Leadership Styles and Parenting Styles

Leadership styles and Parenting Styles are very similar. Think about parenting skills as leadership skills, it will help parent your children. If you think about how you are guiding your child to be a productive and responsible adult. As a leader, you guide your employees to be productive and responsible.

Looking at parenting styles and leadership styles will have similarities. You can use both parenting and leadership styles in your work and in your home. Be mindful that the styles are more fluid than strict when a person implements them. Most of the time you are somewhere in the middle. The styles that are described are stated to be more ridged. But most styles are implemented on a spectrum.

Authoritarian – both leadership and parenting styles have this category. They are extremely similar. The Oxford Review Encyclopedia of Terms states authoritarian leadership is any situation where a leader keeps hold of as much power and authority as possible. It can also be known as coercive or dictatorial leadership. In parenting which is based on Baumrid parenting styles. Authoritarians are extremely strict and want blind obedience to any direction or instructions. An authoritarian is highly demanding and impatient with children’s behavior. That is the same with leaders who are authoritarian. They are highly demanding and impatient. Also, both are constantly critical and unwilling to negotiate or discuss the matter.

Neglectful or uninvolved in parenting styles and laissez-faire leadership styles. Both lack interest and or responsiveness to the child and to the employee. Both make few demands on their children or employees. They are often indifferent, dismissive, or even completely neglectful. Both do not pay attention to the needs of their children or employees. Many times, self-motived employees like laissze faire bosses, because they are left alone to do their own thing. But they will never back you up. You are out there by yourself.

Permissive parenting styles have low expectations, few rules, and at all cost avoids confrontation. They are also lenient and carefree. It is similar to participative leadership. In participative leadership, they want everyone’s opinion but do not have any expectations or rules. Both in permissive and participative leadership the children and employees feel appreciated.

The last parenting style and leadership style is authoritative. In both, they set high expectations and clear standards. They are flexible responsive and warm to their children and employees. Both are highly responsive and nurturing and have high expectations. The parents and leaders are nurturing to their children and employees. They feel they can solve problems and ask for support if needed. They are also open-minded and willing to discuss issues. Together they solve problems that work for both. Also, both styles have set limits and expectations. So, review the different kinds of parenting styles and leadership styles. Understanding parenting styles and leadership styles can lead children to productive lives. Try to become more authoritative and find a balance.