Democratic Leadership Style: Definition, Examples, Pros and Cons - LogRocket Blog (2023)

True democratic leaders hold themselves and their teams accountable for their actions and decisions. You take responsibility for mistakes and learn from them. You never blame others.

Democratic leadership styles

Democratic leadership is not a static way of leading a team. There are two main styles:

• Counseling based
• Consensus based

Counseling based

In this style, the leader gets as many opinions as possible from the team before making a final decision. However, the manager reserves the right to make the final decision.

This approach can be particularly effective in organizations dealing with complex problems that require diverse perspectives and creative solutions.

Consensus based

The consensus-based solution is more of a group discussion among stakeholders, moderated by the manager, with the goal of reaching an agreement at the end. The responsibility for the final decision naturally remains with the manager.

When there is a high degree of interdependence between stakeholders and decisions must be made jointly, consensus-based democratic leadership is often seen as the best choice. It can be used when a high degree of agreement needs to be achieved between team members before proceeding to the next step.

Feel free to try these different styles individually or in combination, depending on your preferences and the needs of your team and business.

Example of a democratic management style

The leaders of many technology companies embrace democratic leadership because it promotes creativity, innovation and teamwork. You've probably heard that the CEOs of Google, Netflix or Microsoft are democratic leaders.

However, one of the best examples is the South Korean technology giant.Naver. It is an online search and technology company recognized as one of the largest Internet companies in Asia.

Former CEO Han Seong-Sook was known for his democratic management style. Under Han's leadership, Naver implemented a "work smart" program that allowed employees to work remotely or choose their own hours. He also introduced a "flat" management structure to encourage better and more frequent communication between employees and managers.

In addition, Naver has launched a unique employee benefit, the "Innovative Challenge Program," which gives newly hired employees from all departments KRW 10 million (approx. USD 9,000) to pursue their own product ideas. It is imperative that employees use the resources provided to develop their own product ideas, which may be related to or completely independent of Naver's core business. If Naver employees decline this option, this amount will be deducted from their salary instead.

Even if the employee's product idea does not succeed, Naver sees it as a learning experience and values ​​the employee's commitment and initiative. In other words: failure will result in no penalty.

This program is based on the idea that everyone in the company has the potential to come up with great ideas, regardless of their role or position in the company. This is an example of Naver's commitment to promoting a culture characterized by innovation, creativity and empowerment, and a commitment to invest in the growth and development of its employees.

The fact that Naver supports its employees even when their product ideas fail demonstrates a culture of trust and transparency, which are central principles of democratic leadership.

Naver has created a democratic workplace where employees are encouraged to take risks and try new things. They are not punished for making mistakes or taking calculated risks. This helps to create a more committed and motivated workforce, which ultimately benefits both employees and the company as a whole.

Advantages of introducing a democratic management style

The product manager is a leadership role that requires the ability to make decisions that significantly affect the success of a product. Adopting a democratic management style leads to:

• More creativity and innovation
• Improved motivation and commitment
• Better choice
• Improved communication and teamwork

More creativity and innovation

Involving employees in the decision-making process is like accessing collective knowledge and discovering your team's creativity.

This leads to innovative solutions and ideas that you might never have imagined and that might not have been possible without the cooperation of the entire team.

However, this only works if your team is motivated enough to participate in the process. Be sure to monitor your team's mental health and address their needs.

Improved motivation and commitment

When team members feel they have a say in what the final product will look like, they are more likely to be involved and motivated in their work.

You can expect a more positive and vibrant working environment. As a result, this leads to better results as your team members become more committed to the product goals. They are also more likely to commit to the outcome and take responsibility for the results.

Better choice

Gathering different perspectives and ideas as a team can identify potential risks or opportunities that might have been missed if decisions had been made by one person.

Improved communication and teamwork

Democratic leadership encourages open communication and collaboration between team members or different teams. This can lead to a more cohesive and productive work environment.

Disadvantages of democratic leadership

Although there are many advantages to democratic leadership, there are also some potential disadvantages or challenges that you, as the Prime Minister and leader of your team, should be aware of:

• Time consuming decision making
• Difficulty handling conflict
• Lack of organization or guidance
• inability to make decisions

Time consuming decision making

You should be aware that involving many team members in decision-making is a time-consuming process, as it requires consultation with team members and obtaining opinions before making a decision.

Styles such as consensus-based democratic leadership are out of the question when there is an urgent need for quick decisions.

Difficulty handling conflict

Different team members would never discuss important product decisions without having different opinions or encountering disagreements. Managing conflicts and ensuring that decisions are made in a fair and objective manner can be a challenge for product managers.

In my experience, conflict is inevitable.

Lack of organization or guidance

Team members may have different ideas about how to tackle a problem or task. In this case, as a product manager, you need to provide clear direction, otherwise the team may struggle to move forward on the roadmap.

You need to monitor their progress and make it clear where you want to go and what next step you need to work on.

inability to make decisions

The inability to make a decision can stem from fear of making the wrong choice, having too many options, or having conflicting opinions.

This can pose a significant risk to democratic leadership, as involving many people in decision-making can sometimes lead to long discussions and debates, ultimately resulting in "no decision".

Be aware that democratic leadership may not work in all situations or with all teams. Product managers must be flexible and adapt their management style to their team's needs and preferences.

What are the characteristics of a democratic leader?

Any successful democratic leader must have the following skills:

• Announcement
• flexibility
• Empathy

Announcement

Good communication skills are essential for any manager, but especially important for democratic product managers. You are dealing with a very large team consisting of people from different departments. You must be able to speak each individual's language.

I don't mean you have to speak eloquently in meetings. What I mean is that you need to constantly inform yourself about the team members, their areas of expertise, their personalities and their concerns.

flexibility

As a democratic leader, you must be flexible and able to adapt to changes. You must be willing to experiment with new ideas and approaches and be open to feedback and suggestions.

In particular, you should encourage your team members to share their thoughts and opinions, listen to their suggestions, and show them that you really care about their feedback.

Empathy

Empathy is also a crucial quality for any leader. You must be able to understand the needs and perspectives of your team members, support them and be willing to work with them to find solutions to the challenges they may face in this process.

In general, as a democratic leader, you should find a balance between leadership and teamwork, empowering your team members while ensuring that your organization's goals are met.

it boils down

If you're a product manager striving for a democratic management style, there are several best practices you can follow to ensure success.

Encourage team members to share their ideas and opinions and ensure that everyone's opinion is valued. No idea is stupid or useless. This can help build trust and cooperation within the team and create a sense of ownership and responsibility.

Set clear expectations and develop a shared vision for the team. This can help align everyone's efforts with a common goal and ensure everyone is on the same wavelength.

Never be afraid to talk about something and organize many meetings with stakeholders.

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