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. Democratic leadership ordinarily produces higher member satisfaction and morale. It also results in higher quality decisions when members have as much or more knowledge than the leader regarding a particular problem. Another way of differentiating among leaders is by their task or maintenance orientation. Every group has to accomplish tasks and maintain itself if it is going to continue to function.