Leadership Styles – examples from Brooklyn99

Follow this presentation that connects the leadership styles below to excerpts of the Netflix show Brooklyn 99.

Have fun thinking about the different styles of leadership in Brooklyn 99. When one of the characters takes on a leadership role – which style do they use? Go ahead and add your own observations to the path below.

Leadership styles

• Autocratic Leader: Autocratic leaders are leaders who take full authority and assume full responsibility for their employees. They centralize power and decision-making for themselves and expect employees to do what they are told to do.
  • Applications of Autocratic leadership: Defense forces, police where decisions need to be quick and the time for discussion is small. In a business time of crisis when there needs to be quick decisions made to limit damage to the business.
• Democratic Leader: Democratic leaders are leaders who decentralize authority. Decisions arise from consultation with subordinates and participation by them. Employees are informed about conditions affecting their jobs, which encourages them to express their ideas and suggestions.
  • Applications of democratic leadership: Used in businesses that expect workers to contribute fully to the production and decision making process. In situations that demand a new way of thinking or a new solution.
• Paternal Leader: A paternal leader is a leader who adopts a type of fatherly style exercising organizational power to control and protect subordinate staff who are expected to be loyal and obedient. This style of leadership is suitable for businesses which have a formal hierarchical structure and where creative thinking is not solicited from staff.
• Laissez Faire Leader: Laissez faire leaders avoid power and responsibility. They depend on the group to establish its own goals. Laissez faire leadership style is useful in those situations where a leader can leave a choice entirely to the group.
  • Application of the laissez faire style: Sometimes managers are too busy to be overseeing their staff. This style can be applicable in situations with highly skilled workers so that they are not constrained by too many rules or control.
• Situational Leadership: Situational leadership style involves adjusting the leadership style depending on the situation. It is important for the leader to find the right balance between giving directions and providing support and then respond with a leadership style that is appropriate to the situation. It depends on the task being given, the skill level of the employees, the organizational structure and the culture of the organization.