decisions and fast
mobilization of resources, a more authoritarian style may be called for and
appreciated by followers. However, even authoritarianism that is

appropriate to the situation is unlikely to be successful if an atmosphere of
group participation has not been previously developed using more
democratic means.

Exercise 2: LEADERSHIP STYLE QUESTIONNAIRE.

This questionnaire can be used to gain a better idea of your
leadership style in a group or organization in which you are a
member. The three styles are autocratic, democratic, and delegative.
The questionnaire can be found at:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/39061378/Leadership-Style-
Questionnaire.

Power and Leadership

Leadership, as noted earlier, ideally involves the act of influencing others
to follow. Leaders work most effectively by influence. They act in ways
that cause others to choose to act in accordance with their leader’s wishes.

34 Kendra Cherry, “What is Democratic Leadership,”
http://psychology.about.com/od/leadership/f/democratic-leadership.htm.

David Kolzow 32