Decision Making Styles

Decision Making Styles

Participatory Management
Leader Decides		Followers Decide
Autocratic	Consultative	Group Decides	Delegation
Decide and Tell	Decide after consultation and/or recommendation	Followers share in decision	Delegation of decision with clear parameters
Style #1: Autocratic Decide unilaterally and announce decision.Ask for paraphrase to make sure you have been clear.	Style #2: Consult Almost decided, check reactions before final decision.	Style #4: Majority Majority vote with leader having one vote … no veto power.	Style #6: Delegation Delegate the decision with clear parameters of freedom.Ask for paraphrase to make sure clear.
	Style #3: recommend Solicit inputs before deciding.	Style #5: Consensus All agree after discussion.

cf.: Blanchard’s Four Basic Leadership Styles.

cf.: Skill vs. Will Management Matrix

cf.: Decision Making – in Organizational Behavior- an Experimental Approach

cf.: Building Blocks of Empowerment

  Principles

1. Leader decides how to decide.
2. Tell the truth about the style you are using.
3. Honor your follower’s role of influence.
4. All styles are effective in different situations — work towards developing flexibility.
5. All styles are participatory and are used to achieve empowerment.