Looking at the pros and cons closely can help you determine if you should give the democratic leadership process a try yourself. Democratic leadership is a highly effective leadership style for many organizations. And it provides multiple advantages for those who choose this leadership style. This free flow of ideas without judgment means team members are encouraged to come up with creative solutions and innovations that can benefit the whole group or even the entire organization.
Working together to openly discuss issues and solve problems also means that fresh ideas come regularly to the team. It offers options to the leader making the final call on decisions. Employees are more engaged and perform at their best when they are heard and valued at work. Democratic leadership ensures all employees on the team are heard because they can freely express their opinions, and provide inputs for important decisions that affect them.
This gives their work meaning and autonomy , which leads to increased engagement. But when you open up the floor and the decision-making process to a whole group of employees, they will bring their range of experiences and thoughts to the table. This increases the diversity of ideas being shared, which makes your decision-making process more effective as you consider all the possible angles before making a final choice. Democratic leadership encourages everyone on a team to come together and participate equally.
This emphasis on cooperation and partnership builds a strong team that collaborates effectively on big decisions and small tasks. And since democratic leadership encourages treating everyone with respect, the bonds the team builds will have a strong foundation for success.
As employees participate actively in making decisions, they will get a sense of how higher-level decisions are made. They will also get a first-hand view of the leadership process, and get practice sharing ideas confidently and exercising authority. This is all great training for the future leaders of your company and will prepare your top employees for a future leadership role. The advantages of the democratic leadership style are real, and they are powerful. Gathering the input of a whole team, discussing the options openly, and working together to make the final decision is not a swift process.
Your decision-making might be stronger, but it will also certainly be slower when you lead using democratic principles at work. That means some employees will see their ideas implemented more often than others. And that can lead to resentment and frustration down the road if these negative emotions are not carefully handled.
Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time. Here, with his trademark wit, he suggests that while flawed, democratic governance is still more effective than any alternative. But the benefits it can deliver are invaluable and numerous. By its very definition, this leadership style invites participation and involvement from people within an organisation who may not otherwise be or feel represented.
By fostering feelings of involvement and inclusion, team members are made to feel more important. By having their concerns heard, they feel more valued and integrated into an organisation. Drawing on a wider pool of experience and opinion brings more input to the decision-making process. This free flow of ideas, strengthened by differing viewpoints reflecting the diversity of your team, may lead to decisions being made that have been held to higher standards of scrutiny than they might have been otherwise.
And although not every contribution can be actioned, effective implementation of democratic leadership involves explaining that contributions are valued nonetheless. With more minds working on a problem, the number of potential solutions increases. Holding up a potential solution to commentary - and criticism - from members of the team is a good way to identify weaknesses and drawbacks before implementation, rather than cleaning up the mess afterward.
As this culture becomes established, teams become more tight-knit, and team members are likely to feel higher levels of commitment and involvement. When used correctly, democratic leadership can foster positive and healthy company cultures.
By creating a workplace where people communicate, ideas flow, and discussions are had, the seeds are sown for stronger team relationships. Under effective democratic leadership, discussion becomes the norm. Frequent communication with colleagues - especially around topics that have direct impact on your work life - can quickly form the basis for stronger professional and personal relationships.
The two previous points combine to create a workplace where job satisfaction and morale are likely to be higher than they would be otherwise. In a workplace where they feel valued, and where their contributions are clearly respected and sometimes taken on board, team members are likely to feel more satisfaction. Everyone has had the experience of being subordinate to a leader who has no interest in what you say or think, and who sees you only as an extra pair of hands: Done right, this is not how people will feel under democratic leadership.
If the course of action ultimately decided upon by the leader is at odds with suggestions within the group which, unless unanimous, will always be the case to some extent , then they must offer a convincing explanation to those whose input was not taken on board.
In this situation, honesty is the best policy. It allows for the preservation of goodwill, and ensures that contributions will be forthcoming. Human beings have an innate need to have control over their lives.
They need to feel like they are valued and can make valuable contributions to the world. Democratic leadership can be extremely effective in certain situations. For months, he and his cabinet members engaged in an intense debate on the topic of abolishing slavery. However, there came a point when, in the absence of a consensus, he made the decision and then announced it to his team. An arguably authoritative, yet effective, move. In the next section, we'll look at some strengths and limitations associated with a democratic leadership style.
A few years ago, I worked with a democratic leader who was known for his ability to make people cared for and valued as human beings. He'd remember conversations from months ago and refer to specific details about people's lives. Like the name of your kids or spouse. The fact that your mother had undergone knee surgery. Or that you enjoyed playing tennis.
People were often left astonished and beaming with joy, even after spending a couple of minutes with him. His leadership style also had some crossover with a transformational leadership style and was an authentic leader. Leaders who use this style create a vision and guide their teams through inspiration. Not surprisingly, he commanded a rare kind of respect and loyalty from his team.
And frequently led them to accomplish exceptional results. A democratic management style can improve your culture of employee engagement, commitment, and job satisfaction. This leadership style also leads to deeper relationships. Specifically between the democratic leader and their team members.
This is accomplished by building trust and respect. Also, a democratic leader encourages people to voice their opinions and share their ideas. So the team is more likely to come up with creative solutions to problems. Also, democratic leaders allow the team to think through problems and decisions. This teaches their teams important skills. Like problem-solving and critical thinking. Over time, these team members are in a better position to take on bigger responsibilities and operate more independently.
Ultimately, developing new leaders. These limitations can be effectively managed and minimized. Structuring feedback can also ensure democratic leaders meet all deadlines. Examples include collaborative weekly check-ins and progress updates with team members. These processes can reduce opportunities for emotionally charged decisions and bias towards members' ideas. Now, we've looked at the definition, strengths, and limitations of a democratic leadership style.
Let's look at some scenarios where it can be an effective approach. There are certain scenarios that offer a great place to practice democratic leadership. When you want creativity and innovation. As an organization, Google is known for its democratic way of operating.
Employees play a role in making important company decisions. Through the use of extensive discussions and brainstorming. A participative leadership style can be extremely effective. Especially if you are in a situation that calls for creative ideas and solutions. And time is not a primary constraint. When you have a millennial workforce. A recent Gallup study reported that today's millennial workers want to work with managers who will invest in their growth and career development. As well as value them as people.
Does your workforce largely consist of millennials? Consider a democratic style of leadership. It is likely to keep your employees more engaged. When you are leading experts. There may be situations when you are leading a team of domain experts. They have deep knowledge about their field. Often more than the team leader. And it is important to allow them the freedom to brainstorm ideas and come up with solutions.
In such cases, taking a democratic approach is likely to get you better results. You now know when to implement a democratic leadership style. The final section of this article will offer you some practical tips on how to get started. As we've seen, a democratic leadership style is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
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