AN EXAMINATION OF THE IMPACT OF VARIOUS LEADERSHIP STYLES ON WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT IN SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES IN KURDISTAN

Leadership is organizing and guiding a group of people toward a common goal, whether in a formal or informal setting. Individuals may demonstrate skills in a number of different scenarios. A good leader can inspire their team to work together toward a common goal and make decisions in the long-term benefit of the group as a whole. The current study focused on the impact of three leadership styles on working environment at selected SMEs in Erbil city. The study selected 10 small medium enterprise in Erbil, each SME has 40 employees therefore the target population is 400 employees. The current study focused on SME in Kurdistan, the researchers distributed 130 questionnaires to different SME in various locations in Kurdistan, However, 117 questionnaires were received by the researchers. The findings revealed that there is a strong connection between the working environment and the three different types of leadership styles autocratic leadership, democratic leadership, and laissez-faire leadership). The study recommended it is essential to recognize that different leadership styles have the potential to have a variety of effects on the atmosphere of the workplace, and those effects may also vary depending on the specific context and circumstances of each small to medium-sized business.