"Two cheers for democracy: One
because it admits variety and two because it permits criticism." - E. M.
Forster
With the rising aspirations and
expectations of the Gen Y, we need a new leadership style to walk the talk with
a flat structure which is free from command-and-control culture. The democratic
leadership style appears to be the appropriate one to fill the bill. In this
leadership style the leaders discuss with group members to resolve
organizational challenges unlike autocratic leadership where leaders make
decisions by themselves without consulting others. Additionally, organizations
need an innovative approach in democratic leadership style where the democratic
leaders are the leaders by the employees, for the employees, and of the
employees which can be called organizational leadership style. It seems that
the employees are craving for organizational democratic leaders who must treat
them as partners rather than subordinates. These organizational democratic
leaders must be smart enough to articulate their vision, motivate employees, and
treat them as partners. The Gen Y appreciates partnership rather than
superior-subordinate relationship. Hence, there is a need for organizational
democratic leaders to treat employees as partners to enhance organizational
excellence and effectiveness. In this organizational democratic leadership
style, the leaders must be approved by the employees rather than nominated by
the management. It has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantage out of this style is that
members feel connected and engaged in the decision-making. The disadvantage out of this style is that
leaders must spend more time in keeping their employees in good humor to get
elected and ensure their survival rather than focusing on organizational bottom
lines which adversely affects the performance and productivity in the long run.
As the world is changing rapidly the
people are also changing rapidly craving for new leadership models and styles. Hence,
a further research is needed in organizational democratic leadership style to
customize as per the current needs to achieve organizational excellence and
effectiveness apart from uncorking the human potential and advancing the career
growth of the employees. To conclude in the words of Steve Miller, Group
Managing Director, Royal Dutch/Shell. "No leader can possibly have all the
answers . . . .The actual solutions about how best to meet the challenges of
the moment have to be made by the people closest to the action. . . .The leader
has to find the way to empower those frontline people, to challenge them, to
provide them with the resources they need, and then to hold them accountable.
As they struggle with . . . this challenge, the leader becomes their coach,
teacher, and facilitator. Change how you define leadership, and you change how
you run a company."
“Government of the people, by the
people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.” - Abraham Lincoln
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