Lewin, Lippitt and White - basic styles of management
Lewin, Lippitt and White distinguished two basic management styles: autocratic (directive) and democratic (integrative).
Autocratic style is characterized by centralization of power in the hands of the manager, the predominance of personal decisions and official orders, the lack of freedom of subordinates, a large distance in personal relations with subordinates.
Democratic style manager is characterized by good relationship with the group and desire to obtain the approval of subordinates, listening, encouraging the expression of opinions and ideas and also some freedom in action of subordinates.
In following publications, in addition to the above two, Lewin, Lippitt and White proposed third additional management style: liberal (laissez faire).
Characteristics of a democratic style of leadership
- Director delegates a significant amount of power, but retains ultimate responsibility for the execution of tasks and control measures and interventions that seek to ensure the objectives of the team.
- Subordinates have a large degree of freedom in performing tasks and determine themselves how to implement them.
- Dominate two-way communication between the management and employees. Manager consult employees before making a decision, and his relations with subordinates are open.
- Promotes employee involvement through the creation of opportunities to participate in decision-making - Democratic manager encourage the group to make decisions relating to the objectives and tasks.
- There is no place for direct ordering and strict control,
- Managing is about confidence and faith in subordinates, open discussions is encouraged, the information is accurate, the process of communication is efficient and employees actively participate in the life of the company, with a direct impact on its development.
- Co-operation, assistance, encouragement, kindness - these are the features which dominate in relationships with other people.
- Manager seeks the good climate and cooperation in the team.
- The manager is interested in the personal affairs of employees.
- It creates the conditions that reveal the initiative and creativity of employees.
The disadvantage of democratic style, however, is time-consuming decision-making process.
Autocratic style of leadership
In autocratic management style the leader himself is responsible for the distribution of tasks and responsibilities, directs people, makes decision and impose fines for disobedience and non-compliance with standards.. This style is characterized by:
- Predominance of single decision making,
- Large distances to the subordinates.
Autocrats are divided into:
- Austere (hard, severe) - Austere autocrat is a person fair but firm and not delegating powers. Benevolent autocrat is a person seeking to establish the best working conditions, but addressing all decisions individually. Inept autocrat is an incompetent person, unpredictable, easily changing mood. Manager is the head despot ignoring the needs of employees, motivating a team by terror and sanctions
- Benevolent - manager gives the impression that is interested in wishes and needs of subordinates.
- Inept - manager has very low competences in managing both people and complex tasks.
Autocratic management style gives the best result for the following situations:
- Contacts of the manager with the group are good and the task set before the team is relatively simple,
- Contacts of the manager with the group are bad and the task set before the team is complex, in addition, the scope of the power of manager is heavily restricted.
See also:
Examples of Lewin, Lippitt and White - basic styles of management
Autocratic (Directive) Style of Management
- A manager using an autocratic style of management will give clear instructions and expect them to be followed without question. They will not usually listen to employees’ suggestions or input and will often make decisions without consulting them. They will usually have a top-down approach and be quick to criticize and reprimand when things are not done correctly.
- In a military setting, the autocratic style of management is often seen in the chain of command system. The commanding officer typically gives orders to the lower ranked personnel, and those orders must be followed without question.
- In a corporate setting, the autocratic style of management is sometimes seen in a CEO-employee relationship. The CEO may give orders to their employees and expect them to be followed without question. They may also make decisions without consulting the employees or considering their input.
Democratic (Integrative) Style of Management
- A manager using a democratic style of management will typically allow employees to have more freedom and input in the decision-making process. They will listen to employee suggestions and input and will allow them to participate in the decision-making process. They may also be more open to feedback from employees.
- In a corporate setting, the democratic style of management is often seen in a team leader-employee relationship. The team leader may allow employees to have more input and control over their work, and may be open to feedback and suggestions from employees.
- In a school setting, the democratic style of management is often seen in a teacher-student relationship. The teacher may allow students to have more freedom and control over their work, and may be open to feedback and suggestions from students.
Advantages of Lewin, Lippitt and White - basic styles of management
The two basic management styles proposed by Lewin, Lippitt and White are the autocratic (directive) and democratic (integrative) styles. Each style has its own advantages in different management contexts, including:
- Autocratic (directive) management style - this style of management allows decisions to be made quickly and efficiently as the manager has complete control over the decisions and actions of the team. This style can also be an effective way of getting a team to focus on a particular task, as the manager is able to set clear guidelines and expectations for the team.
- Democratic (integrative) management style - this style of management encourages participation and collaboration from all members of the team. It allows team members to offer their input, ideas, and perspectives on decisions, which can help foster innovation and creativity. This style also encourages a sense of ownership and responsibility within the team, as team members are given a greater degree of autonomy in the decision-making process.
Limitations of Lewin, Lippitt and White - basic styles of management
Despite Lewin, Lippitt and White's distinction between autocratic (directive) and democratic (integrative) management styles, there are several limitations to their classification. These include:
- A lack of recognition of the potential for a hybrid approach, combining elements of both management styles. This approach has been demonstrated to be useful in many contexts, such as when a manager needs to apply both directive and participative approaches in order to achieve a goal.
- Their focus on individual management styles fails to take into account the effects of organizational culture and structure on the effectiveness of management styles. In order for a management style to be successful, it must fit with the overall organizational environment.
- The lack of consideration for the effects of different cultural and social contexts, which can influence the success of a particular management style in different contexts.
- The limited scope of their classification does not account for the fact that there are many other management styles, such as situational, visionary, and transformational. These styles should also be taken into account when developing a management style.
Introduction: Below is a list of other approaches related to Lewin, Lippitt and White basic styles of management.
- The Laissez-Faire style of management is based on the principle of allowing employees to work independently with minimal or no direction from the manager. This style of management can be appropriate in situations where employees have sufficient knowledge and training to complete tasks without guidance.
- The Coaching style of management is based on the idea of guiding employees towards a goal in a supportive, proactive way. Managers using this style of management provide advice and support to employees, while still allowing them to take responsibility for their own actions.
- The Experience-Based style of management is based on the idea that the best way to learn is through experience. Managers using this style of management provide employees with the opportunity to learn through trial-and-error and experimentation, rather than through direct instruction.
- The Directive style of management is based on the idea of setting clear, specific expectations for employees and providing them with clear instructions on how to accomplish tasks. This style of management can be appropriate in situations where employees are not sufficiently trained or experienced to complete tasks without guidance.
- The Participative style of management is based on the idea of involving employees in the decision-making process. Managers using this style of management encourage employees to provide input and share their opinions, while still retaining the final say in decisions.
Summary: In conclusion, there are a variety of approaches related to Lewin, Lippitt and White's basic styles of management, including the Laissez-Faire, Coaching, Experience-Based, Directive and Participative styles of management. All of these approaches have their own merits and can be appropriate in different situations, depending on the context.
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References
- Lewin, K., Lippitt, R., & White, R.K. (1939). Patterns of aggressive behavior in experimentally created "social climates". The Journal of social psychology, 10(2), 269-299.
- Lewin, K., Lippitt, R., & White, R.K. (1961). Autocracy and democracy. An Ex.
- Scheidlinger, S. (1994). The Lewin, Lippitt and White study of leadership and "social climates" revisited. International journal of group psychotherapy, 44(1), 123-127.
