What makes a great leader? Some believe certain people were born with the skills needed to become compelling leaders. Others believe people can learn to become leaders as they mature. However, there is more than one type of leader, and some leaders might only be suited for one style. Additionally, some leadership styles are only useful in certain situations.↵
The democratic leadership style values the participation of team members while the leader still takes responsibility for the final decision. This type of leadership boosts the members' morale since they can make their voices heard in the decision-making process. It makes them feel as if their opinions matter. Democratic leadership works well during times of change within an organization. However, it is not an ideal choice when an organization needs to make a quick decision or when the team members are not informed enough to offer the leader suggestions.↵
Next, coercive leaders force their team members to follow their orders by threatening them with punishment. Instead of persuading people, these leaders demand immediate compliance with all of their orders. Coercive leadership is highly effective in short term and emergency situations when fast decisions are needed to prevent further chaos. However, leaders should rely on it only after everything else has failed. Otherwise, it can cause serious problems for an organization by hurting its flexibility.↵
Lastly, transactional leadership focuses on giving rewards and punishments. After determining their goals together, the members agree to follow their leaders' directions to accomplish them. The leaders then either reward or punish the team members based upon the results of their performance. This method works when the rewards and punishments are what motivate the people involved. However, it may cause people to get used to doing only what they are told to do. As a result, they might do the minimum amount of work expected of them to avoid penalties.