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

The procedures and rules might seem rigid. They can replicate results because they are given specific instructions to follow. 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. Benefits of autocratic leadership Here are some of the pros of an autocratic leadership approach. They must control the consistency at a personal level, which means they can no longer afford to give their team any freedom to operate. 7. Autocratic leadership always encourages one-way communication to eliminate this problem. Create a leadership learning plan. This can mean the only employees who remain working with the company are unmotivated and even lazy individuals. However, excess control can also result in low employee morale and employee engagement. As such, in autocratic leadership, faster decisions can be made. 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. Their expertise and experience can solve short-term issues. - reduces staff turnover. Analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of the autocratic leadership style by examining examples of leaders and companies. 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. Communication is the systematic process of passing information from one person to another. 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. - There is a clear division between the followers and the leaders. Along with many advantages, the autocratic leadership style also has various disadvantages. 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. Although this kind of leadership can sound harsh at first, it can be very effective. Autocratic leaders exercise absolute control over the team. In a system of dependence, an autocratic leadership style creates a lack of trust between you and your workers. This requires good two-way communication and often involves democratic discussion groups, which can offer useful suggestions and ideas. Workers are forced to rely on the autocratic leader for all their feedback, instructions, and work duties. Autocratic leaders are like the captain of the ship. Managers deal with their employees in different ways. Autocratic leadership style is commonly associated with excessive employee turnover (employees leaving an organisation). In autocratic organizations, there are clearly defined tasks, roles, rules, and deadlines to follow. Autocratic leaders rely on specific rules, policies, and procedures to govern all processes within the workplace. List of the Disadvantages of Authoritarian Leadership It may cause some employees to rebel. Disadvantages: send our content editing team a message here, 11 Office Closed Due to Inclement Weather Messages, 50 Most Asked Nursing Interview Questions with Answers, 20 Best Answers to Why Do You Want to Leave Your Current Job, 10 Best Answers to Why Do You Want to Be a Manager, 11 Best Answers to What Does Leadership Mean to You Interview Question, 50 Most Asked Front Desk Interview Questions with Answers, 10 Best Ways to Answer Sell Me This Pen in an Interview, 10 Most Asked Integrity Interview Questions with Answers, 25 Most Asked Confidentiality Interview Questions with Answers, 50 Most Asked Phone Interview Questions with Answers, 10 Best Answers to What Are Your Interests and Hobbies. 9. In addition, the leaders directly communicate to their followers where the work is to be done. These benefits of autocratic leadership can swiftly take the team out of trouble. Workers become dependent on someone else to make decisions. 4. Each person benefits from the regulated competencies that are offered by the leader. 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. The leader is the only one who is in charge of the situation. When there is clear direction, with a path toward success, offered to workers, then they are able to focus on productivity instead of problem solving. In this kind of leadership mostly leader makes new contacts with outside people. Some are strict with their staff and like to be in complete control, whilst others are more relaxed and allow workers the freedom to run their own working lives (just like the different approaches you may see in teachers!). Whether this style makes a good leader has been a longstanding debate. Autocratic leadership, however, has always been under the scanner. Over time, however, this leadership style creates mistrust within the workplace. Because of the strict method in which employees are micromanaged, there is no room for flexibility within the work environment. It creates focused targets for everyone. 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. Autocratic leaders cant make trust a priority because they are forced to make the rules be the priority. Laissez-Faire. 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. Each level of management can inadvertently (or purposely) put their own spin on the communication come from the leadership. Characteristics of autocratic leadership include: According to St. Thomas University, few famous autocratic leadership examples include: Like all other leadership styles, autocratic leadership has its advantages as well as its drawbacks. Advantages of autocratic leadership style Many leaders use autocratic leadership style to establish centralised control in exercising the decision-making authority and use that control to accomplish the desired results. That creates a positive impact on the work environment, which leads to more accurate work and consistent production. With a clear corporate hierarchy in place, every member of the organization knows not only who they report to, but who their boss reports to. Required fields are marked *. The three commonly observed leadership . However, this does not mean you should be satisfied with your current self and avoid growth. 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. Leadership styles There are many ways to lead and every leader has his or her own style. Lets take a glimpse at who autocratic leaders are and what they do. 2. This process may create a powerful and positive impact on their performance. Autocratic leaders ignore the skills of competent workers. It may create an unwelcome culture within the organization. In this article, we outline some essential autocratic leadership pros and cons. 1. In a negative work environment, they also have the power to micromanage, enforce employee dependence, bully and generally mistreat their team. Every crisis or decision lies on their shoulders. The procedures and rules might seem rigid. 6. If that leader does not create a fair working environment, then it is difficult for any employees to change that environment. Despite facing criticism, there are some tangible benefits that an autocratic leader brings to the company. 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. Professionals operating under this leadership can have lower confidence and slower decision-making skills. Study notes, videos, interactive activities and more! An autocratic leader focuses less on collecting input from team members and tends to make executive decisions that others are expected to follow. Additionally, a leader like this improves workplace efficiency by instructing staff members on what to do and how to meet deadlines. * Very limited or no input at all from the subordinates. 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. This can be beneficial for organizations that need to maintain a strong sense of control and predictability. Inexperienced teams can still produce experienced results. The biggest problem is, no one talks about innovation and out-of-the-box ideas in this leadership style. Safety is a top priority within the autocratic leadership style. Here are the key advantages and disadvantages of autocratic leadership to consider. 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. There are fewer delays because best practices are being followed consistently. This ensures that employees are exercising best of their abilities to get the job done, and time and other resources are not wasted. The Disadvantages of Laissez-Faire Leadership. It creates a lack of feedback. 214 High Street, How was that going for you? Autocratic Leadership. 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. Do you know why? It is one of the best advantages of autocratic leadership. 5. Autocratic leadership - Definition, Components, Advantage, Disadvantages. Employees, in turn, learn discipline and consistency from their leader. Company Reg no: 04489574. Although they set their rules and regulations to control the team, they also play a significant role in eradicating employee stress. Such times require a leader with ability to give instructions or guide and direct to those under his or her authority. Likewise, it is also very useful when organisations face constant change or a crisis. Lets take a glimpse at who autocratic leaders are and what they do. 10. Low satisfaction also results in below performance than expectations. And when it comes to long-term issues, autocratic leaders know how to direct traffic through the hierarchies. Did you ever invite him for a drink? When there is an autocratic leadership established within an organization, there are fewer levels of administration that must be kept informed of each decision. Although their primary aim should be to achieve business goals, as leaders, it is also their responsibility to add value to employees. The following are some of the instances because of which autocratic leadership is not suitable. There are many qualities that are needed to be a good leader or manager. That consistency leads toward corporate success. Under autocratic leaders, subordinates would fear due to demands and expectations. In . In fact, some characteristics of autocratic leadership can be considered advantages in some situations and drawbacks in others. The correct leadership approach used at the right time will foster a long-term employeeleader relationship. They can easily manage these issues because theyre the only ones who get to call the shots. Some are collaborative and inspiring, while some are authoritative and controlling. Only the leader will weigh the pros and cons of every option instead of the entire C-suite. That means a decision is made on the timetable of the leader and no one else. They can switch back to a more delegative approach as team members gain more experience. But, what is autocratic leadership? 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 idea here is that with a centralised control, giving guidance and direction to employees is relatively easy. Autocratic leadership is suitable when the organization is small. There may be situations when leaders are less qualified than their subordinates. More Cautious 7. Over time, this makes employee morale begin to sink. There are some work environments which require a high level of control. Most autocratic leaders will not take the opinions, experiences, or knowledge of their team members into account when making decisions. But, in an autocratic environment, there is no employee participation and their concerns are ignored. Team members have creative freedom 3. support and direction. Although this form of leadership is often found within the government, it is also present in some corporate structures as well. That is because there is one person and they are in charge of all arrangements. That means there is a priority on consistency, with each team member performing their job functions in a similar way. Other relevant articles for you are: Advantages and disadvantages of digital marketing, Advantages and disadvantages of franchising. In some situations, this leadership . When there are multiple levels of leadership within an organization, a command from the top becomes like a childhood game of Telephone. For example, a communication style that can be considered barking orders can be critical in high-stakes environments, like among paramedics, but destructive in collaborative environments like university departments. 8. 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. Definition, Principles, Techniques, and Pros/Cons. There is no doubting where fault lies of poor decisions. 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 Workers can benefit from the competencies offered by their leader, replicating productivity by using the leaders knowledge and experience as a workplace asset. 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. Since autocratic leadership ensures clearly defined structures, it clearly states what to do and how to do it. Employees feel motivated and devote their maximum effort when they feel valued for their presence and contribution. Disadvantages of Autocratic or Authoritarian Leadership. This can be achieved by reviewing autocratic leadership examples. Understanding autocratic leadership strengths and weaknesses can be easier when one understands exactly which kinds of behaviors constitute autocratic leadership. He holds an MSc in Tourism & Hospitality from the University of Sunderland. When a team leaders style can be summarized with my way or the highway, that leader can accurately be called an autocrat. Check out Harappas Inspiring Faculty Program and experience growth in your leadership now. You must have seen people with varied working styles, ways of talking, and traits. Did you know that autocratic leadership is great when it comes to handling crises? But rarely do employees know that there are several benefits of autocratic leadership. Sources: 9. It improves overall communication. 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. The laissez-faire or free reign leader scarcely provides direction to his team members. An autocratic leadership style is similar to an authoritarian leadership style. They are the managerial equivalent of an emergency room surgeon who is forced to do whatever necessary to save a patients life. As autocratic leaders usually make decisions without consulting their team members, it may cause team members dislike towards the leadership. Quick decision: Quick decision making is guaranteed because a single person decides for the whole group. 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 . If the results an autocratic leader achieves do not meet corporate expectations, then it can be difficult to correct the issue. Study Notes Management Styles in a Business (GCSE) Study Notes Leadership Topic Videos Leadership Styles: Blake Mouton Managerial Grid Topic Videos A work environment where autocratic leadership style is exercised is usually not friendly to innovation or creative thinking. It may impair the morale of the group. The autocratic leadership style is highly dependent upon the leader. advantages of democratic leadership. There are three main categories of leadership styles: autocratic, paternalistic and democratic. 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. They even need guidance and instruction on how to, to do the given jobs. Faster decision-making Read more about each of these advantages in detail in our separate post: Laissez-Faire Leadership Advantages. There are two reasons why the autocratic leadership style encourages an overall lack of accountability. If there is a short-term problem, the expertise of the leader can be used to create a solution. - They are in complete . 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. Employees who prefer some authority and decision-making powers in the team might not appreciate autocratic leadership. Contrast this with an autocratic leader, who does not ask their team for their input when making a decision. All the standard operating procedures are also followed. Autocracy in the workplace also results in high employee turnover. The leader defines goals and the limitations for action and then leaves the remaining process. This is beneficial to reduce role ambiguity among the employees. 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. 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. 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. The autocratic style provides fast crisis management benefits. They wont get blamed if it fails and they wont get credit if it succeeds. As such, between them, there is no communication and you know communication is a must for a healthy relationship. It removes the pressure on the employees. 2. Autocratic leadership style works better in situations where swift decisions are needed. 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. This is yet another of the several, advantages of autocratic leadership style. Their expertise and experience can solve short-term issues. 2002-2023 Tutor2u Limited. It increases the work burden for the leader. Advantages. Provides a clear sense of direction Anyone who's worked on a class group project knows the value of having a leader. Tel: +44 0844 800 0085. Likewise, Leona Helmsley of the Helmsley hotel chain andMartha Stewart of MSLO are also considered to have exercised this type of leadership style. For that reason, some entities using this structure create an inheritance chain which allows another person to step into the leadership role right away. Inexperienced employees lack the ability to understand the outlined rules and regulations of the organization. Disadvantages of autocratic leadership style. Most of the time Mr. Worth was absent from the rest of the employees, he communicated through his assistant. It is a leadership style that is very easy to learn. 8. Though autocratic leadership style is often criticised, it is true that many historic autocratic leaders have been innovators who unleashed revolutions in different fields. 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. There is also less feedback from various levels of management which must be processed. At times, the original instruction may get lost within complex and multiple channels of communication. How Procedures Can Improve Efficiency, available at: https://online.stu.edu/articles/education/autocratic-leadership.aspx (accessed 06 April 2021). 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. But this might not be possible with an autocratic leadership style. Faster decision-making is the key to attaining organizational goals. In, laissez-faire leadership leader gives all power to his subordinates to act on their own. These types of interactions do not create a sustainable working relationship, which ultimately creates productivity problems as workers experience lower morale levels. It gets even worse if workers can voice an opinion that is never utilized. Dependent on the leader: Organizational success is entirely dependent on the leader and their ideas, which can endanger the stability of the organization. It creates moments of insecurity within the leadership. Autocratic leadership is very similar to the authoritarian leadership style. It reduces the amount of group input received. Autocratic leaders generally could use organizational . Autocratic (or authoritarian) managers like to make all the important decisions and closely supervise and control workers. Definition, Types, Reasons, and Ways To Overcome, What is Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Cycle? In such organizations, the leader has a small number of tasks to handle and the number of employees is also few. Because of the too much rigidity in the structure, and low growth opportunities, most of the experienced employees tend to leave the autocratic organizations. Autocratic leaders are in charge and they make this fact known. For employees, an environment where decision-making is solely the managers job can mean a relatively low stress environment. 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). The second involves a leader refusing to take responsibility for work they personally instructed a worker to complete. Likewise, this style is also very effective when astringent synchronisation of processes is essential to productivity. These. There is also less feedback from various levels of management which must be processed. There is nothing complicated about the autocratic leadership style. . 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. outline the advantages of this style, such as increased situational control, discipline over workers, short discussions, and group members knowing their roles and tasks. 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. 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. and lack of staff initiative (2015). Most autocratic leaders do not consider the opinions or abilities of their staff members while making decisions. 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. Decentralisation and Leadership Styles (AQA Paper 1 2019, Q20) Exam Support What is leadership? According to St Thomas University (2018) the autocratic leadership process generally entails one person making all the strategic decisions for their subordinates. 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. Autocratic leadership is an exchange process, so it is a matter of contingent reinforcement of staff based on performances. Pros of autocratic leadership When an autocratic leadership style is used in these situations, then the control the policies and procedures provide encourage a deeper commitment to safety. They make the decision first and then announces it. As in an autocratic organization, a single leader is involved in decision-making, he makes decisions based on his own logic and judgment. Leaders are of different types. VAT reg no 816865400. Fewer layers of administration and lesser feedback to look into facilitates swift decision-making in the team. It is one of the best. Boston Spa, 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. The idea here is that with a centralised control, giving guidance and direction to employees is relatively easy. Effective communication is when the receiver gets the exact message the sender wants to convey. These environments allow for an error margin of zero. 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. The productivity levels may be higher, but with no say in the process, resentment will quickly build. List of Advantages of Autocracy Government 1. That means the personal morality of the leader becomes the corporate reality of the business. Pros of Autocracy The following sections below demonstrate. There can be a lack of accountability within its structures. Autocratic leadership is one-directional, top-down leadership. Attner, R. and Plunkett, W. (1994) Introduction to management, 5th edition, California: Wadsworth, Inc. Murphy, M. (2019) Does anyone actually like autocratic leaders? 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. Some of the more common styles include autocratic, bureaucratic, democratic, and laissez-faire. This can lead to burnout. It is a leadership style that can be applied in three different ways. Inexperienced employees need a detailed layout and instructions to complete taskstraits an autocratic leader is known for. These types of leaders are known as democratic leaders and laissez-faire leaders, respectively. Good leaders can produce great results. When there is an autocratic leadership established within an organization, there are fewer levels of administration that must be kept informed of each decision. According to IPL.org, autocratic leadership is an extreme form of another kind of workplace leadership known as transactional leadership. for the employees, too. That reduces the productivity available, and eventually leads to declining morale. This working environment can leave employees feeling suppressed. The quality of a team, structure, or organization practicing autocratic leadership is dependent upon the ethics of the leader in charge. Bad leaders can put a company out of business. Motivation and reward for leaders Effective where a chain of command is crucial People who step out of this line are quickly identified and brought back into the fold. After all, this is what good leadership is all about. Explains that autocratic leadership is a style often associated with the world of sports. Whether this style makes a good leader has been a longstanding debate. What is Laissez-Faire Leadership? 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. Strict compliance becomes necessary. 1. Autocratic executives can affect more productive project completion since they spread information swiftly throughout a company. This person: Assigns tasks Keeps everyone on deadline Focuses on the big picture Makes sure everyone contributes equally Every leadership style comes with some benefits and weaknesses. Advantages of autocratic leadership style. Essentially, no one will be confused about the direction of a company or even the specific assignment they are working on. All rights reserved LCHW. However, there are some advantages of autocratic leadership as well. Leaders are of different types. Control in the group is minimal; authority is shared among members. However, excess control can also result in low employee morale and employee engagement.