Your email address will not be published. Autocratic style leads to frustration, low morale and conflict among subordinates. Faster decision-making Read more about each of these advantages in detail in our separate post: Laissez-Faire Leadership Advantages. Autocratic Leadership (Authoritarian): A leadership style in which an individual is in control of all the decisions and tasks and his/her "followers" have little to no say in the final decision. Answer (1 of 10): Before I begin, I also tried this type of leadership among newcomers in our Unit. 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. To bring in information to the group members. They know themselves very well and try to bring people together to achieve the organisational goals. Workers are less likely to stop their projects or ask for later deadlines because they receive timely decisions and communication from their leadership. Autocratic leadership style works better in situations where swift decisions are needed. Autocratic Leadership Advantages and Disadvantages: Advantages: It allows for fast decisions to be made: - An autocratic leadership includes fewer levels of administration levels that are to be informed. The procedures and rules might seem rigid. 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. 1. But, what is autocratic leadership? It can create negative emotions. This is an advantage because team members can continue projects, move deadlines, and remove obstacles that could negatively impact their overall productivity. This is yet another of the several advantages of autocratic leadership style. If that leader does not create a fair working environment, then it is difficult for any employees to change that environment. This is one of the autocratic leader strengths and weaknesses that is highly dependent on the workplace environment. Rules are placed for employees to follow in an autocratic leadership style because there is a need to create consistency. That makes it almost impossible for leaders to leave the workplace, as workers can become so dependent on their decision-making abilities that nothing gets done if the leader is not present for some reason. Due to this behaviour, the leader should yield the ultimate power and provide the employees with the motivation to work, i.e. 4. Employees, in turn, learn discipline and consistency from their leader. They must control the consistency at a personal level, which means they can no longer afford to give their team any freedom to operate. List of the Advantages of Autocratic Leadership 1. It removes the pressure on the employees. Because of the vertical or one-way communication channel subordinates do not get the opportunity to share their ideas and thoughts. This form serves well when the . They even need guidance and instruction on how to, to do the given jobs. 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. Moreover, they also like to enjoy the credit for the projects success, leaving the employees disheartened. As only the leader makes decisions, the management may or may not provide feedback. Under autocratic leaders, subordinates would fear due to demands and expectations. A team can become so dependent upon the leader that they stop functioning when their directions are no longer present. Increased autonomy 2. - encourages independence and creativity. There are many qualities that are needed to be a good leader or manager. The second involves a leader refusing to take responsibility for work they personally instructed a worker to complete. The productivity levels may be higher, but with no say in the process, resentment will quickly build. When there is an autocratic leadership established within an organization, there are fewer levels of administration that must be kept informed of each decision. These types of interactions do not create a sustainable working relationship, which ultimately creates productivity problems as workers experience lower morale levels. One of the other notable cons of the autocratic leadership style is that there is a poor relationship between the leader and followers. Definition, Types, Reasons, and Ways To Overcome, What is Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Cycle? A clear chain of command is important in certain environments, like the military. If you liked any of these articles, please feel free to share with others by clicking on the social sharing icons. Whether this style makes a good leader has been a longstanding debate. They can switch back to a more delegative approach as team members gain more experience. Decisions can be made faster with this leadership style. 1. Advantages of Autocratic Leadership Quick Decision Making. 7. Do you know why? Autocratic leadership is very similar to the authoritarian leadership style. - They are in complete . This leadership style can produce authoritative short-term results. This system leaves the employees stress-free. Definitions of autocratic leadership style. The democratic leadership style does solicit for opinions, perspectives, and experiences. Some people dont like the idea of coming up with new ideas. advantages of democratic leadership. It reduces the amount of group input received. When a company crisis occurs, a leader with authoritative traits can begin to call the shots to make immediate changes. According to St Thomas University (2018) the autocratic leadership process generally entails one person making all the strategic decisions for their subordinates. St. Thomas University: What is Autocratic Leadership? Faster decision-making is the key to attaining organizational goals. Advantages Autocratic style of leadership is very effective in times of emergency or stress since people will always work from orders or commands of their leaders. People who step out of this line are quickly identified and brought back into the fold. This system leaves the employees stress-free. Do you have to be born with the correct qualities or can you be taught to be a good leader? One of the disadvantages of autocratic leadership is that it degrades the employees morale and motivation. 8. This is because they do not consult any other members of their team, so they dont have to wait for other opinions or work through different perspectives to find an appropriate compromise. Study notes, videos, interactive activities and more! It is a style which dictates how people are supposed to work. It may create an unwelcome culture within the organization. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengenalpasti pilihan pelajar terhadap aliran sains dan pola pilihan mengikut tahap kefahaman pengetahuan asas sains. 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. According to St. Thomas University, democratic leadership is defined by mutual respect between the manager and their team members. With little or no input by their subordinates, autocratic leaders are free to make decisions, define policies and direct work wherever they feel is most effective. Advantages The pros of this approach include: Decisions can be made rapidly which may keep the team agile and very quick to respond to challenges. However, they describe the disadvantages of this style as promoting staff defiance, lack of free . It is a negative cycle which only increases when the leader makes a poor decision that could have been avoided if a team consultation occurred. In most autocratic leadership structures, the leader is responsible for every action of the team. Although this kind of leadership can sound harsh at first, it can be very effective. 1. This helps to resolve the emergencies rather effectively when compared to other leadership styles. Both leadership styles are very well known and are often used due to . This creates more speed, better productivity, and enhanced efficiencies within the workplace. All the standard operating procedures are also followed. This ensures that employees are exercising best of their abilities to get the job done, and time and other resources are not wasted. Some are collaborative and inspiring, while some are authoritative and controlling. Autocratic leadership refers to a form of leadership in which a leader takes choices without consulting others. Autocratic - cause frustration and resentment because the system is so dependent on the leader and because of the non-participation if workers . Authoritative leaders are most consistent in their approaches and systems. Advantages of Bureaucratic Leadership Bureaucratic leadership works in so many ways0 Job security and results are both stable Favoritism is no longer a factor in the equation Roles, duties, and expectations are all evident A system of processes and rules that are extremely apparent creates a stronger level of job security This improves the speed of decisions because only one person is weighing the pros and cons of each choice, not a C-Suite. Safety is a top priority within the autocratic leadership style. In the paternalistic form, the core characteristics of this leadership style are used, with an added emphasis on worker wellbeing as part of the experience. Along with many advantages, the autocratic leadership style also has various disadvantages. The autocratic style provides fast crisis management benefits. By providing clear instructions, oversight, and guidance, autocrats can speed up turnaround times and improve quality standards. There are three main categories of leadership styles: autocratic, paternalistic and democratic. According to IPL.org, autocratic leadership is an extreme form of another kind of workplace leadership known as transactional leadership. That creates a positive impact on the work environment, which leads to more accurate work and consistent production. If that leader goes away, then the team is unable to function because they were focused on their role. The advantages of Autocratic Leadership are: 1. Workers become dependent on someone else to make decisions. Low satisfaction also results in below performance than expectations. 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. Copyright 2017 2025. With a clear corporate hierarchy in place, every member of the organization knows not only who they report to, but who their boss reports to. Lets take a glimpse at who autocratic leaders are and what they do. More Cautious 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. So, what are the autocratic leadership advantages and disadvantages? A work environment where autocratic leadership style is exercised is usually not friendly to innovation or creative thinking. The autocratic leadership style is highly dependent upon the leader. Organisational continuity is threatened in the absence of the leader . 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. Autocratic leadership is characterized by being highly structured and rigid style. Autocratic leadership, however, has always been under the scanner. One of the primary characteristics of autocratic leadership is a clearly defined chain of command. When a leader is asked to operate in an authoritarian manner, it is difficult to turn that role on and off on-demand. - They don't have group members, they have followers. 3. It improves productivity. Advantages and disadvantages of autocratic leadership style. There are high levels of frustration often found in an autocratic environment, even if workers are inexperienced. In a negative work environment, they also have the power to micromanage, enforce employee dependence, bully and generally mistreat their team. There Is No Room for Flexibility. Do you have a team of inexperienced employees? Autocratic leaders exercise absolute control over the team. An autocratic leader focuses less on collecting input from team members and tends to make executive decisions that others are expected to follow. Although creativity, independent thinking, and new processes are included as part of the overall leadership style, their implementation is not a top priority. The employees have clear and strict job descriptions and know what to do and what is expected of them. Most autocratic leaders will not take the opinions, experiences, or knowledge of their team members into account when making decisions. Succession planning can be defined asa business strategy organizations use to pass leadership roles down to another employee or group of employees. Every leadership style comes with some benefits and weaknesses. Employee morale can also be negatively affected when autocratic leadership is employed. It can also mean workers personal needs are neglected, causing them to feel like their supervisor does not care about them as individuals. Their expertise becomes an asset to the company, even being able to fill-in during a shortfall to immediately correct a problem in virtually any situation. Subordinates tend to shirk responsibility and initiative. West Yorkshire, Autocratic leader This leader is given the power to make decisions alone, having total authority. The foundation of the autocratic leadership style is one built on mistrust. The advantages and disadvantages below refer to autocracy in general, including the two types of autocracy as discussed above. It is a leadership style that is based on a lack of trust. The biggest problem is, no one talks about innovation and out-of-the-box ideas in this leadership style. The autocratic style provides fast crisis management benefits. Now, she's focusing her writing on helping other small business owners and people planning to become small business owners navigate this crazy thing we call entrepreneurship. The leader is the only one who is in charge of the situation. The laissez-faire or free reign leader scarcely provides direction to his team members. Removes employee stress. In a system of dependence, an autocratic leadership style creates a lack of trust between you and your workers. 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 What makes a good leader or manager? Disadvantages: Although some managers adopt democratic leadership, it is just to please their subordinates but they do not follow the technique fully. For example: When quick decisions are needed in a company (e.g. The correct leadership approach used at the right time will foster a long-term employeeleader relationship. The idea here is that with a centralised control, giving guidance and direction to employees is relatively easy. the us american football coach vince lombardi is an example. 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. 2. Autocratic leaders cant make trust a priority because they are forced to make the rules be the priority. They must make every decision for the team. Professionals operating under this leadership can have lower confidence and slower decision-making skills. There are numerous autocratic leadership strengths and weaknesses and sometimes, a characteristic thats a strength in one scenario is a weakness in another. The correct leadership approach used at the right time will foster a long-term employeeleader relationship. And what are. He is a lecturer in Management and Marketing. Contrast this with an autocratic leader, who does not ask their team for their input when making a decision. Disadvantages. 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. Safeguarding Mental Health in the Gig Economy Strengths of Laissez-Faire Leaders Consequence in Leadership Styles, The Disadvantages of Emotional Leadership, Clear separation of leader and subordinate roles, Clearly defined performance expectations for all team members, Consequences for failure to comply with expectations, Specific processes for performing workplace tasks, Strict adherence to established rules and policies, Tom Petty, founder of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Helen Gurley Brown, former editor-in-chief of, Ridley Scott, critically acclaimed filmmaker, Vince Lombardi, former Green Bay Packers coach. Transactional leadership is characterized by a leader/subordinate relationship governed by exchange, and with an autocratic leader, this exchange is total compliance with expectations for continued employment with the company. Likewise, it is also very useful when organisations face constant change or a crisis. This style tends to decrease employee performance when additional duties are imposed on the employees without consultation. To be effective, people need to work in an environment where there is a trusting partnership. The result is a more consistent and accurate output. Many autocratic leaders turn into severe micromanagers, making it difficult for workers to do their job because theyre always forced to report on what they are doing at any given moment. That means all creative decisions originate from the leader. That means many leaders practicing this leadership style eventually turn into micromanagers, even if that is not their intent. 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. Autocracy has many benefits as well as some drawbacks. Although this form of leadership is often found within the government, it is also present in some corporate structures as well. However, according to Schaeffer (2002) autocratic leaders are not those who bully people needlessly. The procedures and rules might seem rigid. There are some work environments which require a high level of control. Benefits of autocratic leadership Here are some of the pros of an autocratic leadership approach. ", 100 Best Side Hustles for Teens to Make Money, 10 Proven Psychological Pricing Strategies with Examples, 100 Office Etiquette Rules You Need to Know, 50 Best Business Letter Closings of All-Time. 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. Subordinates are expected to comply with orders from their supervisors, who in turn are expected to comply with orders from their superiors. Tel: +44 0844 800 0085. What is autocratic leadership and its advantages? The autocratic leadership style means that the person in charge has the entire control upon all decision making. Employees feel motivated and devote their maximum effort when they feel valued for their presence and contribution. Only the leader will weigh the pros and cons of every option instead of the entire C-suite. It also includes less feedback from the management levels. For many it is someone who can inspire and get the most from their staff. If the results an autocratic leader achieves do not meet corporate expectations, then it can be difficult to correct the issue. 3. 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. Autocratic leaders are able to handle a crisis situation easily because they are the ones who are in charge. The autocratic leadership style does a good job of facilitating this process. But, what is autocratic leadership? Autocratic leadership has a clearly defined chain of command. 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. Autocratic leadership always encourages one-way communication to eliminate this problem. So, there are. If yes, then the best way to manage such teams is through autocratic leadership. Even workers who like to explore creative solutions dont mind an autocratic leader when they are allowed to pitch new ideas or offer an alternative decision based on their personal experience. St. Thomas University: What is Democratic/Participative Leadership? However, excess control can also result in low employee morale and employee engagement. You must have seen people with varied working styles, ways of talking, and traits. This leadership style makes it difficult to correct poor results. Autocratic leaders are in charge and they make this fact known. As such, in autocratic leadership, faster decisions can be made. 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. . support and direction. But, in an autocratic environment, there is no employee participation and their concerns are ignored. Instead of there being a democratic process for teams, there are no group positions of leadership with the autocratic style. - There is a clear division between the followers and the leaders. This process may create a powerful and positive impact on their performance. Working with a supervisor who makes all expectations clear and specifies exactly how to perform tasks can make the process of acclimating to a new work environment much easier for the employee. This leadership style doesnt have a specific training forum to attend or require knowledge of a specific theory of leadership. This leaves little room for miscommunication and messages getting lost in transit. List of the Disadvantages of Authoritarian Leadership It may cause some employees to rebel. Do you have a team of inexperienced employees? If you know anything about democratic leadership, you will know that it sounds better than autocracy. They wont get blamed if it fails and they wont get credit if it succeeds. The following are some of the pros of the autocratic leadership style: The autocratic leadership style facilitates quick decision-making in the workplace. In this article, we outline some essential, This leadership style enables quick decision-making, which is one of the most significant. That means workers tend to not take ownership of the work they do because there is no incentive to do so. Starting Business: The Advantages and Disadvantages of Autocratic Leadership, IPL.org: The Challenges of Autocratic Leadership Styles in Organizations and Individuals, Risk Vs. Autocratic executives can affect more productive project completion since they spread information swiftly throughout a company. 4. As such, it becomes the right choice for employees who thrive when they are told what to do. Autocratic leaders are like the captain of the ship. 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. in a time of crises). He holds an MSc in Tourism & Hospitality from the University of Sunderland. Authoritative leaders are most consistent in their approaches and systems. Autocratic leadership style ensures that a consistent message is sent from the centre to the employees at the bottom of the organisations. To be a great authentic leader, you should accept yourself for who you truly are. Advantages Autocratic style of leadership is very effective in times of emergency or stress since people will always work from orders or commands of their 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!). Study Notes Management Styles in a Business (GCSE) Study Notes Leadership Topic Videos Leadership Styles: Blake Mouton Managerial Grid Topic Videos This is the foundation of a management style called transformational leadership, which pulls everyone in on major decisions, ensuring the entire team is personally invested in . 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 . 9. Advantages Quick decision making: This comes in handy when a leader is governing a small group or business. They may sometimes ask their team members to provide feedback, however, the feedback is highly unlikely to change the decisions. They may also feel that the leadership does not care about their needs and desires which is unproductive for organisations. Some are collaborative and inspiring, while some are authoritative and controlling. In addition, normally, inexperienced employees are rules followers. They get to take all the credit for the work that gets done. These types of leaders are known as democratic leaders and laissez-faire leaders, respectively. This can lead to burnout. 6. However, this does not mean you should be satisfied with your current self and avoid growth. Autocratic leaders have imperious or commanding personalities. 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. Fewer layers of administration and lesser feedback to look into facilitates swift decision-making in the team. Every crisis or decision lies on their shoulders. And when it comes to long-term issues, autocratic leaders know how to direct traffic through the hierarchies. Autocratic leaders are often micromanagers. Moreover, the instructions will go straight to the employees. The decision can be made faster with this leadership style. Increased Work Burden It is one of the best. Advantages and Disadvantages of Autocratic Leadership: The advantages of Autocratic leadership are that it allows for fast and effective decisions in a crisis situation, this is due to the ability of make quick decisions without having to discuss amongst team members which wastes valuable time. An autocratic leadership style is similar to an authoritarian leadership style. Dependent on the leader: Organizational success is entirely dependent on the leader and their ideas, which can endanger the stability of the organization. An autocratic. 3. 2. 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. In, laissez-faire leadership leader gives all power to his subordinates to act on their own. By the time the information reaches the front-line employees doing most of the work, the entire original message could be lost. The communication in the autocratic leadership can be considered as "one-way" ( the manager say . ? In other styles, there is a risk that by the time employees receive the message, the entire original message could be lost or there could be multiple interpretations of the message that create confusion. Many companies tend to turn to an autocratic leadership style when they need to create short-term results in an urgent way. 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). Each level of management can inadvertently (or purposely) put their own spin on the communication come from the leadership. It also creates hardships for the leader because they may get blamed for the actions of a worker when that worker was told to do something completely different. Additionally, a leader like this improves workplace efficiency by instructing staff members on what to do and how to meet deadlines. The following are the notable advantages and disadvantages of the autocratic leadership style in the workplace. That need is generated by an overall lack of trust. Laissez-Faire. Pros It improves overall communication. Autocratic leaders dont deal with the hassle of multiple leadership levels. 9. These. Quick decision: Quick decision making is guaranteed because a single person decides for the whole group. This may make many employees feeling intellectually stifled. Autocratic Leadership. new data says yes, available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/markmurphy/2019/11/24/does-anyone-actually-like-autocratic-leaders-new-data-says-yes/?sh=bd0ef4e10de5 (accessed 06 April 2021), Schaeffer, L. (2002) The leadership journey, available at: https://hbr.org/2002/10/the-leadership-journey (accessed 06 April 2021), St Thomas University (2018) What is Autocratic Leadership?
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