Final answer:
The authoritarian or autocratic leadership style aligns with the preconventional level of personal moral development, where decisions are made unilaterally and control exercised strictly, resonating with the focus on obedience and personal outcomes characteristic of this moral reasoning stage.
Step-by-step explanation:
The leadership style that matches with the preconventional level of personal moral development is likely to be autocratic or authoritarian. At the preconventional level, children primarily focus on obedience to authority and the consequences of actions, rather than on any higher level understanding of morality or ethical reasoning.
This level corresponds with a leadership style where the leader makes decisions unilaterally and maintains strict control over followers, often motivating by rewards and punishments, which is similar to the mindset at the preconventional level.
In Kohlberg's theory of moral development, individuals at the preconventional level are concerned more with personal outcomes than with the societal implications of their actions.
It's essential to distinguish, however, that moral reasoning, as described by Kohlberg, does not always translate directly into behavior or leadership style; a nuanced view should take into account a potential mismatch between what one believes is the right thing to do and how they may act in practice.