advantages and disadvantages of autocratic leadership tutor2u

That means the partnerships formed by the workers are with the rules, not with people, and that helps to drive down morale over time. Employee morale can also be negatively affected when autocratic leadership is employed. So, what are the autocratic leadership advantages and disadvantages? If the leader offers questionable ethics, however, and refuses to create fairness, then there is no one who can really hold that person accountable. Autocratic leaders have the opportunity to take full control, responsibility and stress and build and maintain a productive operation. 2002-2023 Tutor2u Limited. Autocratic leadership is an exchange process, so it is a matter of contingent reinforcement of staff based on performances. Because autocratic leaders are able to move information throughout an organization quickly, there are fewer delays in productivity. Here are the pros and cons of autocracy: Pros of autocracy There are many benefits of autocracy, including: Increasing productivity: Autocracy can increase productivity, especially when subordinates don't have advanced skills or training yet. Rules are placed for employees to follow in an autocratic leadership style because there is a need to create consistency. One of the other notable cons of the autocratic leadership style is that there is a poor relationship between the leader and followers. When there is an autocratic leadership established within an organization, there are fewer levels of administration that must be kept informed of each decision. Workers are less likely to stop their projects or ask for later deadlines because they receive timely decisions and communication from their leadership. Employees feel motivated and devote their maximum effort when they feel valued for their presence and contribution. 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. The autocratic leadership style is highly dependent upon the leader. Faster decision-making and quick information-sharing can help boost the teams productivity. There can be a lack of accountability within its structures. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages to consider with the autocratic leadership style. Advantages of Autocratic Leadership Quick Decision Making. Required fields are marked *. These types of leaders are known as democratic leaders and laissez-faire leaders, respectively. At times, the original instruction may get lost within complex and multiple channels of communication. As autocratic leaders usually make decisions without consulting their team members, it may cause team members dislike towards the leadership. 9. This allow for a quick turn-around of the issue, helping the company to begin pursuing its mission once again. It allows for fast decisions to be made. You can be an authentic leader; you constantly grow and betters yourself. Because of one-way communication and lack of recognition employees do not get the answers to the questions they deserve. This leadership style doesnt have a specific training forum to attend or require knowledge of a specific theory of leadership. List of the Disadvantages of Authoritarian Leadership It may cause some employees to rebel. Leaders are of different types. If the results an autocratic leader achieves do not meet corporate expectations, then it can be difficult to correct the issue. Advantages of autocratic leadership style. Autocratic - quick decision making is guaranteed; Autocratic - good for inexperienced workers; . Characteristics of autocratic leadership style. December 28, 2021 by Raj Verdhan. The style is closely linked with Mayo's Human Relation view of motivation and also the social needs of Maslow. It is a leadership style that is based on a lack of trust. Autocratic leadership - Definition, Components, Advantage, Disadvantages. Starting Business: The Advantages and Disadvantages of Autocratic Leadership, IPL.org: The Challenges of Autocratic Leadership Styles in Organizations and Individuals, Risk Vs. 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. Autocratic leadership is one-directional, top-down leadership. As such, between them, there is no communication and you know communication is a must for a healthy relationship. - encourages independence and creativity. A review of the teams work falls on their shoulders. But rarely do employees know that there are several benefits of autocratic leadership. In a system of dependence, an autocratic leadership style creates a lack of trust between you and your workers. Leaders do not concern about whether or not subordinates are satisfied with their actions and instructions. The autocratic leadership style means that the person in charge has the entire control upon all decision making. 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. 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 . Did you ever invite him for a drink? Effective communication is when the receiver gets the exact message the sender wants to convey. However, there are some advantages of autocratic leadership as well. They even need guidance and instruction on how to, to do the given jobs. However, this does not mean you should be satisfied with your current self and avoid growth. Unfortunately, they might not appreciate the advice of their team members. Autocratic leadership has a clearly defined chain of command. 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. Some are collaborative and inspiring, while some are authoritative and controlling. advantages of the autocratic leadership style, autocratic leadership style advantages and disadvantages. It also includes less feedback from the management levels. 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. One of the hallmarks of autocratic leadership is that the leader comes to his decisions quickly. Leaders must assume that their workers are not performing as they should, which requires their direct supervision to ensure results happen. However, this leadership style become less effective in large organizations. One of the disadvantages of autocratic leadership is that it degrades the employees morale and motivation. It may impair the morale of the group. Each person benefits from the regulated competencies that are offered by the leader. 1. Some are encouraging and collaborative, while others are commanding and dominating. 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. Autocratic leaders exercise absolute control over the team. Such leaders usually make decisions based on their own judgment and ideas. Motivation and reward for leaders: It provides strong motivation and reward for the leader. Understanding autocratic leadership strengths and weaknesses can be easier when one understands exactly which kinds of behaviors constitute autocratic leadership. Autocratic leaders rely on specific rules, policies, and procedures to govern all processes within the workplace. Productivity levels can see increases with this leadership style. An autocratic leader focuses less on collecting input from team members and tends to make executive decisions that others are expected to follow. Nevertheless, autocratic leadership is one of the least popular management styles and certainly not suitable for each organisation. - reduces staff turnover. Autocratic leadership is suitable when the organization is small. These were the autocratic leadership style advantages and disadvantages. Though autocratic leadership style is often criticised, it is true that many historic autocratic leaders have been innovators who unleashed revolutions in different fields. Advantages Quick decision making: This comes in handy when a leader is governing a small group or business. The free reign approach can prove an effective type of leadership when the team has achieved identity and cohesion, resulting in motivated and resourceful team members. If there is a short-term problem, the expertise of the leader can be used to create a solution. When there isnt enough time to learn something new or a project must be completed rapidly, this type of leadership is the best option. Likewise, it is also very useful when organisations face constant change or a crisis. However, according to Schaeffer (2002) autocratic leaders are not those who bully people needlessly. It creates moments of insecurity within the leadership. Professionals operating under this leadership can have lower confidence and slower decision-making skills. 1. . When a company crisis occurs, a leader with authoritative traits can begin to call the shots to make immediate changes. Both issues decrease worker morale and put blame on someone, even though the issue may not be their fault. People who rely on this leadership style are often viewed as dictators or bossy. Decentralisation and Leadership Styles (AQA Paper 1 2019, Q20) Exam Support What is leadership? Autocratic leaders are often charged with information movement. And when it comes to long-term issues, autocratic leaders know how to direct traffic through the hierarchies. Home Pros and Cons 11 Autocratic Leadership Advantages and Disadvantages. Employees, in turn, learn discipline and consistency from their leader. 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. Autocratic leaders take the pressure off of their teams because they are fully responsible for the decisions that are made. Find out more. Autocratic leaders have imperious or commanding personalities. Managers must be willing to encourage leadership skills in subordinates. By the time the information reaches the front-line employees doing most of the work, the entire original message could be lost. Pros of autocratic leadership These. If that leader goes away, then the team is unable to function because they were focused on their role. 1. They get to take all the credit for the work that gets done. For example: When quick decisions are needed in a company (e.g. Disadvantages of Autocratic or Authoritarian Leadership. Every leadership style comes with some benefits and weaknesses. According to Startingbusiness.com, a significant drawback to working with an autocratic leader is the lack of flexibility in the workplace. They are the managerial equivalent of an emergency room surgeon who is forced to do whatever necessary to save a patients life. Everything rests with the leader. These environments allow for an error margin of zero. Team members may have opportunities to provide feedback; however, their feedback is highly unlikely to change the course of action. Lets take a glimpse at who autocratic leaders are and what they do. 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? . Low satisfaction also results in below performance than expectations. ? This system leaves the employees stress-free. Company Reg no: 04489574. Leader Dependence. Managers with this type of leadership style, keep a close eye on what is happening in their organisations. 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. Explains that autocratic leadership is a style often associated with the world of sports. 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. Its main weakness is that it hinges heavily on the abilities and temperament of your employees. There are many qualities that are needed to be a good leader or manager. Autocratic Leadership. Whether this style makes a good leader has been a longstanding debate. It can be a joyless experience for team members. Copyright 2017 2025. They are bound to follow whatever the leaders ask them. 1. 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. Team members have creative freedom 3. 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). There is no doubting where fault lies of poor decisions. Leaders are of different types. The autocratic leadership style does a good job of facilitating this process. The competencies of the leader practicing autocratic leadership become the foundation for future success. Autocratic leaders make choices or decisions based on their own beliefs and do not involve others for their suggestion or advice. These types of interactions do not create a sustainable working relationship, which ultimately creates productivity problems as workers experience lower morale levels. 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. An autocratic leadership style is similar to an authoritarian leadership style. Autocratic leadership always encourages one-way communication to eliminate this problem. They consult employees over issues and listen to their feedback or opinions. To be effective, people need to work in an environment where there is a trusting partnership. 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. 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. This leadership style makes it difficult to correct poor results. Cons of autocratic leadership. Autocratic style leads to frustration, low morale and conflict among subordinates. 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. 3. 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. In this article, we outline some essential, This leadership style enables quick decision-making, which is one of the most significant. 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. Such a group process usually, takes a longer time to come to decision. They must control the consistency at a personal level, which means they can no longer afford to give their team any freedom to operate. Some employees dont like the idea of being asked to make an important decision about the future of the company. And what are autocratic leadership pros and cons? There are a number of vital benefits to autocratic leadership, according to the Houston Chronicle. Tel: +44 0844 800 0085. Since organisation is key to a well-operated business, autocratic leadership can prove useful in situations where the organisation could advance within the company. 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. The idea here is that with a centralised control, giving guidance and direction to employees is relatively easy. 5. What is the cons of autocratic leadership? He has the sole authority to command, direct, and instruct all the team members. They arent required to wait for the feedback from senior managers or consult with a leadership team. Over time, this makes employee morale begin to sink. All the standard operating procedures are also followed. For many it is someone who can inspire and get the most from their staff. Faster decision-making is the key to attaining organizational goals. 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. Likewise, Leona Helmsley of the Helmsley hotel chain andMartha Stewart of MSLO are also considered to have exercised this type of leadership style. That creates a positive impact on the work environment, which leads to more accurate work and consistent production. Communication is the systematic process of passing information from one person to another. Even if low-skill tasks need to get done, it is the leaders responsibility to make sure someone makes copies, gets coffee, or files documents properly. Answer (1 of 10): Before I begin, I also tried this type of leadership among newcomers in our Unit. Autocratic leadership Advantages And Disadvantages. As in an autocratic organization, a single leader is involved in decision-making, he makes decisions based on his own logic and judgment. That means a decision is made on the timetable of the leader and no one else. In . Laissez-Faire. in a time of crises). Motivation and reward for leaders Effective where a chain of command is crucial 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. On the other hand, employees are responsible for following instructions and meeting deadlines. 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. Sources: 9. But that is not the case always, there are many instances when autocratic leadership has proved itself a desirable option in the organizational setting. The autocratic style provides fast crisis management benefits. 1. An autocratic leader is well-equipped to deal with a crisis situation. Your email address will not be published. Boston Spa, Here are the top advantages of autocratic leadership: Faster Decision-making This leadership style enables quick decision-making, which is one of the most significant benefits of autocratic leadership. It is a leadership style that is very easy to learn. Such strict discipline ensures timely work completion of the organization. The laissez-faire or free reign leader scarcely provides direction to his team members. Did you know that autocratic leadership is great when it comes to handling crises? 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. According to IPL.org, autocratic leadership is an extreme form of another kind of workplace leadership known as transactional leadership. The autocratic style provides fast crisis management benefits. So, there are advantages of the autocratic leadership style for the employees, too. They know themselves very well and try to bring people together to achieve the organisational goals. Because of the too much rigidity in the structure, and low growth opportunities, most of the experienced employees tend to leave the autocratic organizations. 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. But, what is autocratic leadership? Often, autocratic leaders are referred to as micromanagers. Do you have to be born with the correct qualities or can you be taught to be a good leader? 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. Increased autonomy 2. The advantages of Autocratic Leadership are: 1. When there is an autocratic leadership established within an organization, there are fewer levels of administration that must be kept informed of each decision. Autocratic leadership is a type of leadership that is individual-centric. Autocratic leadership, characterized by this centralized style of leadership, is an important concept in business, economics and politics. This helps to resolve the emergencies rather effectively when compared to other leadership styles. List of the Advantages of Autocratic Leadership 1. 2. Such times require a leader with the ability to give instructions or guide and direct to those under his or her authority. Autocratic leadership is defined by a top-down approach when it comes to all decision-making, procedures, and policies within an organization. St. Thomas University: What is Democratic/Participative Leadership? Autocratic leaders are often micromanagers. Do you have a team of inexperienced employees? Whether this style makes a good leader has been a longstanding debate. Lets take a glimpse at who autocratic leaders are and what they do. There are numerous autocratic leadership strengths and weaknesses and sometimes, a characteristic thats a strength in one scenario is a weakness in another. By the autocratic leadership principle, people who work in an autocratic organization or under an autocratic leader must accept the order, instruction, and command of the leader. 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. It can create negative emotions. The theory, which is generally linked with autocratic leadership, assumes employees don't like to work and tend to focus on fulfilling self-interests. This style tends to decrease employee performance when additional duties are imposed on the employees without consultation. The following are some of the instances because of which autocratic leadership is not suitable. However, they describe the disadvantages of this style as promoting staff defiance, lack of free . Management & Leadership Styles | Autocratic, Democratic, Paternalistic, Laissez- Faire and More Two Teachers 16K subscribers Subscribe 224 Share Save 27K views 3 years ago Business Studies Videos. . For employees, an environment where decision-making is solely the managers job can mean a relatively low stress environment. This leaves little room for miscommunication and messages getting lost in transit. They use their personal experiences to form rules or regulations that translate into step-by-step instructions for workers to follow. The leader will need to create the system, with all the rules and procedures, in which the team uses to operate and reach goals. 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 Room for Flexibility. - They are in complete . It gets even worse if workers can voice an opinion that is never utilized. According to St Thomas University (2018) the autocratic leadership process generally entails one person making all the strategic decisions for their subordinates. These benefits of autocratic leadership can swiftly take the team out of trouble. Most of the time Mr. Worth was absent from the rest of the employees, he communicated through his assistant. 4. It is one of the best. Because this leadership creates a system of dependence. Autocratic leadership style works better in situations where swift decisions are needed. 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. This can mean the only employees who remain working with the company are unmotivated and even lazy individuals. Faster Decision-making Proponents of this government form claim that having one ruler or person to decide on matters concerning a nation and without distractions and influences of others make it easier for the leader to make sound decisions he or she thinks works for the interest of the country.

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