4. Supervision and Leadership:

4. Supervision and Leadership: Styles and Functions. Authority, or right to lead, may
come from various sources. It may be:
 Rational/legal, i.e. depending on established rules obeyed by everyone;
 Traditional
 Charismatic
There are different „styles‟ of leadership:
 Authoritarian, intolerant of any contradiction
 Democratic, encouraging staff participation in decision-making
 „laissez-faire,‟ leaving staff to their own devices
Another way of analyzing leadership styles identifies 4 categories:
 the „tells‟ kind: decisions are made by the manager and then announced to the
subordinates to be carried out without question;
 the „sells‟ kind: the manager persuades subordinates to accept decisions;
 the „consults‟ kind: managerial decisions are taken after consultation with staff;
 the „joins‟ kind: the manager delegates to the group the right to make decisions.
He defines the problem and its terms of reference, but the actual decision will
normally reflect majority opinion.
You see how leadership style is practically communication style between the leader and
the group. The most effective style of leadership in a particular situation will depend on
the circumstances and the personalities involved: it should be adapted to the requirements
of the subordinates.
The functions of the manager, or leader of a working group include:
 organization of work: giving instructions and explanations
 supervision of the work of others
 consultation with the group members
 provision of information and assistance to group members
 representing the group in dealings with „outsiders‟

A few golden rules for the communicating manager:
 be informed: Knowledge is Power
 be fair: keep an open mind
 be clear: ambiguity causes confusion
 be encouraging. Even negative information (e.g. a reprimand) can be given in a
positive way.