At one extreme is the autocrat who makes all decisions, then tells subordinates how to implement them. The autocrat may or may not consider what the subordinates feel about the decision. Subordinates have no opportunity to participate in decision making. On the other extreme is the laissez-faire leader who plays no leadership role at all. This leader gives the group all decision making responsibility and has no more authority than any other group member.
Democratic leadership falls toward the right end of the continuum.
Democratic leaders involve members in decision making either by reaching consensus or by using parliamentary procedure. They pursue open, trusting, follower-oriented relationships. Numerous studies have compared the impact of authoritarian vs. democratic leadership on group effectiveness. Results are mixed. In general, authoritarian styles are superior when the leader has much more information regarding the task, when time is limited, and immediate productivity is required.