Depending on the type of college you are attending, you will be surrounded with different types of people. Some of them will be laid-back and relaxed while others will do their best to inspire others and to promote productivity.
These are commonly known as “leadership types” in college, since every student contributes to some type of leadership and proactivity in their study group. What are the most important aspects of college leadership that you should be aware of when it comes to your colleagues and professors alike?
When it comes to autocratic leaders, they rarely care about what others think. These students and professors will make decisions based on their own judgment without consulting anyone. While there is really no reason for a professor to consult the student body about any of their decisions, this type of leadership takes things to the extreme.
Autocratic types are known to drive people away from them because of the toxic nature of their leadership. These people are rarely given managerial roles because people sense their stubbornness and self-confidence enough not to make a mistake like that.
Playing the opposite to their autocratic counterparts, democratic leaders take their colleagues’ opinions under consideration. Democratic leaders will never make decisions without consulting everyone involved in it – this goes for both students and professors alike.
Having a group leader that asks for opinions or a professor that uses a voting system to choose the next class project is an amazing feeling that very few people experience in their studies. These people are cherished both as colleagues and as future employees, and while their leadership style might not be as strong as the former, they are much more beloved by everyone around them.
Leaders are often not the ones in the managerial position themselves – they are the influencers that shape the world as we know it. Persuasive leaders are just that – they give thoughts and opinions to their leaders, managers or professors and use strong arguments against their decisions.
These people are able to convince others that they are right or wrong based on whatever agenda they themselves have in mind. Being on the side of a persuasive leadership type in college can be a great tool, especially if you are that person yourself.
As the name would suggest, this type of leadership takes opinions and thoughts into consideration only as far as they don’t interfere with the final decision. Consultative leaders are very close to their autocratic counterparts, meaning that the opinions they receive from others will rarely affect their final judgment.
These people are particularly difficult to work with because they will always seemingly listen to your advice and thoughts only to toss them aside the moment a decision needs to be made. They usually have the best interest of their colleagues and students in mind but take very little of their advice into account in doing so.
This type of leadership can best be surmised as a mentorship role instead of a leadership one. Laissez-faire leaders often make very few actionable decisions, especially without asking their colleagues or professors about them first.
This means that the group that works with them has all the authority to make decisions without even consulting them (if they choose not to). Laissez-faire leaders are considered passive by some and wise by others, but putting them in charge means that you essentially trust the group to make proper decisions for them.
In summation
You can easily spot any of these five types of leadership in a college environment. Not all professors are autocratic and not all students are democratic – there is no rule as to how people think.
Focus your attention on your studies and try to side with people that best suit your own mentality and leadership style. You would be hard-pressed to try and change anyone’s way of thinking in college, so focus your efforts on your own work and development.
