Leadership is an ambiguous concept. There are a vast array of styles, theories, and traits which may or may not work for each leader. Not every style works in each specific situation and not every style works for each leader. Transitioning these textbook leadership concepts to real world situations may work to unnerve employees more than actually inspiring them. Some of these styles are downright archaic and are terrible for any situation. In his article, “These 5 Leadership Styles Have Never Worked for Anybody”, author Larry Alton sets out to explain why these concepts need to be forgotten immediately.
The first style that Larry believes is unnecessary is “micromanaging”. Everyone has had negative encounters with micromanagers. It can be difficult for leaders to be self-aware enough to tell the difference between consistent support and micromanagement. Larry believe that there is no universal answer for this. Each employees needs to be treated as a unique individual and some need more support than others. The real issue is a blanket micromanaging style in which each employee is being consistently checked in on even if they are the fiercely independent type.
The second style that Larry explains is “absolute rule”. Although it is the leader’s job to set the direction for their team, it is not a totalitarian dictatorship. When a leader believes that their vision and direction are the law of the land, they tend lose the respect of their team. In a business setting each employee usually wants to exhibit some sort of self-efficacy and actually have a voice. It is important for a leader to command authority and cultivate respect, but it needs to be balanced with the needs of the team. It is also better for the task at hand that each employee gets to scrutinize the project. The different viewpoints can do wonders for creativity and production.
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