Ms. Sonia is running her own boutique in a posh locality of Delhi on a large scale. She respects the opinions of her hired designers and supports them to perform their duties and accomplish organizational objectives. The type of leadership style adopted by her is:

Option 1 -> Paternalistic leadership involves a leader acting like a father figure, making decisions for employees' welfare but without necessarily seeking their input or involvement in decision-making.

Option 2 -> Authoritarian leadership is characterized by centralized decision-making where the leader dictates policies and procedures without consulting subordinates, maintaining strict control over all aspects.

Option 3 -> Free-rein leadership gives complete autonomy to employees to make decisions independently with minimal guidance or interference from the leader.

Option 4 -> Participative leadership involves the leader actively seeking and respecting employees' opinions, encouraging their involvement in decision-making while supporting them to achieve organizational goals.

Hence, Option 4: Participative -> Ms. Sonia respects the opinions of her hired designers and supports them in performing their duties, which are key characteristics of participative/democratic leadership. This style involves consultation, collaboration, and valuing employees' input while working together to accomplish organizational objectives -> correct