The role of senior nurses is dynamic and multifaceted. Nurse leaders in practice settings have unique opportunities to influence and even create the environment in which professional nursing practice can flourish. Marriner-Tomey (1993) suggested that, in this highly influential role, nurse leaders have a major responsibility to change behaviour to provide an environment that supports the preparation of competent and expert practitioners. It is part of nurse leaders’ role to serve as a model in providing effective socialisation experiences that impart the appropriate values, beliefs, behaviours and skills to staff. In the nursing profession, a nurse manager's personal style of leadership impacts multiple aspects of a healthcare facility's operations and can have far-reaching implications. This piece will define and discuss several different styles of nursing leadership.

First and foremost, the autocratic style of leadership typically involves a leader or nurse manager who makes all pertinent decisions, gives specific orders, and issues directives to subordinate employees who must obey under watchful supervision. Sorensen et al (2008) advocate autocratic leaders strongly discourage workers from questioning the validity of any directives. Constable and Russell (1986) showed that the autocratic style of leadership is appropriate for workplaces such as jails, prisons, the military, and highly structured settings with routinized operations because, in these places, the lives of masses of people completely hinge on workers following very specific orders step by step. In addition, this leadership style is favorable for the completion of simple tasks.

Meanwhile, West-Burnham (1997) stated that the democratic leadership style facilitates enhanced participation from subordinate employees in the organization's decision-making process. Even though the democratic leader has