What are the three leadership styles?

• A. Authoritative/autocratic, Democratic, Laissez-faire
• B. Transformational, Servant, Charismatic
• C. Autocratic, Participative, Delegative
• D. Visionary, Coaching, Affiliative

Answer: (A)

Understanding leadership style means looking at how a leader uses authority and interacts with the team to make decisions. The three classic styles are autocratic (authoritative), democratic (participative), and laissez-faire. An autocratic leader takes charge and makes decisions alone, giving clear directions and expecting obedience; this can be effective for fast, decisive action or when there’s little room for discussion. A democratic leader involves the team in decision-making, seeking input and consensus, which tends to boost motivation and commitment but can slow the process. A laissez-faire leader provides broad autonomy and minimal supervision, allowing skilled teams to innovate, though it can lead to a lack of direction if the group isn’t self-directed. These three form a traditional spectrum from highly directive to highly hands-off. Other frameworks add nuance with styles like transformational, servant, or charismatic, but the three listed capture the primary modes of leader–follower interaction in many management models.