In leadership theory, which approach is characterized by frequent consultation with team members before making decisions?

• A. Autocratic
• B. Democratic
• C. Laissez-faire
• D. Command unity

Answer: (B)

Frequent consultation with team members before making decisions describes participative, or democratic, leadership. In this style the leader actively seeks input, discusses options, and often builds decisions through input from others. This approach boosts buy-in, morale, and the quality of decisions by leveraging diverse perspectives, especially when the team has relevant expertise. It works best when there’s time to deliberate and when developing the team is a priority. Autocratic leadership centralizes decision making with little input, so it doesn’t fit this description. Laissez-faire is more hands-off, with less structured input, and unity of command focuses on reporting structure rather than collaborative decision-making, so it’s not the described approach.