Productivity levels can see increases with this leadership style. A democratic style of management will put trust in employees and encourage them to make decisions. To be effective, the leader must be able to have proven competencies in their field, as they are responsible for making most of the decisions in the workplace. When the leaders are taking ownership for the quality of the completed work, there is no opportunity for team members to do so. Business, sports, politics, and many other fields have witnessed a great number of autocratic leaders throughout the history. This can be achieved by reviewing autocratic leadership examples. Employees, in turn, learn discipline and consistency from their leader. Other relevant articles for you are: Advantages and disadvantages of digital marketing, Advantages and disadvantages of franchising. Because of poor coordination, low job satisfaction, low motivation, etc. Some are collaborative and inspiring, while some are authoritative and controlling. 1. They use their personal experiences to form rules or regulations that translate into step-by-step instructions for workers to follow. 1. Such leaders usually make decisions based on their own judgment and ideas. "An organisation is only as good as the person running it". The biggest problem is, no one talks about innovation and out-of-the-box ideas in this leadership style. 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. One of the primary characteristics of autocratic leadership is a clearly defined chain of command. But, in an autocratic environment, there is no employee participation and their concerns are ignored. This can lead to burnout. and lack of staff initiative (2015). 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. Autocratic leaders have imperious or commanding personalities. According to Startingbusiness.com, a significant drawback to working with an autocratic leader is the lack of flexibility in the workplace. Home Pros and Cons 11 Autocratic Leadership Advantages and Disadvantages. He has the sole authority to command, direct, and instruct all the team members. When there is an autocratic leadership established within an organization, there are fewer levels of administration that must be kept informed of each decision. The procedures and rules might seem rigid. Many analysts argue that late Steve Jobs (co-founder of Apple Inc.), Elon Musk, and to some extent Bill Gates are autocratic leaders. 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. Because all decisions are made by the leader, a new leader must be brought in, which requires everyone to start from scratch. Characteristics of autocratic leadership style. 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. Over time, however, this leadership style creates mistrust within the workplace. 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. Instead of there being a democratic process for teams, there are no group positions of leadership with the autocratic style. The following are the notable advantages and disadvantages of the autocratic leadership style in the workplace. 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. Since autocratic leadership ensures clearly defined structures, it clearly states what to do and how to do it. Moreover, they also like to enjoy the credit for the projects success, leaving the employees disheartened. 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. Often, autocratic leaders are referred to as micromanagers. But rarely do employees know that there are several. However, according to Schaeffer (2002) autocratic leaders are not those who bully people needlessly. They just want to come to work, do what theyre told, then go home at the end of the day with a paycheck. Autocratic leadership is an exchange process, so it is a matter of contingent reinforcement of staff based on performances. If you liked any of these articles, please feel free to share with others by clicking on the social sharing icons. Control in the group is minimal; authority is shared among members. Some are collaborative and inspiring, while some are authoritative and controlling. That means a decision is made on the timetable of the leader and no one else. Check out Harappas, Autocratic Leadership Advantages and Disadvantages. That means leaders using this style tend to be busier than other leaders. Autocratic leadership eradicates this confusion as the command goes straight to the people involved. Through goremotely.net, stats reveal that 78% of the employees want to quit their jobs due to lack of recognition. Autocratic leadership is one-directional, top-down leadership. 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!). Consequence in Leadership Styles, The Disadvantages of Emotional Leadership, Clear separation of leader and subordinate roles, Clearly defined performance expectations for all team members, Consequences for failure to comply with expectations, Specific processes for performing workplace tasks, Strict adherence to established rules and policies, Tom Petty, founder of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Helen Gurley Brown, former editor-in-chief of, Ridley Scott, critically acclaimed filmmaker, Vince Lombardi, former Green Bay Packers coach. West Yorkshire, The following are some of the pros of the autocratic leadership style: The autocratic leadership style facilitates quick decision-making in the workplace. These types of interactions do not create a sustainable working relationship, which ultimately creates productivity problems as workers experience lower morale levels. 1. This leadership style can produce authoritative short-term results. It improves productivity. employees also do not show their commitment to the organizational purpose. When an autocratic leadership style is used in these situations, then the control the policies and procedures provide encourage a deeper commitment to safety. Resulting in taking ideas and not implementing them. These benefits of autocratic leadership can swiftly take the team out of trouble. Required fields are marked *. That means the personal morality of the leader becomes the corporate reality of the business. The leader is the only one who is in charge of the situation. Each person involved in autocratic organizations knows their position and role in achieving the desired target. Autocratic leaders rely on specific rules, policies, and procedures to govern all processes within the workplace. Whatever approach is predominately used it will be vital to the success of the business. 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. After all, this is what good leadership is all about. Succession planning can be defined asa business strategy organizations use to pass leadership roles down to another employee or group of employees. Motivation and reward for leaders: It provides strong motivation and reward for the leader. In time, this may result in fewer errors, which can provide a boost to revenues. They can easily manage these issues because they're the only ones who get to call the shots. These types of leaders are known as democratic leaders and laissez-faire leaders, respectively. 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. The Disadvantages of Laissez-Faire Leadership. 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. 2. Autocratic leadership, also known as authoritarian leadership, is a style of leadership characterized by direct, top-down communication and commands. They may sometimes ask their team members to provide feedback, however, the feedback is highly unlikely to change the decisions. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Some people dont like the idea of coming up with new ideas. They will delegate to them the authority to do this (empowerment) and listen to their advice. Lets take a glimpse at who autocratic leaders are and what they do. support and direction. Only the leader will weigh the pros and cons of every option instead of the entire C-suite. It is a leadership style that is based on a lack of trust. Did you know that autocratic leadership is great when it comes to handling crises? It is a leadership style that is very easy to learn. Authoritative leaders are most consistent in their approaches and systems. Managers deal with their employees in different ways. 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. 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. There may be situations when leaders are less qualified than their subordinates. Employees, in turn, learn discipline and consistency from their leader. They prefer to set their objectives, plan of action, processes and methods independently. Starting Business: The Advantages and Disadvantages of Autocratic Leadership, IPL.org: The Challenges of Autocratic Leadership Styles in Organizations and Individuals, Risk Vs. They can switch back to a more delegative approach as team members gain more experience. For example, the team will have a clear vision of expectations and where their project and company is going. This style tends to decrease employee performance when additional duties are imposed on the employees without consultation. Every leadership style comes with some benefits and weaknesses. Bad leaders can put a company out of business. It allows for fast decisions to be made. Autocratic leadership - Definition, Components, Advantage, Disadvantages. Disadvantages. Professionals operating under this leadership can have lower confidence and slower decision-making skills. Although this kind of leadership can sound harsh at first, it can be very effective.