Laissez-faire leadership, also known as delegative leadership, is a type of leadership style in which leaders are hands-off and allow group members to make the decisions. Researchers have found that this is generally the leadership style that leads to the lowest productivity among group members.
Laissez-faire leadership is characterized by the following:
- Hands-off approach
- Leaders provide all training and support
- Decisions are left to employees
- Comfort with mistakes
- Accountability falls to the leader
While "laissez-faire" implies a completely hands-off approach, many leaders still remain open and available to group members for consultation and feedback. They might provide direction at the beginning of a project, but then allow group members to do their jobs with little oversight.
