advantages and disadvantages of autocratic leadership tutor2u advantages and disadvantages of autocratic leadership tutor2u

It can be a joyless experience for team members. As such, it becomes the right choice for employees who thrive when they are told what to do. VAT reg no 816865400. There is no need to recognize emotions, respond to personal issues, or find other ways of motivation. 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. Definition and Pros/Cons, Demings 14 Points For Quality Management [Explained], What is Deming Management? In, laissez-faire leadership leader gives all power to his subordinates to act on their own. "An organisation is only as good as the person running it". Did you know that autocratic leadership is great when it comes to handling crises? M Rahman writes extensively online and offline with an emphasis on business management, marketing, and tourism. Khan et al. Through goremotely.net, stats reveal that 78% of the employees want to quit their jobs due to lack of recognition. The result is an unhappy workforce. Task 2.3 - Comparison of leadership style Autocratic Leadership Style: Mr. Worth took on a more autocratic approach to leadership by operating his office from the top floor of the company, and rarely interacting with his employees. 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. In workplaces where the employees are largely young and inexperienced, autocratic leadership can be the most effective approach. To be a great authentic leader, you should accept yourself for who you truly are. Second, autocratic leadership gives the leader an enormous amount of power in deciding how the team operates, but this also means increasing responsibility and accountability. Autocratic leadership is a suitable option for small-sized organizations where a single leader can handle all the matters easily. 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. Autocratic leaders are like the captain of the ship. 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. Advantages. The first involves the work that gets done. Because of the strict method in which employees are micromanaged, there is no room for flexibility within the work environment. Managers are interested in how happy workers feel and in many ways they act as a father figure (pater means father in Latin). It is a leadership style that can be applied in three different ways. However, this does not mean you should be satisfied with your current self and avoid growth. Faster decision-making Read more about each of these advantages in detail in our separate post: Laissez-Faire Leadership Advantages. Removes employee stress. Employees do not get recognition for their efforts. Advantages of charismatic leadership style. outline the advantages of this style, such as increased situational control, discipline over workers, short discussions, and group members knowing their roles and tasks. 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. Full potential of subordinates and their creative ideas are not utilized. Autocratic leaders have imperious or commanding personalities. Individual decision making: Less competent sub-managers can be used only to carry out the orders of the boss. And when it comes to long-term issues, autocratic leaders know how to direct traffic through the hierarchies. 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. 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 * Very limited or no input at all from the subordinates. Control in the group is minimal; authority is shared among members. 8. 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. These. This is one of the autocratic leader strengths and weaknesses that is highly dependent on the workplace environment. Pros 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. At times, the original instruction may get lost within complex and multiple channels of communication. Moreover, they also like to enjoy the credit for the projects success, leaving the employees disheartened. Strict compliance becomes necessary. When there is an autocratic leadership established within an organization, there are fewer levels of administration that must be kept informed of each decision. Copyright 2017 2025. As such, here, every employee is abiding by strict discipline. 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 . 8. 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. The leader is the only person to take the decision solely as they are in charge . Autocratic leadership style ensures that a consistent message is sent from the centre to the employees at the bottom of the organisations. 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. Authoritative leaders are most consistent in their approaches and systems. Over time, however, this leadership style creates mistrust within the workplace. 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 Autocratic leaders generally believe that they are the smartest people around and know more than their subordinates. But rarely do employees know that there are several. Autocratic leadership eliminates this issue because the command goes straight to the workers involved. Many say the autocratic leadership style is unfit in todays business environment. 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. In this article, we outline some essential, This leadership style enables quick decision-making, which is one of the most significant. Safeguarding Mental Health in the Gig Economy Strengths of Laissez-Faire 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. Employees, in turn, learn discipline and consistency from their leader. This person: Assigns tasks Keeps everyone on deadline Focuses on the big picture Makes sure everyone contributes equally This ensures that employees are exercising best of their abilities to get the job done, and time and other resources are not wasted. 3. As such, between them, there is no communication and you know communication is a must for a healthy relationship. An autocratic leader is well-equipped to deal with a crisis situation. So, what are the autocratic leadership advantages and disadvantages? 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. What is Laissez-Faire Leadership? This process may create a powerful and positive impact on their performance. ? Employees feel motivated and devote their maximum effort when they feel valued for their presence and contribution. 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. Autocratic leaders take the pressure off of their teams because they are fully responsible for the decisions that are made. The style is closely linked with Mayo's Human Relation view of motivation and also the social needs of Maslow. Autocratic leaders are typically trusted with decisions or important tasks. At times, the original instruction may get lost within complex and multiple channels of communication. He has the sole authority to command, direct, and instruct all the team members. In this article, we outline some essential autocratic leadership pros and cons. Advantages and disadvantages of autocratic leadership style. However, excess control can also result in low employee morale and employee engagement. Because of the vertical or one-way communication channel subordinates do not get the opportunity to share their ideas and thoughts. In this kind of leadership mostly leader makes new contacts with outside people. Leader Dependence. Good leaders can produce great results. Whether this style makes a good leader has been a longstanding debate. Authoritative leaders are most consistent in their approaches and systems. But, in an autocratic environment, there is no employee participation and their concerns are ignored. This is beneficial to reduce role ambiguity among the employees. Through close supervision and an emphasis on order and discipline, the autocratic leadership style allows everyone to focus on specific goals or targets to reach. Leaders do not concern about whether or not subordinates are satisfied with their actions and instructions. What makes a good leader or manager? 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. Many prime ministers and presidents around the world are also well-known for their autocratic style. 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. 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. 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? Situations such as dealing with hazardous materials spill and closing or keeping a business open during an accident can be dealt with instantly and effectively with this style of leadership. Do you have a team of inexperienced employees? 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). Likewise, this style is also very effective when astringent synchronisation of processes is essential to productivity. 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 is an advantage because team members can continue projects, move deadlines, and remove obstacles that could negatively impact their overall productivity. It can create negative emotions. It improves productivity. Because of one-way communication and lack of recognition employees do not get the answers to the questions they deserve. ", 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. The leader is the only one who is in charge of the situation. Leaders are of different types. West Yorkshire, - increases employee satisfaction and motivation. This detailed article sheds light on some of the advantages and disadvantages of autocratic leadership style. - reduces staff turnover. There is no doubt that laissez-faire can bring significant disadvantages to an organisation - especially where conditions are not conducive to such a liberal style of management. And they are accountable for the outcomes. Autocratic leadership always encourages one-way communication to eliminate this problem. 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. Inexperienced teams can still produce experienced results. It creates moments of insecurity within the leadership. Definitions of autocratic leadership style. Autocratic leadership is suitable when the organization is small. Understanding autocratic leadership strengths and weaknesses can be easier when one understands exactly which kinds of behaviors constitute autocratic leadership. It reduces the amount of group input received. How was that going for you? autocratic leadership advantages and disadvantages? Every crisis or decision lies on their shoulders. Their expertise and experience can solve short-term issues. Whether this style makes a good leader has been a longstanding debate. 2. Strong sense of control and direction: Autocratic leaders provide clear direction and expectations for their team members, which can create a sense of order and stability. Effective communication is when the receiver gets the exact message the sender wants to convey. - There is a clear division between the followers and the leaders. Explains that autocratic leadership is a style often associated with the world of sports. Autocracy in the workplace also results in high employee turnover. 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. The three commonly observed leadership . An autocratic leader is well-equipped to deal with a crisis situation. Autocracy has many benefits as well as some drawbacks. Communication is the systematic process of passing information from one person to another. Business, sports, politics, and many other fields have witnessed a great number of autocratic leaders throughout the history. Autocratic style leads to frustration, low morale and conflict among subordinates. Charismatic leaders usually display a great level of confidence to convince a large audience. Boston Spa, That means all creative decisions originate from the leader. This leadership style can produce authoritative short-term results. That means workers tend to not take ownership of the work they do because there is no incentive to do so. That means a decision is made on the timetable of the leader and no one else. Autocratic leaders make choices or decisions based on their own beliefs and do not involve others for their suggestion or advice. So, there are. Benefits of autocratic leadership Here are some of the pros of an autocratic leadership approach. However, there are some advantages of autocratic leadership as well. There is just one person in charge. 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 Have the desire to achieve great things An autocratic workplace environment is typically not friendly to innovation or outside-the-box thinking, and this can leave workers feeling intellectually stifled. In addition, in this style of leadership, managers don't take care of the opinions of their staff and ore not open to changes. In some situations, this leadership . That need is generated by an overall lack of trust. 2002-2023 Tutor2u Limited. And what are. The procedures and rules might seem rigid. Downsides of Autocratic Leadership While autocratic leadership can be beneficial at times, there are also many instances where this leadership style can be problematic. In . This leadership style doesnt have a specific training forum to attend or require knowledge of a specific theory of leadership. Decisions can be made faster with this 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 leadership style is similar to an authoritarian leadership style. Its advantages are as follows: 1) An autocratic leader is in close control of the organization. It allows for fast decisions to be made. - They are in complete . List of the Advantages of the Autocratic Leadership Style 1. It improves overall communication. In addition, normally, inexperienced employees are rules followers. Lets take a glimpse at who autocratic leaders are and what they do. There can be a lack of accountability within its structures. The leader will need to create the system, with all the rules and procedures, in which the team uses to operate and reach goals. How Procedures Can Improve Efficiency, available at: https://online.stu.edu/articles/education/autocratic-leadership.aspx (accessed 06 April 2021). Workers are less likely to stop their projects or ask for later deadlines because they receive timely decisions and communication from their leadership. This system leaves the employees stress-free. And they are accountable for the outcomes. There are many qualities that are needed to be a good leader or manager. 1. 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. 6. 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. They use their personal experiences to form rules or regulations that translate into step-by-step instructions for workers to follow. 7. 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 . 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. Definition, Principles, Techniques, and Pros/Cons. These benefits of autocratic leadership can swiftly take the team out of trouble. The retention rate can increase 4. For example, the team will have a clear vision of expectations and where their project and company is going. 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. More Cautious They are bound to follow whatever the leaders ask them. When a team leaders style can be summarized with my way or the highway, that leader can accurately be called an autocrat. 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. in a time of crises). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The second involves a leader refusing to take responsibility for work they personally instructed a worker to complete. Autocratic leaders dont deal with the hassle of multiple leadership levels. 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. Likewise, it is also very useful when organisations face constant change or a crisis. 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. Nevertheless, autocratic leadership is one of the least popular management styles and certainly not suitable for each organisation. It creates a lack of feedback. Analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of the autocratic leadership style by examining examples of leaders and companies. It encourages a higher churn rate. 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. The leader shares defined roles and patterns of work with the employees. 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. Your email address will not be published. Autocratic leadership is a type of leadership that is individual-centric. Faster decision-making is the key to attaining organizational goals. The following are the notable advantages and disadvantages of the autocratic leadership style in the workplace. They get to take all the credit for the work that gets done. 10. Over time, this makes employee morale begin to sink. This leadership style makes it difficult to correct poor results. As autocratic leaders usually make decisions without consulting their team members, it may cause team members dislike towards the leadership. He is a lecturer in Management and Marketing. This can mean the only employees who remain working with the company are unmotivated and even lazy individuals. Humans are by nature different from each other; still, experts try to categorize them into various segments. Although they set their rules and regulations to control the team, they also play a significant role in eradicating employee stress. St. Thomas University: What is Autocratic Leadership? Every leadership style comes with some benefits and weaknesses.