Leadership Pretension and Reality : Leadership Styles, Employee Motivation and Satisfaction – Implications for Supplementary Leadership Education

Abstract: Current research on leadership styles is an important topic in recent studies, and the practical need for qualified leaders is high. The problem is to adapt the leadership styles to the overall characteristics of the employees to increase motivation and satisfaction, which directly impact organizational success.  The purpose of this study is to identify these relationships and thus contribute to research and practical implementation of leadership education. Based on a review of the relevant literature, three appropriate leadership styles were identified and selected. An online survey was distributed primarily to employees in Sweden and Germany, which was subsequently analyzed quantitatively. The analysis revealed that transformational leadership should be the number one choice. Within this study, it was found that it is the most preferred type of leadership, which is in line with existing literature. It is a safe approach to choose, primarily if employee characteristics are not known. However, it was found that laissez-faire leadership is preferable when employees have a high level of education and responsibility. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the sample of this study was not large enough to provide representative results.