Laissez-Faire Management style is a nonauthoritarian leadership style. Here the leader believes that people perform best when they are left alone.
Let us discuss some of the essential characteristics of this kind of management style.
a) Delegation
Here the leader delegates the authority to make decisions to his/her subordinates. People are given the freedom to complete their tasks on their own. Jobs are, however, set by the leader only site cyro.se. This management style can, however, lead to a problem in situations where employees feel insecure in the absence of a leader; that is, they are not confident in handling the work without the leader’s involvement. This can lead to a situation where a task may remain pending for an extended period on account of the nonavailability of a leader.
b) Focus
Since the leader is not directly involved in ensuring the execution of tasks assigned to staff, he/she has more time to focus on other critical issues requiring his/her immediate attention. However, this does not absolve the leader of his/her responsibility for the tasks assigned to the staff. Any wrong decision taken by any member may have a severe impact on the business process as a whole, which may require further review and resolution by the leader only, thereby consuming more of his/her time. Moreover, staff may require guidance at regular intervals, which would ultimately require the leader’s attention and time.
c) Experience
Since staff is given the freedom to execute the tasks assigned to them by taking independent decisions, they get an opportunity to learn and gain experience by applying their concepts and knowledge to a particular situation. As a result, they get more exposure and confidence in handling complex issues. Moreover, the employee may take initiatives on their own, making them more responsible for their work. However, if employees do not feel accountable for their work, such a management style can result in negative consequences.
d) Trust
Employees enjoy decision making power in this kind of management style Pubg pc. Here the leader is viewed as someone who trusts his/her employees. Such a kind of leader may enjoy a better reputation among his/her subordinates. However, there can also be a situation where employees may feel that the leader is trying to escape from a complicated situation by making them responsible for making the decision.
Let us discuss certain specific conditions in which this management style can give better results.
- When staff is highly experienced, have in-depth knowledge of business processes, and possess skills and knowledge relevant to execute tasks assigned to them.
- Employees understand their responsibilities and are motivated to complete their work to the best of their abilities.
- Work is performed with the help of consultants or outside staff who have relevant expertise and skills necessary to complete the action.
- This kind of management style relies heavily on how much trust exists between the leader and his/her staff. If over a period, the leader gained a high level of confidence in his/her subordinates and can rely on their decisions, there is a possibility that work will be performed as per the expectations set.
