Free Rein Leadership: Meaning, Characteristics, Importance, Benefits and More | DT Evolve

Introduction 

Are you aware of the different types of leadership styles in an organization? Do you wonder what leadership style will suit you best? What leadership style helps you in taking less stress?

Free rein leadership style can answer all your questions. If you are a leader and are responsible for managing numerous people, it can be stressful sometimes. This leadership style runs on the trust of the people. This leadership style empowers the employees and holds them accountable for their actions. It is crucial in shaping the success of a team and a company. There are many other leadership styles, and each one has its own unique way of motivating and directing employees toward achieving their goals. 

The free rein leadership style is best suited for you, as it demands minimal supervision and guidance from the leader. Leaders are responsible for providing the necessary resources, support, and guidance to complete the task and allowing employees to use their creativity and enhance their expertise.

In this blog, we will gain insights into free rein leadership with some examples. There are many benefits to this leadership style. As every coin has two faces, this leadership style is also no exception. It also has various disadvantages that should be considered while practicing this style of leadership.

What is Free Rein Leadership?

Free rein leadership is also known as a laissez faire leadership style. It entails minimal guidance from the leader. The role of the leader is to delegate authority and responsibility to the employees that provide them with the opportunity to make decisions and take actions independently. In this type of leadership, the leader bestows their employees with the necessary resources and support. 

Free rein leadership is suitable for organizations where employees are self-motivated and have expertise in their field, leading employees to work independently, take ownership of their work, and feel empowered. This results in increased job satisfaction among the employees and better productivity. 

There are many leadership styles such as autocratic leadership style, democratic leadership style, and participative leadership style. Every style motivates employees to work in a unique way, but they all need a high level of guidance that may pressurize the employees and result in less productivity. Leaders who practice the free rein leadership style, use a hands-off approach while providing a framework for their employees to work within. 

Also Read: Different Types of Managers and Management Styles in an Organization

Examples of Free Rein Leadership

Some historic examples of free rein leadership. There are many examples of large-scale industries led by political leaders. Some of the examples are:

• Transcontinental Railroad: This example was set by US President Theodore Roosevelt in 1904. This was a government project for building the North American railway system. No single individual was responsible for laying a thousand miles of track from one coast to another coast. Hence, it was still a successful government project.

• Panama Canal: In 1904, the construction of the Panama Canal was led by President Theodore Roosevelt. They faced many challenges and geographical issues but still this project was successful in 1914. Roosevelt’s free rein leadership style accomplished this project by delegating authority to experts.

• Hoover Dam: Hundreds of leaders along with the three US Presidents were involved in this construction project. This project was initiated in the 1920s by Herbert Hoover under the President. The president practices free rein leadership in this project to accomplish another huge government project.

• Interstate Highway System: This project was led by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. He led the construction of the highway system. Eisenhower practiced the hands-off approach of free rein leadership. This project gave employment to tens of thousands of Americans. He delegated authority to civil engineers, contractors, and experts.

Famous Leaders Who Practiced Free Rein Leadership

There are many famous leaders who practice “free rein leadership.” Some of them are:

• Warren Buffet: Warren Buffet is a business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. He is the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. He is the owner of many other companies in which he took the hands-off approach of free rein leadership. With this leadership style Buffet trusts his managers when investing and trusts their ability in achieving the performance he expects from them. 
• John F. Kennedy: John F. Kennedy served as the 35th president of the US at a very young age. He practiced free rein leadership when he trusted the experts to accomplish the Apollo project. He also inspired Congress to invest financial resources in a man to go to the moon. His leadership style encouraged NASA to accomplish this goal.

Free Rein Leadership Vs. Autocratic Leadership

As we have read earlier, free rein leadership is a leadership style where the leader delegated authority and responsibility to the team and provides minimal guidance. This gives the opportunity to the employees to exercise decision-making and take action independently. On the other hand, the autocratic leadership style involves numerous rules and regulations, with leaders having complete control over their team with little to no input from the employees. Autocratic leaders expect the team to follow their instructions without question. 

These two leadership styles differ from each other in the level of control and decision-making power provided to employees. Autocratic leadership has complete control over their team, whereas free rein leaders delegate authority and responsibility to their team.

Also Read: Professional Networking: The Art of Building Meaningful Connections

Characteristics of Free Rein Leadership

Characteristics of free rein leadership are:

Hands-off Approach

In free rein leadership, leaders generally delegate authority and responsibility to the team and let them achieve the delegated responsibilities without interfering or continuously checking on them. This lessens the pressure of work on the team and caters to the freedom to complete and submit projects on time and with high creativity. 

Freedom in Decision-Making

Free rein leaders trust the ability and skills of their team to make their own decisions on projects. Employees enjoy exercising autonomy in decision-making without approval from their managers. 

Resources Offered By Leaders

All the resources are provided by the leaders in a free rein leadership style. Leaders provide the employees with all the training and support they need to complete certain difficult tasks. Employees are encouraged to come up with any questions. Leaders bestow employees with the resources, advice, or guidance they need to finish their tasks.

Independent Problem-Solving

The hands-off approach of free rein leadership motivates employees to solve their own work challenges. This approach builds problem-solving and critical-thinking skills among the employees. In case of complex problems, leaders guide employees and direct them accordingly.

Feedback

Leaders are always there to improve their team leaders by providing constructive feedback. They provide the required suggestions to the employees to improve their performance and give credit for their work.

Accountability for Team Member’s decisions

In free rein leadership, leaders follow a hands-off approach where employees can take decisions independently. So, the projects completed by the employees are their responsibility, and supervisors are accountable for their work along with their managers.  

Qualified and experienced Employees

Employees who work under a free rein leadership style need less supervision as they are highly skilled and experienced. Employees who are highly qualified and experienced in their roles are hired under this leadership style. That’s why entry-level employees are not considered under a free rein leadership style, as they need high levels of supervision and guidance.

Also Read: First Time Manager- 6 Essential Skills For You to Succeed | DT Evolve

Benefits of Free Rein Leadership 

Free rein leadership fosters a creative, innovative, and positive work environment for employees. This encourages higher levels of productivity. Some of the benefits of free rein leadership include:

Personal Development of Team Members

When the employees are given full responsibility and have to take actions on their own, they develop the skills and abilities to tackle the challenges that come their way. They establish a sense of accomplishment when they complete their own duties and responsibilities with little supervision. However, this results in their personal growth.

Encourages Creative and Innovative Team

Employees have the freedom to brainstorm new ideas and implement them without any supervision or interference from their superiors. They do not receive any pressure from their supervisors. Hence, their work is more creative and innovative. The quality of the work of employees encourages the organization’s growth.

Faster Decision-Making

In free rein leadership, employees are not required to wait for the approval of their work from superiors. They are free to make decisions on their own and implement their ideas that can make a change in the organization. The time spent waiting is utilized by them to take more initiative in their work.

Boosts Employee Morale and Job Satisfaction

The autonomy of decision-making and taking actions accordingly pave the way to being confident and happy. When employees feel like their work adds value to the organization, they feel satisfied with their work. It boosts employee morale, leading them to be happy and confident in their lives. It can foster a positive work environment, higher retention rates, and productive employees.

Holds Employees Accountable

This style of leadership fosters a sense of autonomy and accountability among employees, as they are given the freedom to choose how they approach their work and are responsible for the outcomes. As a result, they may feel more invested in their work and take pride in their accomplishments, leading to higher job satisfaction and productivity.

Also Read: 5 Ways to Master Leadership Skills as a Manager | DT Evolve

Disadvantages of Free Rein Leadership

Free rein leadership has many disadvantages as well. Some of them are:

Poor Time Management

Employees are left on their own to take action on their work, so they do not have clear milestones. In the case of an unskilled team, they do not get proper supervision, which can result in delays in the submission of tasks that indicate poor time management of the tasks.

Lack of structure

Free rein leadership lacks structure for their employees. This leadership style follows a hands-off approach, therefore, there are no check-in meetings, plans, or regular supervision. Navigating through this can be difficult for some team members.

Passivity

In a free rein leadership, leaders can show passivity. Sometimes leaders can step back from true leadership as they do nothing to try to motivate their employees and do not recognize the efforts of their team members. They do not involve at all with their team members.

Conclusion

In this blog, you learned about the free rein leadership style. There are many examples to help you understand this leadership style better. A free rein leadership style has many benefits and disadvantages. You will also learn the characteristics of free rein leadership. There is a huge difference between autocratic leadership and free rein leadership. You will get a better understanding of free rein leadership.

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