Chapter Concept

 In the Small Group Test, the authors discuss the four types of leadership and their effectiveness. The first type of leadership Authoritarian, in which the leader takes charge and the group members have no say or opinion. Unsurprisingly, this style of leadership can be discouraging and unfair to the group. The second type of leadership discussed, Consultative, does not necessarily include a leader but involves activity and input from every group member; the exact opposite of Authoritative leadership. Participative leadership includes the leader and the group members working together, which is one of the most productive versions of leadership. Lastly, there is Laissez-faire, which consists of a leader that does not “lead” the group or provide direction. Laissez-faire is considered one of the most unproductive types of leadership. Personally, I prefer working in a Participative group environment because every group member is responsible for their fair share and the group still has direction and encouragement from the leader.