Basic Leadership Styles
The four basic leadership styles of the project manager are described below.
Autocratic
The project manager is primarily focused on getting the tasks done, with little regard to the team member’s feelings.
Directing
The project manager tells the team members what, when, where, and how to do things.
Democratic or Participative
The project manager encourages the team members to actively participate in the decision-making process. A lot of authority is delegated to the team members and they play an active role in managing the project.
Laissez-faire
It’s a French term, literally meaning “let do”. The project manager turns things over to the team members, and only monitors the work at a high level.
Other Leadership Styles
A few other leadership styles defined in the PMI Standards and other project management references include:
Servant Leader
A servant leader demonstrates commitment to serve and put other people first. Agile approaches emphasize servant leadership as a way to empower teams. Servant leadership style works best when the team members have the necessary skills, and need the project leader to manage outside stakeholders. Read Servant Leadership for a better understanding of this topic.
Transactional
Rewards are based on accomplishments against goals.
Transformational
Empowering, motivating and inspiring the team members.
Charismatic
Able to inspire; is high-energy, enthusiastic, self-confident; holds strong convictions.
Interactional
A combination of transactional, transformational, and charismatic leadership styles.
Pace-Setting
A pace-setting leader leads from the front, sets high standards for performance, and expects the team to exceed with minimal management. The leader always wants to do things better and faster. This style should be sparingly used as it can lower team morale and lead to demotivation.
Situational Leadership Models
Project managers need to adapt their leadership styles according to the situation, maturity and skill levels of the team. There’s no one-size-fits-all or best leadership style. The two important situational leadership models are:
Ken Blanchard’s Situational Leadership® II Model
Ken Blanchard’s Situational Leadership® II Model focuses on adapting leadership styles to meet the needs of individual team members based on their level of competence and commitment. The model is based on the idea that different situations require different leadership styles, and that effective leaders are able to adjust their style to fit the needs of the situation and the team member.
OSCAR Coaching and Mentoring Model
The OSCAR Coaching and Mentoring Model promotes collaboration between coach and mentee, encouraging mentees to take ownership of their goals and actions. The coach facilitates exploration and decision-making, providing guidance and support as needed. This model helps project managers adopt a coaching style to effectively support their team members.
It involves a five-step approach - Outcome, where goals are defined; Situation, which involves understanding the current state; Choices, exploring available options; Actions, planning the steps to take; and Review, evaluating progress and making necessary adjustments.
Further Reading
Also read the following:
- Tuckman Ladder: for the various stages of team development and the corresponding leadership styles to be adopted.
- Shu Ha Ri Model: for Agile coaching styles.