Quick decision: Quick decision making is guaranteed because a single person decides for the whole group. Copyright 2017 2025. Autocratic leadership is defined by a top-down approach when it comes to all decision-making, procedures, and policies within an organization. Although the autocratic leadership style is often viewed as being a directive relationship between the leader and the team member, there are two other varieties found with this style. Autocratic leadership A leadership style in which leaders dictate without consultation of subordinates. Managers are interested in how happy workers feel and in many ways they act as a father figure (pater means father in Latin). for the employees, too. Here are the key advantages and disadvantages of autocratic leadership to consider. Because autocratic leaders are able to move information throughout an organization quickly, there are fewer delays in productivity. If an autocratic leader is put in charge of an inexperienced team, theyll be able to get the job done by outlining specific instructions to follow. 2. But, the results always lead to corporate success. Autocratic leaders do not take input from other members of a team in their decisions. Communication is the systematic process of passing information from one person to another. The style is closely linked with Mayo's Human Relation view of motivation and also the social needs of Maslow. Because of the too much rigidity in the structure, and low growth opportunities, most of the experienced employees tend to leave the autocratic organizations. There may be dangerous situations or working environments which require complicated tasks to be completed. Such a group process usually, takes a longer time to come to decision. Downsides of Autocratic Leadership While autocratic leadership can be beneficial at times, there are also many instances where this leadership style can be problematic. To bring in information to the group members. This approach has limitations (as highlighted by other motivational theorists such as Mayo and Herzberg) but it can be effective in certain situations. Authoritative leaders are most consistent in their approaches and systems. The main characteristics of autocratic leadership style are as follows: * Autocratic leaders make all the decisions and pass them down to the people under them for implementation. As such, here, every employee is abiding by strict discipline. Low satisfaction also results in below performance than expectations. They are the managerial equivalent of an emergency room surgeon who is forced to do whatever necessary to save a patients life. When this happens, productivity levels tend to decrease over time instead of increase. One of the primary characteristics of autocratic leadership is a clearly defined chain of command. Every leadership style comes with some benefits and weaknesses. VAT reg no 816865400. Many analysts argue that late Steve Jobs (co-founder of Apple Inc.), Elon Musk, and to some extent Bill Gates are autocratic leaders. In workplaces where the employees are largely young and inexperienced, autocratic leadership can be the most effective approach. That means the personal morality of the leader becomes the corporate reality of the business. These. Decentralisation and Leadership Styles (AQA Paper 1 2019, Q20) Exam Support What is leadership? She's no stranger to the wild ride that running a business can be, but that doesn't mean she's done learningevery day, it's something different when you're in the driver's seat. Paternalistic managers give more attention to the social needs and views of their workers. It means employees who are extremely skilled or motivated may begin to lose their incentives to stay active under the current leadership creating conflict in the organisations. This leadership style doesnt have a specific training forum to attend or require knowledge of a specific theory of leadership. Whatever approach is predominately used it will be vital to the success of the business. One of the primary reasons why the autocratic leadership style tends to fail is because it is fully dependent upon the skills and knowledge of the leader. Characteristics of autocratic leadership style. The autocratic leadership style should not be used when: Employees become tense, fearful, or resentful Employees expect to have their opinions heard Employees begin depending on their manager to make all their decisions There is low employee morale, high turnover and absenteeism 2.1.1 Advantages of Autocratic Style of Leadership Because of the strict method in which employees are micromanaged, there is no room for flexibility within the work environment. 214 High Street, In addition, in this style of leadership, managers don't take care of the opinions of their staff and ore not open to changes. This approach derives from the views of Taylor as to how to motivate workers and relates to McGregor's theory X view of workers. The employees need not wait for the thumbs up from seniors or ask for a deadline extension if they can get all the approvals and data on time. That means all creative decisions originate from the leader. That is because there is one person and they are in charge of all arrangements. Boston House, Some people dont like the idea of coming up with new ideas. Safeguarding Mental Health in the Gig Economy Strengths of Laissez-Faire Leaders An autocratic leader focuses less on collecting input from team members and tends to make executive decisions that others are expected to follow. In time, this may result in fewer errors, which can provide a boost to revenues. In the directing format, the subordinates of the leader are told what to do, how to do it, and when the deadline happens to be. There is just one person in charge. An autocratic leader is well-equipped to deal with a crisis situation. Therefore, they may not contribute to the team efforts as they should. Workers can benefit from the competencies offered by their leader, replicating productivity by using the leaders knowledge and experience as a workplace asset. What leads to a successful working relationship is an ability of workers to have trust in their leaders, and vice-versa. The leader is the only one who is in charge of the situation. This process may create a powerful and positive impact on their performance. Along with many advantages, the autocratic leadership style also has various disadvantages. employees also do not show their commitment to the organizational purpose. Managers deal with their employees in different ways. List of Advantages of Autocracy Government 1. But, this lacks in autocratic organizations. Autocratic leaders generally could use organizational . Although creativity, independent thinking, and new processes are included as part of the overall leadership style, their implementation is not a top priority. SWOT Analysis of Kelloggs (Kellogg Company), https://www.forbes.com/sites/markmurphy/2019/11/24/does-anyone-actually-like-autocratic-leaders-new-data-says-yes/?sh=bd0ef4e10de5, https://hbr.org/2002/10/the-leadership-journey. But, in an autocratic environment, there is no employee participation and their concerns are ignored. Here, in the autocratic organization, there are fewer levels which reduces the challenges of poor communication that might be caused because of too many levels. Your email address will not be published. Contrary to popular opinions, many organisations are well suited to the autocratic leadership type at some degree. Most autocratic leaders will not take the opinions, experiences, or knowledge of their team members into account when making decisions. To conclude, though autocratic leadership style has several disadvantages, it can be argued that there are some situations autocratic leadership style should yield better results for organisations. Attner, R. and Plunkett, W. (1994) Introduction to management, 5th edition, California: Wadsworth, Inc. Murphy, M. (2019) Does anyone actually like autocratic leaders? Some are strict with their staff and like to be in complete control, whilst others are more relaxed and allow workers the freedom to run their own working lives (just like the different approaches you may see in teachers!). Therefore, leaders who exercise autocratic leadership should follow a balanced process to attain organizational objectives. One of the benefits of autocratic leadership is that it can help an inexperienced team achieve goals that they wouldn't be able to do alone. They arent required to wait for the feedback from senior managers or consult with a leadership team. They can replicate results because they are given specific instructions to follow. Pros of autocratic leadership This may make many employees feeling intellectually stifled. Although in authoritarian leadership, there is one-way communication there also exists effective communication. Experienced, skilled workers tend to do better in an environment where their leader asks for their input in decision-making or even leaves decision-making entirely up to them. When the leaders are taking ownership for the quality of the completed work, there is no opportunity for team members to do so. In autocratic organizations, there are clearly defined tasks, roles, rules, and deadlines to follow. Autocratic leadership style is commonly associated with excessive employee turnover (employees leaving an organisation). Your email address will not be published. There are some work environments which require a high level of control. Since autocratic leadership ensures clearly defined structures, it clearly states what to do and how to do it. Leadership is critical in a changing business environment, where small and medi um sized companie s operat e, and even more whe n changes are amplifie d by transformations of a whole economy, like . This is yet another of the several advantages of autocratic leadership style. Every crisis or decision lies on their shoulders. 1. By providing clear instructions, oversight, and guidance, autocrats can speed up turnaround times and improve quality standards. An autocratic. Because it is the autocratic leaders reputation on the line, not the worker doing the job, those in this type of position tend to supervise every small detail of the work being done. Autocratic leadership is a type of leadership that is individual-centric. For that reason, some entities using this structure create an inheritance chain which allows another person to step into the leadership role right away. This detailed article sheds light on some of the advantages and disadvantages of autocratic leadership style. But rarely do employees know that there are several. When an autocratic leader is consistent with their ethics and is determined to create a fair working environment, then there can be a lot of positives for workers in a company. Pros To be effective, the leader must be able to have proven competencies in their field, as they are responsible for making most of the decisions in the workplace. According to goremotley.net, around 83% of employers feel that it is crucial to create leaders at all levels. Team members may have opportunities to provide feedback; however, their feedback is highly unlikely to change the course of action. Advantages And Disadvantages Of Autocracy: Leadership is a crucial talent that can be applied to any profession or career as the case may be, and there are several leadership styles to choose from. The manager respects employees' insight and asks them to help make the best decision, and the team respects the leader's ability to ultimately make the right call after considering their viewpoints. According to Startingbusiness.com, a significant drawback to working with an autocratic leader is the lack of flexibility in the workplace. And they are accountable for the outcomes. In, laissez-faire leadership leader gives all power to his subordinates to act on their own. Likewise, as an autocratic leader is not necessarily the same as being a fascist, there are people with certain personalities, who may indeed work well under this type of leadership style (Murphy, 2019). Explore Harappa Diaries to learn more about topics such as Advantages Of Autocratic Leadership, Difference Between Leaders And Dictators, Contingency Theory Of Leadership and Develop Good Leadership Qualities to advance in your career. In some situations, this leadership . The productivity levels may be higher, but with no say in the process, resentment will quickly build. Task 2.3 - Comparison of leadership style Autocratic Leadership Style: Mr. Worth took on a more autocratic approach to leadership by operating his office from the top floor of the company, and rarely interacting with his employees. 9. Strict compliance becomes necessary. This leadership style can produce authoritative short-term results. Motivation and reward for leaders: It provides strong motivation and reward for the leader. Autocratic leadership refers to a form of leadership in which a leader takes choices without consulting others. So, what are the autocratic leadership advantages and disadvantages? As such people working under autocratic leaders are supposed to accept the guidance or orders of their leader without any disagreement. 7. But, what is autocratic leadership? - There is a clear division between the followers and the leaders. Communication is the systematic process of passing information from one person to another. This leadership style makes it difficult to correct poor results. Increased autonomy 2. Because the leaders opinion is the only opinion that matters in terms of strategic planning and decision-making, employees can feel frustrated that they cannot work in ways that suit them. The retention rate can increase 4. This system leaves the employees stress-free. Many prime ministers and presidents around the world are also well-known for their autocratic style. - increases employee satisfaction and motivation. outline the advantages of this style, such as increased situational control, discipline over workers, short discussions, and group members knowing their roles and tasks. What is autocratic leadership and its advantages? All the standard operating procedures are also followed. The democratic leadership style does solicit for opinions, perspectives, and experiences. It may impair the morale of the group. Unfortunately, they might not appreciate the advice of their team members. Autocratic leaders tend to do well in these settings because they ensure that projects are finished on time and that workers follow safety rules to prevent accidents and injuries. Succession planning can be defined asa business strategy organizations use to pass leadership roles down to another employee or group of employees. Autocratic leadership is characterized by being highly structured and rigid style. Likewise, this style is also very effective when astringent synchronisation of processes is essential to productivity. This system leaves the employees stress-free. That means a decision is made on the timetable of the leader and no one else. The advantages and disadvantages below refer to autocracy in general, including the two types of autocracy as discussed above. Fewer layers of administration and lesser feedback to look into facilitates swift decision-making in the team. Some are collaborative and inspiring, while some are authoritative and controlling. In this article, we outline some essential autocratic leadership pros and cons. The leader does not have to deal with internal politics or disputes at the decision-making stage. Autocratic leadership is suitable when the organization is small. It may create an unwelcome culture within the organization. What is Laissez-Faire Leadership? 3. It leads to quick decision-making, control over the processes and the operations of a company, etc. Since organisation is key to a well-operated business, autocratic leadership can prove useful in situations where the organisation could advance within the company. All operations, methods, processes and delegations are decided by the autocratic leader and only by him. Faster decision-making is the key to attaining organizational goals. However, there are some advantages of autocratic leadership as well. A military leader who cannot make executive decisions can cause a security breach during critical operations, and military personnel who do not receive clear, direct orders from their leaders can become confused and fail to act when necessary. One of the greatest advantages to working with an autocratic leader is that the employee always knows what's expected and what will happen if they fail to perform as expected. Employees, in turn, learn discipline and consistency from their leader. Workers are forced to rely on the autocratic leader for all their feedback, instructions, and work duties. Under this type of leadership style there is no delay as the decision rests with a single authority and in times of crunch situation where a quick decision is needed . There are numerous autocratic leadership strengths and weaknesses and sometimes, a characteristic thats a strength in one scenario is a weakness in another. It can be a joyless experience for team members. Advantages of autocratic leadership style. They must control the consistency at a personal level, which means they can no longer afford to give their team any freedom to operate. Because of poor coordination, low job satisfaction, low motivation, etc. Subordinates are expected to comply with orders from their supervisors, who in turn are expected to comply with orders from their superiors. If there isnt enough time to develop personal skills or learn something new, then autocratic leaders are still able to get the job done. Characteristics of autocratic leadership include: According to St. Thomas University, few famous autocratic leadership examples include: Like all other leadership styles, autocratic leadership has its advantages as well as its drawbacks. It also includes less feedback from the management levels. The employees have clear and strict job descriptions and know what to do and what is expected of them. At times, the original instruction may get lost within complex and multiple channels of communication. Autocratic leaders have the opportunity to take full control, responsibility and stress and build and maintain a productive operation. West Yorkshire, Although this form of leadership is often found within the government, it is also present in some corporate structures as well. Autocratic leaders generally believe that they are the smartest people around and know more than their subordinates. And, you know discipline is the key to achieving something. Many leaders use autocratic leadership style to establish centralised control in exercising the decision-making authority and use that control to accomplish the desired results. Managers do not trust workers and simply give orders (one-way communication) that they expect to be obeyed. Autocratic leaders have imperious or commanding personalities. In fact, some characteristics of autocratic leadership can be considered advantages in some situations and drawbacks in others. 1. The result is a more consistent and accurate output. To be effective, people need to work in an environment where there is a trusting partnership. Strong sense of control and direction: Autocratic leaders provide clear direction and expectations for their team members, which can create a sense of order and stability. Whether this style makes a good leader has been a longstanding debate. They use their personal experiences to form rules or regulations that translate into step-by-step instructions for workers to follow. Among all the recognized autocratic leadership strengths and weaknesses, perhaps one of the most prominent is that this leadership style can cause employees to resent their leader and even their organization. These types of leaders are known as democratic leaders and laissez-faire leaders, respectively. December 28, 2021 by Raj Verdhan. In many ways, it could be described as, Do it my way or go hit the highway. Workers get the job done, or else they go find a different job. The work culture is based solely on the ethics and morality of the leader, which means a poor working environment is not likely to change. Inexperienced employees need a detailed layout and instructions to complete taskstraits an autocratic leader is known for. advantages of democratic leadership. One of the other notable cons of the autocratic leadership style is that there is a poor relationship between the leader and followers. Although their primary aim should be to achieve business goals, as leaders, it is also their responsibility to add value to employees. For example, the team will have a clear vision of expectations and where their project and company is going. While employees who need clear directive and feedback from their leader tend to do best under an autocrat, more experienced employees often do well in a more autonomous environment. Additionally, a leader like this improves workplace efficiency by instructing staff members on what to do and how to meet deadlines. Only the leader will weigh the pros and cons of every option instead of the entire C-suite. Subordinates tend to shirk responsibility and initiative. It will also highlight team members that have strong creative skills and those that do not. 9. Lets take a glimpse at who autocratic leaders are and what they do. How Procedures Can Improve Efficiency, available at: https://online.stu.edu/articles/education/autocratic-leadership.aspx (accessed 06 April 2021). Autocratic leaders are like the captain of the ship. Did you know that autocratic leadership is great when it comes to handling crises? The advantages and disadvantages of the autocratic leadership style show that it can be effective when an organization requires quick, accurate decisions from an experienced leader. Such strict discipline ensures timely work completion of the organization. Also, graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University with a BA in Business & Management Studies and completed a DTLLS (Diploma in Teaching in the Life-Long Learning Sector) from London South Bank University. It is most likely that well-known leaders or managers are successful due to a combination of personal characteristics and good training. Autocratic leadership always encourages one-way communication to eliminate this problem. Charismatic leaders usually display a great level of confidence to convince a large audience. Because this leadership creates a system of dependence. They know themselves very well and try to bring people together to achieve the organisational goals. If they face a decision in the work they are doing, they are almost forced to go to the leader for advice on what to do instead of making the decision on their own. The result is a more consistent and accurate output. An autocratic leader makes decisions and communicates them on time, making sure that the team has all the information they need to finish the project on schedule. They get to take all the credit for the work that gets done. When there is clear direction, with a path toward success, offered to workers, then they are able to focus on productivity instead of problem solving. List of the Disadvantages of a Democratic Leadership Style. Here are the top advantages of autocratic leadership: This leadership style enables quick decision-making, which is one of the most significant benefits of autocratic leadership. What is the cons of autocratic leadership? People who step out of this line are quickly identified and brought back into the fold. This style has close links with Herzberg's motivators and Maslow's higher order skills and also applies to McGregor's theory Y view of workers. - good style for meetings. - encourages independence and creativity. According to IPL.org, autocratic leadership is an extreme form of another kind of workplace leadership known as transactional leadership. Now that weve discussed several advantages of the autocratic leadership style, here come some disadvantages: One of the biggest disadvantages of exercising autocratic leadership is that it can result in low employee morale. But this might not be possible with an autocratic leadership style. There are a number of vital benefits to autocratic leadership, according to the Houston Chronicle. This procedure often leads to the consistent delivery of projects and has a significant impact on the employees performance and productivity. Each level of management can inadvertently (or purposely) put their own spin on the communication come from the leadership. A team can become so dependent upon the leader that they stop functioning when their directions are no longer present.

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