Democratic Leadership

What is Democratic Leadership?

A leadership style in which employees are consulted and contribute to decisions before the leader decides. It draws on the knowledge of the people closest to the work, builds ownership of the decision and can improve motivation and the acceptance of change, but it takes longer, can expose disagreement, and is ineffective where employees lack the knowledge to contribute or where a decision must be made immediately.

This definition is part of the People in Business chapter in Cambridge O Level Business Studies.

Concepts related to Democratic Leadership

• consultation
• two-way communication
• managing change

Common mistakes with Democratic Leadership

• "Democratic leadership is the best style." Fix No style is universally best. Urgency, risk, workforce skill, leader capability, culture and the importance of the decision all bear on the choice. Why A fire evacuation run by consultation is not democratic leadership; it is a failure of leadership.