With a democratic leadership style, everyone is given the opportunity to participate, ideas are exchanged freely, and discussion is encouraged. While this process tends to focus on group equality and the free flow of ideas, the democratic leader is still there to offer guidance and control. The democratic leader is also charged with deciding who is in the group and who gets to contribute to the decisions being made. Research has found that the democratic leadership style is one of the most effective types and leads to higher productivity, better contributions from group members, and increased group morale.
Characteristics of Democratic Leadership
Some of the primary characteristics of democratic leadership include:
Collaboration: Group members are encouraged to share ideas and opinions, even though the leader retains the final say over decisions. Engagement: Members of the group feel more engaged in the process. Creativity: Creativity is encouraged and rewarded.
Researchers suggest that good democratic leaders possess specific traits such as being a team player, possessing a willingness to adapt, having a fair mind, and being engaged in the process. Strong democratic leaders inspire trust and respect among their followers. These leaders are sincere and make decisions based on their morals and values. They also tend to seek diverse opinions and do not try to silence dissenting voices or those that offer a less popular point of view. As a result, followers feel inspired to take action and contribute to the group.
Examples of Democratic Leadership
More than half of the countries in the world with populations over 500,000 people use a democratic leadership style. The United States is one. Sweden, the Philippines, Indonesia, South Korea, and the Netherlands are a few others. Some businesses also operate with a democratic management style, offering a participative leadership approach. Google is one, with its founders likening their leadership style to being “proud parents—offering advice and love, but not daily nagging!” Jack Dorsey, the former Twitter CEO, was also often credited with having the characteristics of a democratic leader. You can also find examples of democratic leadership within school clubs and 4-H organizations. Tommy Lasorda, former manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers who won two World Series championships, is credited with being a participative leader in the sport of baseball.
Benefits of Democratic Leadership
Because group members are encouraged to share their thoughts, democratic leadership can lead to better ideas and more creative solutions to problems. Group members feel more involved and committed to projects, making them more likely to care about the end results. Research on leadership styles has shown that democratic leadership contributes to higher productivity among group members. This way of leading has also been connected to increases in group morale.
Potential Pitfalls of Democratic Leadership
While democratic leadership has been described as the most effective leadership style, it does have some potential downsides. In situations where roles are unclear or time is of the essence, democratic leadership can lead to communication failures and uncompleted projects. In some cases, group members may not have the necessary knowledge or expertise to make quality contributions to the decision-making process. Democratic leadership can also result in team members feeling like their opinions and ideas aren’t taken into account. For a government or organization to be truly democratic requires the sharing of all the information. This can lead to potential security issues in some cases, making it another pitfall of using a democratic leadership style.
How to Use Democratic Leadership
Democratic leadership works best in situations where group members are skilled and eager to share their knowledge. It is also important to have plenty of time to allow people to contribute, develop a plan, then vote on the best course of action. Because so many people are involved, setting deadlines can ensure that you get everyone’s input in enough time to act on it. Providing expectations upfront can be helpful as well, making it clear when the group’s input will be sought and which decisions management will make on its own.
A Word From Verywell
Like any other leadership style, there are pros and cons to being a democratic leader. Should you decide that this is the best style for you, following a few simple guidelines—such as managing time carefully and setting deadlines—can help make this an effective approach.
