The correct leadership approach used at the right time will foster a long-term employeeleader relationship. - There is a clear division between the followers and the leaders. Definition, Features, Principles, and Cycle, What is TQM? 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. Many say the autocratic leadership style is unfit in todays business environment. Autocratic (or authoritarian) managers like to make all the important decisions and closely supervise and control workers. Because of poor coordination, low job satisfaction, low motivation, etc. 8. That need is generated by an overall lack of trust. Advantages and disadvantages of autocratic leadership pdf It would be a great world if everyone could work together cohesively, pushing a business to its desired goal. An autocratic leader is the sole authority in her company, on her team or at the head of the group she is tasked with leading. Autocratic leadership always encourages one-way communication to eliminate this problem. So, what are the autocratic leadership advantages and disadvantages? Whatever approach is predominately used it will be vital to the success of the business. Did you know that autocratic leadership is great when it comes to handling crises? Moreover, they also like to enjoy the credit for the projects success, leaving the employees disheartened. When an autocratic leader becomes burnt out and cannot fulfill their duties, the rest of the team is often ill-equipped to step in and take the lead because they have never been in that position before. Fewer layers of administration and lesser feedback to look into facilitates swift decision-making in the team. The result is a more consistent and accurate output. 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. For that reason, some entities using this structure create an inheritance chain which allows another person to step into the leadership role right away. However, this is not feasible for the majority of decisions taken by a business- indeed one of the criticisms of this style is that it can take longer to reach a decision. When the leaders are taking ownership for the quality of the completed work, there is no opportunity for team members to do so. It creates focused targets for everyone. In addition, in this style of leadership, managers don't take care of the opinions of their staff and ore not open to changes. It is a style which dictates how people are supposed to work. 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. Autocratic leaders dont deal with the hassle of multiple leadership levels. 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. According to St. Thomas University, democratic leadership is defined by mutual respect between the manager and their team members. And, you know discipline is the key to achieving something. 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. Inexperienced employees lack the ability to understand the outlined rules and regulations of the organization. Definition, Types, Reasons, and Ways To Overcome, What is Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Cycle? Autocratic leaders exercise absolute control over the team. Disadvantages of Autocratic or Authoritarian Leadership. Such times require a leader with the ability to give instructions or guide and direct to those under his or her authority. Rules are placed for employees to follow in an autocratic leadership style because there is a need to create consistency. 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. The foundation of the autocratic leadership style is one built on mistrust. 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. According to Attner and Plunkett (1994) managers who use the autocratic leadership style do not share decision-making authority with their subordinates. To bring in information to the group members. Your email address will not be published. In some situations, this leadership . 5. Let's explore whether an autocratic leadership style is the right one for you: Benefits of Autocratic Leadership Style. This leadership style can produce authoritative short-term results. 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. This leadership style doesnt have a specific training forum to attend or require knowledge of a specific theory of leadership. Autocratic leaders make choices or decisions based on their own beliefs and do not involve others for their suggestion or advice. The result is a more consistent and accurate output. support and direction. 3. The communication in the autocratic leadership can be considered as "one-way" ( the manager say . 2. One of the disadvantages of autocratic leadership is that it degrades the employees morale and motivation. The idea here is that with a centralised control, giving guidance and direction to employees is relatively easy. Increased autonomy 2. 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. Some employees dont like the idea of being asked to make an important decision about the future of the company. 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? The theory, which is generally linked with autocratic leadership, assumes employees don't like to work and tend to focus on fulfilling self-interests. Often, autocratic leaders are referred to as micromanagers. 1. That means many leaders practicing this leadership style eventually turn into micromanagers, even if that is not their intent. Through goremotely.net, stats reveal that 78% of the employees want to quit their jobs due to lack of recognition. This is yet another of the several, advantages of autocratic leadership style. If that leader goes away, then the team is unable to function because they were focused on their role. This can lead to burnout. Whether this style makes a good leader has been a longstanding debate. They must control the consistency at a personal level, which means they can no longer afford to give their team any freedom to operate. So, there are advantages of the autocratic leadership style for the employees, too. Authoritative leaders are most consistent in their approaches and systems. They are the managerial equivalent of an emergency room surgeon who is forced to do whatever necessary to save a patients life. In workplaces where the employees are largely young and inexperienced, autocratic leadership can be the most effective approach. 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. Although an autocratic leader can have a challenging personality, most employees prefer to work in an environment where there are clear expectations set for them. This improves the speed of decisions because only one person is weighing the pros and cons of each choice, not a C-Suite. 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. If there is a short-term problem, the expertise of the leader can be used to create a solution. Be able to think creatively to provide a vision for the company and solve problems, Be calm under pressure and make clear decisions, Possess excellent two-way communication skills, Be well informed and knowledgeable about matters relating to the business. Autocratic leaders generally could use organizational . The autocratic leadership style does a good job of facilitating this process. 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). Such a group process usually, takes a longer time to come to decision. 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 . But, what is autocratic leadership? To be effective, people need to work in an environment where there is a trusting partnership. The leader is the only person to take the decision solely as they are in charge . 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. 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. But, what is autocratic leadership? When the autocratic leadership style is used with an inexperienced team, the experience of the leader can replace the skill gap that is present. - consultative although the manager will have the final say. 2002-2023 Tutor2u Limited. Definitions of autocratic leadership style. They can switch back to a more delegative approach as team members gain more experience. Autocratic leadership, however, has. There is also less feedback from various levels of management which must be processed. Despite facing criticism, there are some tangible benefits that an autocratic leader brings to the company. Because of the vertical or one-way communication channel subordinates do not get the opportunity to share their ideas and thoughts. Along with many advantages, the autocratic leadership style also has various disadvantages. There is just one person in charge. For employees, an environment where decision-making is solely the managers job can mean a relatively low stress environment. The advantages and disadvantages below refer to autocracy in general, including the two types of autocracy as discussed above. Some are collaborative and inspiring, while some are authoritative and controlling. Autocracy in the workplace also results in high employee turnover. Contrast this with an autocratic leader, who does not ask their team for their input when making a decision. An autocratic leader is well-equipped to deal with a crisis situation. Autocratic leadership refers to a form of leadership in which a leader takes choices without consulting others. Safeguarding Mental Health in the Gig Economy Strengths of Laissez-Faire Leaders . Therefore, leaders who exercise autocratic leadership should follow a balanced process to attain organizational objectives. Create a leadership learning plan. How Procedures Can Improve Efficiency, available at: https://online.stu.edu/articles/education/autocratic-leadership.aspx (accessed 06 April 2021). In a system of dependence, an autocratic leadership style creates a lack of trust between you and your workers. That means workers tend to not take ownership of the work they do because there is no incentive to do so. And they are accountable for the outcomes. Autocratic leadership is . This process may create a powerful and positive impact on their performance. However, this leadership style become less effective in large organizations. 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. autocratic leadership advantages and disadvantages? However, they describe the disadvantages of this style as promoting staff defiance, lack of free . Autocratic leadership always encourages one-way communication to eliminate this problem. Autocratic Leadership. Each person involved in autocratic organizations knows their position and role in achieving the desired target. Autocratic leadership, also known as authoritarian leadership, is a style of leadership characterized by direct, top-down communication and commands. These types of interactions do not create a sustainable working relationship, which ultimately creates productivity problems as workers experience lower morale levels. Autocratic leaders generally believe that they are the smartest people around and know more than their subordinates. Autocratic - quick decision making is guaranteed; Autocratic - good for inexperienced workers; . They even need guidance and instruction on how to, to do the given jobs. A clear chain of command is important in certain environments, like the military. Likewise, Leona Helmsley of the Helmsley hotel chain andMartha Stewart of MSLO are also considered to have exercised this type of leadership style. That is because there is one person and they are in charge of all arrangements. It allows for fast decisions to be made. 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 . Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages to consider with the autocratic leadership style. The following are the notable advantages and disadvantages of the autocratic leadership style in the workplace. - They don't have group members, they have followers. An autocratic leader is not wishy-washy or passive aggressive; an autocratic leader makes expectations and the consequences for not meeting them clear from the outset. You can be an authentic leader; you constantly grow and betters yourself. According to St Thomas University (2018) the autocratic leadership process generally entails one person making all the strategic decisions for their subordinates. Advantages of autocratic leadership style 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. 2. All the standard operating procedures are also followed. Because of the too much rigidity in the structure, and low growth opportunities, most of the experienced employees tend to leave the autocratic organizations. The manager will however make the actual decisions (in the best interests of the workers) as they believe the staff still need direction and in this way it is still somewhat of an autocratic approach. A team can become so dependent upon the leader that they stop functioning when their directions are no longer present. This requires good two-way communication and often involves democratic discussion groups, which can offer useful suggestions and ideas. 9. Sources: 9. Many companies tend to turn to an autocratic leadership style when they need to create short-term results in an urgent way. It may create an unwelcome culture within the organization. He is a lecturer in Management and Marketing. Answer (1 of 10): Before I begin, I also tried this type of leadership among newcomers in our Unit. But rarely do employees know that there are several benefits of autocratic leadership. 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. democratic leadership. That means all creative decisions originate from the leader. However, there are some advantages of autocratic leadership as well. . Effective communication is when the receiver gets the exact message the sender wants to convey. These benefits of autocratic leadership can swiftly take the team out of trouble. That creates a positive impact on the work environment, which leads to more accurate work and consistent production. In this type of leadership, the rules and procedures that teams use are quite rigid. Pros Autocratic leadership is one-directional, top-down leadership. The employee doesnt have to worry about anything beyond performing their job duties properly, and for many employees, this is much less mentally taxing than an environment where they're expected to pitch ideas and weigh in on business strategies. For long-term issues, the autocratic leader can direct traffic in specific ways with more efficiency than a C-Suite, creating solutions that can quickly move an organization out of a troublesome state. Do you have a team of inexperienced employees? Starting Business: The Advantages and Disadvantages of Autocratic Leadership, IPL.org: The Challenges of Autocratic Leadership Styles in Organizations and Individuals, Risk Vs. 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. Motivation and reward for leaders Effective where a chain of command is crucial Motivation and reward for leaders: It provides strong motivation and reward for the leader. If you liked any of these articles, please feel free to share with others by clicking on the social sharing icons. The autocratic leadership style is highly dependent upon the leader. Autocracy has many benefits as well as some drawbacks. For example: When quick decisions are needed in a company (e.g. Under autocratic leaders, subordinates would fear due to demands and expectations. 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. Such leaders usually make decisions based on their own judgment and ideas. Definition and Pros/Cons, Demings 14 Points For Quality Management [Explained], What is Deming Management? List of the Disadvantages of a Democratic Leadership Style. 1. This creates more speed, better productivity, and enhanced efficiencies within the workplace. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); At BokasTutor, We aim to provide easy and insightful explanations on different topics of disciplines like Management, Marketing, Finance, Business, and Entrepreneurship. At times, the original instruction may get lost within complex and multiple channels of communication. In time, this may result in fewer errors, which can provide a boost to revenues. It is an easy way to cut through administrative red tape to ensure better communication to all workers. However, according to Schaeffer (2002) autocratic leaders are not those who bully people needlessly. That means there is a priority on consistency, with each team member performing their job functions in a similar way. It can create negative emotions. These were the autocratic leadership style advantages and disadvantages. Autocratic leadership eliminates this issue because the command goes straight to the workers involved. List of the Disadvantages of Authoritarian Leadership It may cause some employees to rebel. Within autocratic structures, there may not be anyone who has the authority to make a rogue leader accountable to the company to stop their behavior. Faster decision-making Read more about each of these advantages in detail in our separate post: Laissez-Faire Leadership Advantages. Autocratic leaders are able to handle a crisis situation easily because they are the ones who are in charge. They know themselves very well and try to bring people together to achieve the organisational goals. Control in the group is minimal; authority is shared among members. Managers with this type of leadership style, keep a close eye on what is happening in their organisations. The autocratic leadership style means that the person in charge has the entire control upon all decision making. Advantages and disadvantages of autocratic leadership style. Did you know that autocratic leadership is great when it comes to handling crises? Resulting in taking ideas and not implementing them. The Disadvantages of Impulsive Management, Management Styles That Elevate vs. Devalue Employees. Humans are by nature different from each other; still, experts try to categorize them into various segments. The autocratic style provides fast crisis management benefits. Bad leaders can put a company out of business. This approach derives from the views of Taylor as to how to motivate workers and relates to McGregor's theory X view of workers. Their expertise and experience can solve short-term issues. For leaders who don't care much about power and prefer to be appreciated by being of service to others, this is the main advantage. There can be a lack of accountability within its structures. Unlike, group decision-making the autocratic leader does not have to decide with his followers. The productivity levels may be higher, but with no say in the process, resentment will quickly build. Although their primary aim should be to achieve business goals, as leaders, it is also their responsibility to add value to employees. In . Even if the leader is not knowledgeable in the area, they are forced into a position where they must decide. Most autocratic leaders do not consider the opinions or abilities of their staff members while making decisions. If yes, then the best way to manage such teams is through autocratic leadership. Some are collaborative and inspiring, while some are authoritative and controlling. Low satisfaction also results in below performance than expectations. The leader shares defined roles and patterns of work with the employees. Although creativity, independent thinking, and new processes are included as part of the overall leadership style, their implementation is not a top priority. When there are multiple levels of leadership within an organization, a command from the top becomes like a childhood game of Telephone. Cons of autocratic leadership. They arent required to wait for the feedback from senior managers or consult with a leadership team. 1. Such strict discipline ensures timely work completion of the organization. Do you have to be born with the correct qualities or can you be taught to be a good leader? They use their personal experiences to form rules or regulations that translate into step-by-step instructions for workers to follow. The advantages of Autocratic Leadership are: 1. 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. Essentially, no one will be confused about the direction of a company or even the specific assignment they are working on. One of the greatest advantages to working with an autocratic leader is that the employee always knows whats expected and what will happen if they fail to perform as expected. Decentralisation and Leadership Styles (AQA Paper 1 2019, Q20) Exam Support What is leadership? LS23 6AD Employees who prefer some authority and decision-making powers in the team might not appreciate autocratic leadership. List of the Advantages of the Autocratic Leadership Style 1. It also explores the definitions of autocratic leadership style and provides the readers with a list of characteristics and examples of autocratic leaders from different fields. It is one of the best. 10. 2. Autocratic leadership has a clearly defined chain of command. Check out Harappas, Autocratic Leadership Advantages and Disadvantages. 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. As such, between them, there is no communication and you know communication is a must for a healthy relationship.