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Autocratic leaders rely on specific rules, policies, and procedures to govern all processes within the workplace. 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. In this kind of leadership mostly leader makes new contacts with outside people. They can switch back to a more delegative approach as team members gain more experience. In autocratic organizations, there are clearly defined tasks, roles, rules, and deadlines to follow. For many it is someone who can inspire and get the most from their staff. They prefer to set their objectives, plan of action, processes and methods independently. - the leader respects other peoples opinions and feedback. Although they set their rules and regulations to control the team, they also play a significant role in eradicating employee stress. 9. In high-pressure, high-stakes situations like buying and selling real estate, an autocratic leader who has the knowledge necessary to make profitable choices can be a companys greatest asset. In . That consistency leads toward corporate success. While the advantages and disadvantages of leadership styles are not always readily apparent, one thing is certain - being decisive while avoiding autocratic leadership tactics is necessary for successful leaders and negotiators alike. Subordinates are expected to comply with orders from their supervisors, who in turn are expected to comply with orders from their superiors. As such, in autocratic leadership, faster decisions can be made. People who step out of this line are quickly identified and brought back into the fold. Autocratic leadership is one-directional, top-down leadership. There are some work environments which require a high level of control. From Disabled and $500k in Debt to a Pro Blogger with 5 Million Monthly Visitors, 11 Autocratic Leadership Advantages and Disadvantages, Leaders Eat Last Speed Summary: 15 Core Principles, Extreme Ownership Speed Summary (3 Minutes) w/ PDF, Good to Great Speed Summary: 15 Core Principles of, "From Disabled and $500k in Debt to a Pro Blogger with 5 Million Monthly Visitors. In time, this may result in fewer errors, which can provide a boost to revenues. At the end of the day, the autocratic leader is like the captain of a ship: every decision is a weight on their shoulders and they are ultimately responsible for what happens. Although this kind of leadership can sound harsh at first, it can be very effective. 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 people working under autocratic leaders are supposed to accept the guidance or orders of their leader without any disagreement. Copyright 2017 2025. Leadership styles There are many ways to lead and every leader has his or her own style. The leader does not have to deal with internal politics or disputes at the decision-making stage. 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 theory, which is generally linked with autocratic leadership, assumes employees don't like to work and tend to focus on fulfilling self-interests. These types of interactions do not create a sustainable working relationship, which ultimately creates productivity problems as workers experience lower morale levels. 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. Definition and Pros/Cons, Demings 14 Points For Quality Management [Explained], What is Deming Management? ", 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. Many analysts argue that late Steve Jobs (co-founder of Apple Inc.), Elon Musk, and to some extent Bill Gates are autocratic leaders. But, what is autocratic leadership? That means a decision is made on the timetable of the leader and no one else. 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. employees also do not show their commitment to the organizational purpose. When the autocratic leadership style is used with an inexperienced team, the experience of the leader can replace the skill gap that is present. They must make every decision for the team. This approach derives from the views of Taylor as to how to motivate workers and relates to McGregor's theory X view of workers. According to Attner and Plunkett (1994) managers who use the autocratic leadership style do not share decision-making authority with their subordinates. - reduces staff turnover. There are a number of vital benefits to autocratic leadership, according to the Houston Chronicle. Workers are forced to rely on the autocratic leader for all their feedback, instructions, and work duties. Good leaders can produce great results. Many companies tend to turn to an autocratic leadership style when they need to create short-term results in an urgent way. It leads to quick decision-making, control over the processes and the operations of a company, etc. Lets take a glimpse at who autocratic leaders are and what they do. A clear chain of command is important in certain environments, like the military. Faster decision-making Read more about each of these advantages in detail in our separate post: Laissez-Faire Leadership Advantages. 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. Here're some benefits of autocratic leadership: Ensures faster decision making In autocratic leadership, there're fewer levels of administration and hierarchy that you inform before implementing the decision. On the other hand, employees are responsible for following instructions and meeting deadlines. Did you ever invite him for a drink? Additionally, a leader like this improves workplace efficiency by instructing staff members on what to do and how to meet deadlines. An Autocratic or authoritarian leadership style will comprise of dictates and orders like telling aides what is to be done and how is something supposed to be done. It is a style which dictates how people are supposed to work. But it becomes ineffective in large and diversified organizations. . The first involves the work that gets done. 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. To be effective, people need to work in an environment where there is a trusting partnership. Pros of autocratic leadership Autocratic leaders are like the captain of the ship. The Disadvantages of Laissez-Faire Leadership. 8. 1. The quality of a team, structure, or organization practicing autocratic leadership is dependent upon the ethics of the leader in charge. This helps to resolve the emergencies rather effectively when compared to other leadership styles. It can be a joyless experience for team members. Find out more. The cadets were fresh and were eager to learn, my Commanding Officer told me to do the "traditional" way of welcoming the cadets, this in fact is very beneficial to me and us because it instill dis. There is no doubting where fault lies of poor decisions. If that leader does not create a fair working environment, then it is difficult for any employees to change that environment. 2. 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. Many companies have been forced to completely reset their under-performing teams because the leadership in place formed the identity of everyone involved. Some of the more common styles include autocratic, bureaucratic, democratic, and laissez-faire. 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. This detailed article sheds light on some of the advantages and disadvantages of autocratic leadership style. A team can become so dependent upon the leader that they stop functioning when their directions are no longer present. 3. Only the leader will weigh the pros and cons of every option instead of the entire C-suite. This allow for a quick turn-around of the issue, helping the company to begin pursuing its mission once again. Safeguarding Mental Health in the Gig Economy Strengths of Laissez-Faire Leaders 10. There is also less feedback from various levels of management which must be processed. 6. This ensures that employees are exercising best of their abilities to get the job done, and time and other resources are not wasted. And they are accountable for the outcomes. Although in authoritarian leadership, there is one-way communication there also exists effective communication. You must have seen people with varied working styles, ways of talking, and traits. Autocratic leadership involves absolute, authoritarian control over a group of people. They must control the consistency at a personal level, which means they can no longer afford to give their team any freedom to operate. When an autocratic leadership style is used in these situations, then the control the policies and procedures provide encourage a deeper commitment to safety. 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. This working environment can leave employees feeling suppressed. 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. The second involves a leader refusing to take responsibility for work they personally instructed a worker to complete. They may also feel that the leadership does not care about their needs and desires which is unproductive for organisations. Only the leader will weigh the pros and cons of every option instead of the entire C-suite. It improves overall communication. 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. Its advantages are as follows: 1) An autocratic leader is in close control of the organization. Many say the autocratic leadership style is unfit in todays business environment. It is therefore easy for the autocratic leaders to make the organisational goals clear to the subordinates resulting in better and higher commitment to the accomplishment of the goals. It is a leadership style that is very easy to learn. They wont get blamed if it fails and they wont get credit if it succeeds. And what are. After all, this is what good leadership is all about. Autocratic leadership, characterized by this centralized style of leadership, is an important concept in business, economics and politics. On the other hand, employees are responsible for following instructions and meeting deadlines. It is one of the best. This creates more speed, better productivity, and enhanced efficiencies within the workplace. But, what is autocratic leadership? Every leadership style comes with some benefits and weaknesses. Advantages and Disadvantages of the Autocratic Leadership, Poor Relationship Between the leader and Followers, Not Suitable for Large and Diversified Organizations, What is Organizational Change? Lindsay Kramer has been a small business owner since 2014. Charismatic leaders usually display a great level of confidence to convince a large audience. Downsides of Autocratic Leadership While autocratic leadership can be beneficial at times, there are also many instances where this leadership style can be problematic. Since autocratic leadership ensures clearly defined structures, it clearly states what to do and how to do it. Advantages of Autocratic Leadership Quick Decision Making. Check out Harappas, Autocratic Leadership Advantages and Disadvantages. When a leader is asked to operate in an authoritarian manner, it is difficult to turn that role on and off on-demand. To bring in information to the group members. Boston Spa, They may sometimes ask their team members to provide feedback, however, the feedback is highly unlikely to change the decisions. This can lead to burnout. It is a leadership style that is based on a lack of trust. As only the leader makes decisions, the management may or may not provide feedback. The leader is the only person to take the decision solely as they are in charge . Autocratic leadership, however, has. Humans are by nature different from each other; still, experts try to categorize them into various segments. Autocratic leadership, also known as authoritarian leadership, is a style of leadership characterized by direct, top-down communication and commands. Disadvantages: Although some managers adopt democratic leadership, it is just to please their subordinates but they do not follow the technique fully. An autocratic leader is well-equipped to deal with a crisis situation. The decision can be made faster with this leadership style. The competencies of the leader practicing autocratic leadership become the foundation for future success. 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. 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 . Put plainly, an autocratic leader is a leader who has total control over their jurisdiction and does not request or accept input from employees regarding their decisions. That means there is a priority on consistency, with each team member performing their job functions in a similar way. Do you have a team of inexperienced employees? This style tends to decrease employee performance when additional duties are imposed on the employees without consultation. But, the results always lead to corporate success. The productivity levels may be higher, but with no say in the process, resentment will quickly build. 2. Definition, Principles, Techniques, and Pros/Cons. The autocratic leadership style does a good job of facilitating this process. When there isnt enough time to learn something new or a project must be completed rapidly, this type of leadership is the best option. We all had, in one job or another, a boss who was feared by everyone. An autocratic. The communication in the autocratic leadership can be considered as "one-way" ( the manager say . Dependent on the leader: Organizational success is entirely dependent on the leader and their ideas, which can endanger the stability of the organization. People only thrive here is there is no investment in what they do. Managers do not trust workers and simply give orders (one-way communication) that they expect to be obeyed. 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. Here are the key advantages and disadvantages of autocratic leadership to consider. By the time the information reaches the front-line employees doing most of the work, the entire original message could be lost. Autocratic leaders cant make trust a priority because they are forced to make the rules be the priority. Employee morale can also be negatively affected when autocratic leadership is employed. Autocratic style leads to frustration, low morale and conflict among subordinates. Autocratic leadership is characterized by being highly structured and rigid style. It is an easy way to cut through administrative red tape to ensure better communication to all workers. The leader defines goals and the limitations for action and then leaves the remaining process. If there is a short-term problem, the expertise of the leader can be used to create a solution. Both leadership styles are very well known and are often used due to . Autocratic leaders do not appreciate any inputs from 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. This lack of adaptability within your workforce can . Autocratic leadership is defined by a top-down approach when it comes to all decision-making, procedures, and policies within an organization. However, this does not mean you should be satisfied with your current self and avoid growth. That is because there is one person and they are in charge of all arrangements. 4. The result is a more consistent and accurate output. Managers must be willing to encourage leadership skills in subordinates. Autocratic leadership Advantages And Disadvantages. It may impair the morale of the group. What leads to a successful working relationship is an ability of workers to have trust in their leaders, and vice-versa. The following are some of the pros of the autocratic leadership style: The autocratic leadership style facilitates quick decision-making in the workplace. Do you know why? Resulting in taking ideas and not implementing them. And they are accountable for the outcomes. Autocratic leaders dont deal with the hassle of multiple leadership levels. Faster decision-making is the key to attaining organizational goals. When controlling large numbers of low skilled workers. 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. The first and foremost advantage of this type of leadership style is that it helps the company in making a quick decision as the decision is centralized with the leader. Autocratic leaders generally believe that they are the smartest people around and know more than their subordinates. The procedures and rules might seem rigid. Autocratic leaders generally could use organizational . If you know anything about democratic leadership, you will know that it sounds better than autocracy. Many analysists also argue that this style usually leads to an absence of creative solutions to problems, which may ultimately hurt the group efforts. In the permissive version, the autocratic leader still makes the final decision, but extends some flexibility to their direct reports in how tasks are completed. Your email address will not be published. Workers become dependent on someone else to make decisions. This approach has limitations (as highlighted by other motivational theorists such as Mayo and Herzberg) but it can be effective in certain situations. 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?