Inspired by the article about leadership on the Asana blog, Pilar and Tim discuss Kurt Lewin’s 3 leadership styles. In a seminal study conducted in 1939, groups of 10 year old children were given a craft task and assigned an adult leader using either an authoritarian, democratic or laissez-faire leadership style. They concluded that democratic leadership was the most effective.

Pilar and Tim share their experiences of these 3 styles and spend some time debating the laissez-faire and authoritarian styles. And whether there is a distinction between management and leadership. Pilar throws a few more models into the mix: Ken Blanchard’s situational leadership and John Adair’s Action Centered Leadership.

Ultimately our default style isn’t going to suit every circumstance. We need to switch between styles to get the best results.

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In the diverse terrain of leadership, we may find ourselves favouring certain styles over others. However, as situations and teams vary, the most suitable approach isn’t always our go-to leadership style. Indeed, each style carries its own benefits and drawbacks, and the key lies in identifying which is most fitting in a given scenario.

Ken Blanchard’s situational leadership model lends valuable insights in this regard. It prompts us to consider which leadership approach could serve best under specific circumstances. Echoing this sentiment, Kurt Lewin proposed three distinct styles: authoritarian, participative, and laissez-faire. Though “laissez-faire” might initially raise eyebrows, it’s essential to not dismiss it prematurely.

Drawing parallels with the education sector may seem tempting, but one must exercise caution before translating the effects of laissez-faire leadership on school children directly to a workplace scenario. An experienced, high-performing team can often flourish under a laissez-faire leader, while a novice team might benefit more from an authoritative approach. This nuance underscores the need to adapt our leadership style according to the team’s experience level.

This concept is illustrated in a personal anecdote where laissez-faire management was immensely appreciated. Yet, it’s critical to remember that a laissez-faire approach should not excuse managers from their fundamental duties such as setting priorities or extending support when needed.

Jurgen Appelo, in his Management 3.0 principle, advises leaders to “manage the system, not the people”. A leadership approach will only yield success if the underlying system is designed to support it. It’s a lesson every leader must internalize, even if it means stepping outside their comfort zone when their preferred style doesn’t align with the team’s needs.

In his Action Centered Leadership model, John Adair posits that managers should maintain a balance between focusing on the task, individual, and team. This insight reaffirms the notion that leaders are called to take command during challenging times.

The term “authoritative leadership” often conjures negative associations, yet it remains a necessary tool in a leader’s arsenal, provided it’s wielded thoughtfully. It’s easy to assume that leadership style choices stem from personality traits or good intentions. However, this isn’t always the case.

Leaders often grapple with the choice between managing in a particular style due to personal preferences and choosing a style that best serves the team or the task at hand. This dichotomy reiterates the importance of adaptability in leadership. As managers, our task is to mold our styles according to the situation, a feat that demands flexibility, self-awareness, and a deep understanding of our teams.

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TIME CODED SHOW NOTES with links

01:30 min There can be times where the appropriate leadership style for a situation is one that we don’t like. But our default style isn’t going to suit every situation and team. And all styles have pros and cons.

4:25 Pilar references Ken Blanchard’s situational leadership model and how it encourages us to consider which leadership approach might work best in a particular situation.

5:00 Lewin classified 3 leadership styles: authoritarian, participative and laissez-faire. Tim has a reaction to calling something laissez-faire. But Pilar and the dictionary keep us on track.

7:20 Tim’s a bit suspicious of drawing conclusions about workplace productivity based on how school children react to laissez-faire leadership.

8:50 If you have a really experienced and high performing team you should be able to be a bit laissez-faire. Tim has found being more authoritative can sometimes be helpful when dealing with an inexperienced person or team. But less so with experienced teams.

11:00 Pilar shares a story of her husband having a very laissez-faire manager and loving it.

13:30 Laissez-faire leader doesn’t mean that you neglect the core tasks of management like setting priorities or providing support when your team needs it.

15:50 Jurgen Appelo said “Manage the system, not the people”, it’s the fourth principle of Management 3.0. A leadership approach will only work if the system is setup to support it.

18:30 Tim has struggled to adapt when his preferred style isn’t what the team member needs.

19:15 Pilar introduces another model! John Adair’s Action Centered Leadership says managers need to be balancing their attention between the task, individual and the team.

21:30 Part of the leader’s job description is to take charge in difficult moments.

22:15 Authoritative leadership often brings up negative connotations.

23:15 We assume that adoption of a leadership styles is based on personality and the good intent of a leader. But it isn’t always the case. This leads us to speculate about the difference between managing in a particular style because of your personal reasons vs managing in that style because it works best for the the task or individual or team.

What about you, dear listener? What is your default style? Do you ever use other styles? We’d love to hear about your experiences!

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