Lesson Overview

Each of us brings a unique philosophy and style to the leadership challenges that we face. Our leadership philosophy is based on our belief and attitudes about the human nature and the nature of work. Douglas McGregor contrasted two different approaches to leadership, Theory X and Theory Y. These theories involve very different assumptions about how people approach work and what employees need from leaders. These assumptions comprise the foundation of our leadership practices and behaviors—our leadership style. Three of the most common styles are authoritarian, democratic, and laissez–faire. Being an effective leader requires us to understand our philosophy of leadership and how our philosophy shapes our leadership style. An understanding of different leadership styles enables us to make conscious and deliberate choices about selecting and implementing a specific style that is optimal for any given situation. This lesson will help you to define your personal philosophy and style of leadership.

Reading Assignment

• Northouse, P. G. (2015). Understanding philosophy and styles. Introduction to leadership: Concepts and practice (3^rd ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publications. (Course textbook: Chapter 4, pp. 83–103)
• Goodnight, R. (Feb. 2011). Laissez-faire leadership. In Encyclopedia of leadership. 16, (pp. 820-823). Los Angeles: Sage Publications. Retrieved from https://secure.sagepub.com/northouseintro2e/study/chapter/encyclopedia/encyclopedia3.2.pdf
• Instructions for Online Team Discussions 

Lesson Objectives

When you have successfully completed this module you should be able to

• summarize the assumptions and leadership practices associated with Theory X;
• summarize the assumptions and leadership practices associated with Theory Y;
• recognize examples of leadership practices and outcomes typical of an authoritarian leadership style;
• recognize examples of leadership practices and outcomes typical of a democratic leadership style;
• recognize examples of leadership practices and outcomes typical of a laissez-faire leadership style; and
• describe your personal philosophy and style of leadership.

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