Final answer:
Avril, as a middle manager of a difficult team, will likely be most successful using a democratic leadership style to encourage participation and build consensus, although a blend of transactional leadership could also be effective.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the scenario where Avril is a middle manager without clear expectations and leads a difficult team, she would likely be most successful as a democratic leader. Democratic leadership encourages team participation in decision-making, though it might be slower due to consensus-building, which is integral in a setting with a difficult team that has disliked previous supervisors. This style urges collaboration and could help in improving team dynamics and acceptance of leadership. However, depending on the specifics of her team's attitudes and capabilities, a blend of transactional leadership might also be effective, focusing on supervision and organizational goals through a system of rewards and punishments.
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