Democratic leadership, also known as participative leadership or shared leadership, is a leadership style in which members of the group participate in the decision-making process. This type of leadership can apply to any organization, from private businesses to schools to the government.
With a democratic leadership style, everyone is given the opportunity to participate, ideas are exchanged freely, and discussion is encouraged. While this process tends to focus on group equality and the free flow of ideas, the democratic leader is still there to offer guidance and control.
The democratic leader is also charged with deciding who is in the group and who gets to contribute to the decisions being made. Research has found that the democratic leadership style is one of the most effective types and leads to higher productivity, better contributions from group members, and increased group morale.1
Characteristics of Democratic Leadership
Some of the primary characteristics of democratic leadership include:2
Collaboration: Group members are encouraged to share ideas and opinions, even though the leader retains the final say over decisions.
Engagement: Members of the group feel more engaged in the process.
Creativity: Creativity is encouraged and rewarded.
Researchers suggest that good democratic leaders possess specific traits such as being a team player, possessing a willingness to adapt, having a fair mind, and being engaged in the process.3 Strong democratic leaders inspire trust and respect among their followers.
These leaders are sincere and make decisions based on their morals and values. They also tend to seek diverse opinions and do not try to silence dissenting voices or those that offer a less popular point of view. As a result, followers feel inspired to take action and contribute to the group.
Examples of Democratic Leadership
More than half of the countries in the world with populations over 500,000 people use a democratic leadership style.4 The United States is one. Sweden, the Philippines, Indonesia, South Korea, and the Netherlands are a few others.
Some businesses also operate with a democratic management style, offering a participative leadership approach. Google is one, with its founders likening their leadership style to being “proud parents—offering advice and love, but not daily nagging!”5 Jack Dorsey, the former Twitter CEO, was also often credited with having the characteristics of a democratic leader.
You can also find examples of democratic leadership within school clubs and 4-H organizations.6 Tommy Lasorda, former manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers who won two World Series championships, is credited with being a participative leader in the sport of baseball.3
