Leadership Styles Case Study Samples

Leadership has various styles and is adorned with plethora of attributes that may govern the type of leader. The two case studies provided have exactly opposite leadership styles displayed in the context. In company A, the leader was an autocratic leader having a strict hierarchical structure but a centralized source of power and decision making. The assessment and all the decisions were made by the general manager without giving any regard to the employees or sub managers of the company. He had a strict influence over employees with strong control and strict decisive dimension. The way of leadership can prove to be quite demoralizing sometimes for the employees who have to follow the orders without having their opinion and voice blended into the decisions. With lack of meetings and discussions, the manager had the centralized control suppressed over whole of the team leading to a higher level of dissatisfaction or turnover (Eagly, 2001).
However, for the company B, the culture and environment of the company is quite flexible and friendly to foster a feeling of respect and satisfaction. In company B, everyone has a right to assess everybody with full freedom and control. With a flat structure, the communication is open and two sided which will lead to division of responsibilities and authorities. The manager has a control over the team but with due respect given to their opinions and viewpoints that make the team coherently collaborated and glued to the company with utmost dedication. Manager had a positive influence over the employees which encouraged creativity and innovation in the company. This style of leadership makes the employees engaged in work and helps them to give a higher productivity and genuine support in the company (Godshalk, 2000). The manager acts as a happy medium by engaging the employees to innovate and prosper rather than commanding them to complete a certain task.
Both the companies may lead to different outputs and implications guided and observed by the styles of leadership practiced. The two styles of leadership are mostly contradictory and therefore, the implications are predicted to be opposite of each other.
In company A, it is expected that the employees and the subordinate managers would feel burdened and ruled by the general manager because of lack of participation in the decision making. There will be lack of independence in the decision making tasks which will lead to reduction in productivity due to lesser levels of satisfaction. Autocratic rule may also lead to absenteeism observed in employees leading to cases of staff turnover or in extreme, resignation given by some of the members of the organization (Avolio, 1997). The authenticity of the leadership style might not be able to produce the desirable results due to the unpredictable and output oriented nature of the general manager. The employee’s fear from the attitude of the manager and hence there is no scope of open communication between the two ends. The implication for this style of leadership would be negative and drastic in some cases as the employees would not be satisfied with the organizational culture and decision making structure of the firm.
For company B however, the leadership style would lead to positive and optimistic results. These results might be in the form of higher production levels, greater job satisfaction, creativity and innovation in the processes, operational and strategic success or other forms (Johnson, 1988). With democratic and participative leadership style it was obvious that the manager was quite open about the policies and culture of the company and used to have suggestions in the process of decision making. This style of leadership is healthy for the organization in terms of growth and prosperity (Zigarmi, 1985). The diversity of tasks and division of work would lead to higher attendance and awareness among the employees relating the projects undergoing in the company. The collaboration and coherence of the employees will lead to beneficial outcomes in the business relating the fields of decision making, risk management, marketing management or other domains of functioning.
These case studies dwelled deeper into two of the most extreme cases of leadership styles and theories that are practiced all over the world and hence would be really helpful in understanding practically both the ends of leadership. It is evident that practicing a democratic and participative leadership style it is likely to have beneficial and positive outcomes for the organization which is opposite to the autocratic style where the employees feel bound and forced (Van Engen, 2003). It would be really helpful to practice democratic leadership style in the organization to make the level of participation of the employees escalated along with a high degree of satisfaction. The leadership should be employee oriented to uplift the inspiration of the workforce and infuse the production or sales of the company by adding elements of innovation to the strategic operations. This leadership style is moral and ethical as it take care of the needs of the employees thereby making them satisfied and more inclined towards a dedicated work for the projects allotted.
So, in a personal viewpoint, participative style of leadership would help in a more refined form of decision making with open form of communication. The gap between the levels is reduced and flexibility is infused for a positive work environment. It makes the employees feel empowered and hence secures the future of the company with the help of the talent pool and their level of job satisfaction.

References:

Eagly, A. H., Johannesen-Schmidt, M. C., & Van Engen, M. L. 2003. Transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership styles: a meta-analysis comparing women and men. Psychological bulletin, 129(4), 569.
Bass, B. M., & Avolio, B. J. 1997. Full range leadership development: Manual for the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (pp. 43-44). Palo Alto, CA: Mind Garden.
Eagly, A. H., & Johannesen‐Schmidt, M. C. 2001. The leadership styles of women and men. Journal of social issues, 57(4), 781-797.
Hersey, P., Blanchard, K. H., & Johnson, D. E. 1988. Management of organizational behavior.
Blanchard, K. H., Zigarmi, P., & Zigarmi, D. 1985. Leadership and the one minute manager. Video Publishing House.
Sosik, J. J., & Godshalk, V. M. 2000. Leadership styles, mentoring functions received, and job‐related stress: a conceptual model and preliminary study.Journal of Organizational Behavior, 21(4), 365-390.