Lets take a glimpse at who autocratic leaders are and what they do. 2002-2023 Tutor2u Limited. What is Laissez-Faire Leadership? Fewer layers of administration and lesser feedback to look into facilitates swift decision-making in the team. Each person involved in autocratic organizations knows their position and role in achieving the desired target. An autocratic leader is well-equipped to deal with a crisis situation. Autocratic leadership is defined by a top-down approach when it comes to all decision-making, procedures, and policies within an organization. This form serves well when the . Autocratic leadership is very similar to the authoritarian leadership style. The leader does not have to deal with internal politics or disputes at the decision-making stage. Company Reg no: 04489574. advantages of the autocratic leadership style, autocratic leadership style advantages and disadvantages. Autocratic leaders have the opportunity to take full control, responsibility and stress and build and maintain a productive operation. 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. 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. LS23 6AD Autocratic leaders are able to handle a crisis situation easily because they are the ones who are in charge. Answer (1 of 10): Before I begin, I also tried this type of leadership among newcomers in our Unit. 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 autocratic style provides fast crisis management benefits. It can create negative emotions. This is yet another of the several advantages of autocratic leadership style. Your email address will not be published. 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. support and direction. Moreover, they also like to enjoy the credit for the projects success, leaving the employees disheartened. 214 High Street, It is a leadership style that is very easy to learn. Contrast this with an autocratic leader, who does not ask their team for their input when making a decision. Team members have creative freedom 3. You must have seen people with varied working styles, ways of talking, and traits. You can be an authentic leader; you constantly grow and betters yourself. Attner, R. and Plunkett, W. (1994) Introduction to management, 5th edition, California: Wadsworth, Inc. Murphy, M. (2019) Does anyone actually like autocratic leaders? Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengenalpasti pilihan pelajar terhadap aliran sains dan pola pilihan mengikut tahap kefahaman pengetahuan asas sains. When a company crisis occurs, a leader with authoritative traits can begin to call the shots to make immediate changes. Many prime ministers and presidents around the world are also well-known for their autocratic style. Many companies tend to turn to an autocratic leadership style when they need to create short-term results in an urgent way. 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 autocratic organizations, there are clearly defined tasks, roles, rules, and deadlines to follow. Such a group process usually, takes a longer time to come to decision. 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. Workers are less likely to stop their projects or ask for later deadlines because they receive timely decisions and communication from their leadership. At times, the original instruction may get lost within complex and multiple channels of communication. As such, here, every employee is abiding by strict discipline. 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. By the time the information reaches the front-line employees doing most of the work, the entire original message could be lost. List of the Disadvantages of a Democratic Leadership Style. Autocratic leaders ignore the skills of competent workers. 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 Communication is the systematic process of passing information from one person to another. There are many qualities that are needed to be a good leader or manager. According to goremotley.net, around 83% of employers feel that it is crucial to create leaders at all levels. Its main weakness is that it hinges heavily on the abilities and temperament of your employees. Autocratic leaders make choices or decisions based on their own beliefs and do not involve others for their suggestion or advice. That means all creative decisions originate from the leader. This system leaves the employees stress-free. Business, sports, politics, and many other fields have witnessed a great number of autocratic leaders throughout the history. However, according to Schaeffer (2002) autocratic leaders are not those who bully people needlessly. They are bound to follow whatever the leaders ask them. Because of one-way communication and lack of recognition employees do not get the answers to the questions they deserve. As such, in autocratic leadership, faster decisions can be made. Whatever approach is predominately used it will be vital to the success of the business. Definition, Principles, Techniques, and Pros/Cons. Benefits of autocratic leadership Here are some of the pros of an autocratic leadership approach. In a system of dependence, an autocratic leadership style creates a lack of trust between you and your workers. And they are accountable for the outcomes. And what are autocratic leadership pros and cons? Although creativity, independent thinking, and new processes are included as part of the overall leadership style, their implementation is not a top priority. 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. . Employees do not get recognition for their efforts. 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. advantages of democratic leadership. Advantages. He is a lecturer in Management and Marketing. 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. Because autocratic leaders are able to move information throughout an organization quickly, there are fewer delays in productivity. 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. Do you have a team of inexperienced employees? 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. Key points of Advantages of autocratic leadership Highlights below: It allows for a fast decision to be made. 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. Leaders do not concern about whether or not subordinates are satisfied with their actions and instructions. 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. Safety is a top priority within the autocratic leadership style. There are many qualities that are needed to be a good leader or manager. Each person benefits from the regulated competencies that are offered by the leader. Though autocratic leadership style is often criticised, it is true that many historic autocratic leaders have been innovators who unleashed revolutions in different fields. 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. You may also like reading Advantages and disadvantages of private limited company. - good style for meetings. 9. It leads to quick decision-making, control over the processes and the operations of a company, etc. Cons of autocratic leadership. 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 Autocratic leadership eliminates this issue because the command goes straight to the workers involved. If the results an autocratic leader achieves do not meet corporate expectations, then it can be difficult to correct the issue. That creates a positive impact on the work environment, which leads to more accurate work and consistent production. People only thrive here is there is no investment in what they do. Often, autocratic leaders are referred to as micromanagers. Many companies have been forced to completely reset their under-performing teams because the leadership in place formed the identity of everyone involved. Such strict discipline ensures timely work completion of the organization. Through goremotely.net, stats reveal that 78% of the employees want to quit their jobs due to lack of recognition. Autocratic leadership - Definition, Components, Advantage, Disadvantages. It can also mean workers personal needs are neglected, causing them to feel like their supervisor does not care about them as individuals. High clarity on structure and roles Organizations with autocratic leaders usually have very clear lines and borders in between different areas. This can lead to burnout. In some situations, this leadership . 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. 7. But rarely do employees know that there are several. That means there is a priority on consistency, with each team member performing their job functions in a similar way. - reduces staff turnover. The correct leadership approach used at the right time will foster a long-term employeeleader relationship. 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. For example, the team will have a clear vision of expectations and where their project and company is going. We all had, in one job or another, a boss who was feared by everyone. An autocratic workplace environment is typically not friendly to innovation or outside-the-box thinking, and this can leave workers feeling intellectually stifled. 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. This ensures that employees are exercising best of their abilities to get the job done, and time and other resources are not wasted. If that leader does not create a fair working environment, then it is difficult for any employees to change that environment. The autocratic leadership style means that the person in charge has the entire control upon all decision making. It may create an unwelcome culture within the organization. Organisational continuity is threatened in the absence of the leader . Create a leadership learning plan. 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. However, this leadership style become less effective in large organizations. 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. Good leaders can produce great results. As such, it becomes the right choice for employees who thrive when they are told what to do. Motivation and reward for leaders Effective where a chain of command is crucial This creates more speed, better productivity, and enhanced efficiencies within the workplace. The quality of a team, structure, or organization practicing autocratic leadership is dependent upon the ethics of the leader in charge. When an autocratic leadership style is used in these situations, then the control the policies and procedures provide encourage a deeper commitment to safety. There is just one person in charge. 8. Such times require a leader with the ability to give instructions or guide and direct to those under his or her authority. There is also less feedback from various levels of management which must be processed. They use their personal experiences to form rules or regulations that translate into step-by-step instructions for workers to follow. These environments allow for an error margin of zero. 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 creates a lack of feedback. Some of the more common styles include autocratic, bureaucratic, democratic, and laissez-faire. 6. 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). 5. Advantages of charismatic leadership style. It reduces the amount of group input received. Despite facing criticism, there are some tangible benefits that an autocratic leader brings to the company. 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. Pros of autocratic leadership But that is not the case always, there are many instances when autocratic leadership has proved itself a desirable option in the organizational setting. A democratic style of management will put trust in employees and encourage them to make decisions. 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. Explains that autocratic leadership is a style often associated with the world of sports. 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. In . Increased autonomy 2. 3. That is because there is one person and they are in charge of all arrangements. St. Thomas University: What is Autocratic Leadership? - consultative although the manager will have the final say. 1. An autocratic leader is well-equipped to deal with a crisis situation. 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. 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 procedures and rules might seem rigid. Autocratic leaders are typically trusted with decisions or important tasks. This may make many employees feeling intellectually stifled. Most autocratic leaders do not consider the opinions or abilities of their staff members while making decisions. As in an autocratic organization, a single leader is involved in decision-making, he makes decisions based on his own logic and judgment. This is an advantage because team members can continue projects, move deadlines, and remove obstacles that could negatively impact their overall productivity. 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. Some are collaborative and inspiring, while some are authoritative and controlling. 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. Employees, in turn, learn discipline and consistency from their leader. December 28, 2021 by Raj Verdhan. After all, this is what good leadership is all about. A work environment where autocratic leadership style is exercised is usually not friendly to innovation or creative thinking. According to Attner and Plunkett (1994) managers who use the autocratic leadership style do not share decision-making authority with their subordinates. This leadership style makes it difficult to correct poor results. But rarely do employees know that there are several benefits of autocratic leadership. This approach has limitations (as highlighted by other motivational theorists such as Mayo and Herzberg) but it can be effective in certain situations. It is a leadership style that is based on a lack of trust. The autocratic leadership style is highly dependent upon the leader. The following are the notable advantages and disadvantages of the autocratic leadership style in the workplace. In a negative work environment, they also have the power to micromanage, enforce employee dependence, bully and generally mistreat their team. 1. This working environment can leave employees feeling suppressed. Essentially, no one will be confused about the direction of a company or even the specific assignment they are working on. It may impair the morale of the group. Because of the strict method in which employees are micromanaged, there is no room for flexibility within the work environment. The leader is the only person to take the decision solely as they are in charge . But this might not be possible with an autocratic leadership style. On the other hand, employees are responsible for following instructions and meeting deadlines. 3. If yes, then the best way to manage such teams is through autocratic leadership. 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. 6. Lets take a glimpse at who autocratic leaders are and what they do. Some people dont like the idea of coming up with new ideas. 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. Autocratic leadership is suitable when the organization is small. Advantages of Autocratic Leadership . Autocratic leaders are often micromanagers. Therefore, leaders who exercise autocratic leadership should follow a balanced process to attain organizational objectives. The following are some of the pros of the autocratic leadership style: The autocratic leadership style facilitates quick decision-making in the workplace. They wont get blamed if it fails and they wont get credit if it succeeds. As autocratic leaders usually make decisions without consulting their team members, it may cause team members dislike towards the leadership. 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. They can easily manage these issues because theyre the only ones who get to call the shots. There are a number of vital benefits to autocratic leadership, according to the Houston Chronicle. The autocratic leadership style does a good job of facilitating this process. Definitions of autocratic leadership style. Effective communication is when the receiver gets the exact message the sender wants to convey. They must make every decision for the team. And what are. List of the Advantages of Autocratic Leadership 1. After all, this is what good leadership is all about. If there is a short-term problem, the expertise of the leader can be used to create a solution. 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. A review of the teams work falls on their shoulders. This system leaves the employees stress-free. Sources: 9. Although they set their rules and regulations to control the team, they also play a significant role in eradicating employee stress. Managers do not trust workers and simply give orders (one-way communication) that they expect to be obeyed. They can replicate results because they are given specific instructions to follow. 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. Autocratic leadership Advantages And Disadvantages. There are high levels of frustration often found in an autocratic environment, even if workers are inexperienced. 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 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. He has the sole authority to command, direct, and instruct all the team members. That means the personal morality of the leader becomes the corporate reality of the business. and lack of staff initiative (2015). Leadership styles There are many ways to lead and every leader has his or her own style. In such organizations, employees are highly experienced and knowledgeable and they tend to work in a democratic environment instead of an autocratic environment. Therefore, they may not contribute to the team efforts as they should. Additionally, a leader like this improves workplace efficiency by instructing staff members on what to do and how to meet deadlines. The result is a more consistent and accurate output. So, what are the autocratic leadership advantages and disadvantages? Autocratic leadership, also known as authoritarian leadership, is a style of leadership characterized by direct, top-down communication and commands. They just want to come to work, do what theyre told, then go home at the end of the day with a paycheck. Authoritative leaders are most consistent in their approaches and systems. Disadvantages: The idea here is that with a centralised control, giving guidance and direction to employees is relatively easy. Each level of management can inadvertently (or purposely) put their own spin on the communication come from the leadership. This style tends to decrease employee performance when additional duties are imposed on the employees without consultation. Autocratic leaders have imperious or commanding personalities. Inexperienced employees lack the ability to understand the outlined rules and regulations of the organization. It will also highlight team members that have strong creative skills and those that do not. 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. This leadership style doesnt have a specific training forum to attend or require knowledge of a specific theory of leadership. 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. 1. These were the autocratic leadership style advantages and disadvantages. The democratic leadership style does solicit for opinions, perspectives, and experiences. Other relevant articles for you are: Advantages and disadvantages of digital marketing, Advantages and disadvantages of franchising. The three commonly observed leadership . Subordinates tend to shirk responsibility and initiative. Degrades trust and morale: Autocratic leadership discourages input, which can make teams feel like their ideas are ignored and they're unable to contribute. They know themselves very well and try to bring people together to achieve the organisational goals. Pros Check out Harappas, Autocratic Leadership Advantages and Disadvantages. Autocratic leadership is characterized by being highly structured and rigid style. Autocratic leadership style is commonly associated with excessive employee turnover (employees leaving an organisation). When the autocratic leadership style is used with an inexperienced team, the experience of the leader can replace the skill gap that is present. When controlling large numbers of low skilled workers. Decentralisation and Leadership Styles (AQA Paper 1 2019, Q20) Exam Support What is leadership? It encourages a higher churn rate. Autocratic leadership always encourages one-way communication to eliminate this problem. There may be dangerous situations or working environments which require complicated tasks to be completed. There Is No Room for Flexibility. For that reason, some entities using this structure create an inheritance chain which allows another person to step into the leadership role right away. The retention rate can increase 4. In this kind of leadership mostly leader makes new contacts with outside people. 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. This is beneficial to reduce role ambiguity among the employees. 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. Such leaders usually make decisions based on their own judgment and ideas. Over time, this makes employee morale begin to sink. 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. This person: Assigns tasks Keeps everyone on deadline Focuses on the big picture Makes sure everyone contributes equally Autocratic leadership involves absolute, authoritarian control over a group of people. 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. Disadvantages of Autocratic or Authoritarian Leadership. It removes the pressure on the employees. Removes employee stress. It is one of the biggest, advantages of the autocratic leadership style, Faster decision-making and quick information-sharing can help boost the teams productivity. 1. Autocratic leaders take the pressure off of their teams because they are fully responsible for the decisions that are made. Autocratic - quick decision making is guaranteed; Autocratic - good for inexperienced workers; . Autocratic leadership eradicates this confusion as the command goes straight to the people involved. employees also do not show their commitment to the organizational purpose. Autocratic leaders generally could use organizational . Although in authoritarian leadership, there is one-way communication there also exists effective communication. Did you know that autocratic leadership is great when it comes to handling crises? People who step out of this line are quickly identified and brought back into the fold. When the leader is the only person in the organization who makes decisions and determines the companys strategy, they can easily feel overwhelmed. Autocratic leaders do not appreciate any inputs from their team members. Autocratic leadership, characterized by this centralized style of leadership, is an important concept in business, economics and politics. They can switch back to a more delegative approach as team members gain more experience. - They don't have group members, they have followers. There is no doubting where fault lies of poor decisions. 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 . 3. To bring in information to the group members. It also includes less feedback from the management levels. As such, between them, there is no communication and you know communication is a must for a healthy relationship. 4. Inexperienced teams can still produce experienced results. It gets even worse if workers can voice an opinion that is never utilized. The advantages and disadvantages below refer to autocracy in general, including the two types of autocracy as discussed above. Managers must be willing to encourage leadership skills in subordinates. Decisions can be made faster with this leadership style. 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. Inexperienced employees need a detailed layout and instructions to complete taskstraits an autocratic leader is known for. If the leader offers questionable ethics, however, and refuses to create fairness, then there is no one who can really hold that person accountable.