ABSTRACT
There are many definitions of a leader, most of which can be summed up by the following idea: A leader is a person who influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal. The thinking behind the trait approach was extended to the development of a list of attributes that effective leaders must possess. There are many ways of describing leadership styles, such as coercive, affiliative, coaching and pacesetting. Research work on styles of leadership came about because of a greater understanding of the needs and expectations of workers. Research indicates that the best form of leadership is likely to be people-centred and democratic. A variety of styles of leadership exists and individuals can assess which style to employ and adjust it to suit different situational factors. The style needed when the business is in the early stages of development may not be suitable at the mature stage of development.
