Identifying Leadership Preferences and Influences
My preferred leadership style is laissez-faire, when a leader provides less guidance and more choices to their team. The follower’s higher degree of independence appeals to me since he learns to make corporate decisions to benefit his team. When making any mistakes or leading the team to success, all members are rewarded, accepting their responsibilities and contributions. Such a significant degree of participation resonates with another appealing principle for me, delegation.
The concept allows managers to step back and transfer decision-making authority (Norris et al., 2021). It addresses the misconception that laissez-faire is passive with the non-involvement of all parties by stating that it is not the absence of leadership but the elimination of constraint. It helps followers like me be more autonomous in trying new ideas without strict rules and governance limiting creativity. Hence, laissez-faire avoids organizational conflicts, allowing team members to commit to its flourishing.
Reflecting on Leadership Experiences and Lessons Learned
Although I have never experienced a laissez-faire leadership style, there are many successful corporate leaders with this style. For example, Steve Jobs highlights the importance of an excellent team understanding his vision and goals (Sean, 2023). He makes final decisions, but team members make all minor resolutions as he allows them to implement his ideas creatively and innovatively.
Meanwhile, I only had authoritarian leadership experience when my group leader dictated all progress steps. As a result, nobody, except the leader, understood the project’s ultimate goal, feeling unengaged without meaningful contribution. Instead of this leader, I would have incorporated servant leadership to develop empathy and connection with team members. It would be more beneficial to establish a laissez-faire with servant leadership elements to benefit group members and address their needs during work.
Applying Leadership Strengths in Everyday Settings
Strengths and preferences in the laissez-faire style will benefit my parenting. Since I was raised by strict parents, restricting my will, desires, and creativity, I struggled to express my boundaries as I grew up. Hence, I will provide more autonomy and freedom to my children. For example, they can choose their cartoons, meals, or clothes, while I will decide on their safety and health. Such a division helps them to be cheerful and self-reliant simultaneously. Gentle guidance that allows children to make non-dangerous failures, like team members, will ensure that they grow up confident and self-sufficient adults.
References
Norris, K. R., Ghahremani, H., & Lemoine, G. J. (2021). Is it laissez-faire leadership or delegation? A deeper examination of an oversimplified leadership phenomenon. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 28(3), 322–339. Web.
Peek, S. (2023). Steve Jobs biography. Business News Daily. Web.