It may create an unwelcome culture within the organization. Authoritative leaders are most consistent in their approaches and systems. What leads to a successful working relationship is an ability of workers to have trust in their leaders, and vice-versa. Although this form of leadership is often found within the government, it is also present in some corporate structures as well. Unfortunately, they might not appreciate the advice of their team members. In addition, in this style of leadership, managers don't take care of the opinions of their staff and ore not open to changes. The leader is the only person to take the decision solely as they are in charge . Rules are placed for employees to follow in an autocratic leadership style because there is a need to create consistency. In such organizations, employees are highly experienced and knowledgeable and they tend to work in a democratic environment instead of an autocratic environment. What is autocratic leadership and its advantages? In, laissez-faire leadership leader gives all power to his subordinates to act on their own. Such strict discipline ensures timely work completion of the organization. Bad leaders can put a company out of business. - encourages independence and creativity. There may be situations when leaders are less qualified than their subordinates. All the standard operating procedures are also followed. for the employees, too. Inexperienced teams can still produce experienced results. Other relevant articles for you are: Advantages and disadvantages of digital marketing, Advantages and disadvantages of franchising. 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. All rights reserved LCHW. Such a group process usually, takes a longer time to come to decision. ? Autocratic leader This leader is given the power to make decisions alone, having total authority. 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 . The employee doesnt have to worry about anything beyond performing their job duties properly, and for many employees, this is much less mentally taxing than an environment where they're expected to pitch ideas and weigh in on business strategies. A work environment where autocratic leadership style is exercised is usually not friendly to innovation or creative thinking. Communication is the systematic process of passing information from one person to another. Nevertheless, autocratic leadership is one of the least popular management styles and certainly not suitable for each organisation. Since organisation is key to a well-operated business, autocratic leadership can prove useful in situations where the organisation could advance within the company. They must make every decision for the team. Team members have creative freedom 3. Inexperienced employees need a detailed layout and instructions to complete taskstraits an autocratic leader is known for. 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. If the leader offers questionable ethics, however, and refuses to create fairness, then there is no one who can really hold that person accountable. Workers are forced to rely on the autocratic leader for all their feedback, instructions, and work duties. Autocratic leaders generally could use organizational . Because all decisions are made by the leader, a new leader must be brought in, which requires everyone to start from scratch. This ensures that employees are exercising best of their abilities to get the job done, and time and other resources are not wasted. 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. However, excess control can also result in low employee morale and employee engagement. For employees, an environment where decision-making is solely the managers job can mean a relatively low stress environment. It is most likely that well-known leaders or managers are successful due to a combination of personal characteristics and good training. Many companies have been forced to completely reset their under-performing teams because the leadership in place formed the identity of everyone involved. The leader is the only one who is in charge of the situation. For example, the team will have a clear vision of expectations and where their project and company is going. It may impair the morale of the group. An autocratic leader is well-equipped to deal with a crisis situation. Under autocratic leaders, subordinates would fear due to demands and expectations. Although they set their rules and regulations to control the team, they also play a significant role in eradicating employee stress. The democratic leadership style does solicit for opinions, perspectives, and experiences. Most autocratic leaders will not take the opinions, experiences, or knowledge of their team members into account when making decisions. Because of the strict method in which employees are micromanaged, there is no room for flexibility within the work environment. The advantages and disadvantages of the autocratic leadership style show that it can be effective when an organization requires quick, accurate decisions from an experienced leader. At the end of the day, the autocratic leader is like the captain of a ship: every decision is a weight on their shoulders and they are ultimately responsible for what happens. If you liked any of these articles, please feel free to share with others by clicking on the social sharing icons. This style tends to decrease employee performance when additional duties are imposed on the employees without consultation. Your email address will not be published. Sources: 9. Disadvantages of autocratic leadership style. December 28, 2021 by Raj Verdhan. In this type of leadership, the rules and procedures that teams use are quite rigid. Definition, Types, Reasons, and Ways To Overcome, What is Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Cycle? Autocratic Leadership (Authoritarian): A leadership style in which an individual is in control of all the decisions and tasks and his/her "followers" have little to no say in the final decision. The first involves the work that gets done. Here are the top advantages of autocratic leadership: Faster Decision-making This leadership style enables quick decision-making, which is one of the most significant benefits of autocratic leadership. It is a leadership style that is very easy to learn. In addition, the leaders directly communicate to their followers where the work is to be done. That means a decision is made on the timetable of the leader and no one else. advantages of the autocratic leadership style, autocratic leadership style advantages and disadvantages. - good style for meetings. Both issues decrease worker morale and put blame on someone, even though the issue may not be their fault. 1. Effective communication is when the receiver gets the exact message the sender wants to convey. Therefore, leaders who exercise autocratic leadership should follow a balanced process to attain organizational objectives. 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. Managers are interested in how happy workers feel and in many ways they act as a father figure (pater means father in Latin). This allow for a quick turn-around of the issue, helping the company to begin pursuing its mission once again. Copyright 2017 2025. An autocratic leader focuses less on collecting input from team members and tends to make executive decisions that others are expected to follow. 5. Faster decision-making is the key to attaining organizational goals. 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. 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. 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. Organisational continuity is threatened in the absence of the leader . 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 work culture is based solely on the ethics and morality of the leader, which means a poor working environment is not likely to change. This procedure often leads to the consistent delivery of projects and has a significant impact on the employees performance and productivity. 3. They are bound to follow whatever the leaders ask them. Autocratic leaders generally believe that they are the smartest people around and know more than their subordinates. Increased Work Burden Everything rests with the leader. Autocratic leadership is . It removes the pressure on the employees. - the leader respects other peoples opinions and feedback. 5. These types of interactions do not create a sustainable working relationship, which ultimately creates productivity problems as workers experience lower morale levels. That means many leaders practicing this leadership style eventually turn into micromanagers, even if that is not their intent. Its advantages are as follows: 1) An autocratic leader is in close control of the organization. Did you ever invite him for a drink? Autocratic leadership eliminates this issue because the command goes straight to the workers involved. What is Laissez-Faire Leadership? 7. You may also like reading Advantages and disadvantages of private limited company. The autocratic leadership style is highly dependent upon the leader. It is one of the biggest advantages of the autocratic leadership style. This is beneficial to reduce role ambiguity among the employees. Provides a clear sense of direction Anyone who's worked on a class group project knows the value of having a leader. Many prime ministers and presidents around the world are also well-known for their autocratic style. People who step out of this line are quickly identified and brought back into the fold. Leadership styles There are many ways to lead and every leader has his or her own style. And, you know discipline is the key to achieving something. 9. How Procedures Can Improve Efficiency, available at: https://online.stu.edu/articles/education/autocratic-leadership.aspx (accessed 06 April 2021). In a system of dependence, an autocratic leadership style creates a lack of trust between you and your workers. Autocratic leadership, also known as authoritarian leadership, is a style of leadership characterized by direct, top-down communication and commands. The idea here is that with a centralised control, giving guidance and direction to employees is relatively easy. Strict compliance becomes necessary. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages to consider with the autocratic leadership style. Unlike, group decision-making the autocratic leader does not have to decide with his followers. As such, in autocratic leadership, faster decisions can be made. The result is a more consistent and accurate output. But rarely do employees know that there are several benefits of autocratic leadership. This improves the speed of decisions because only one person is weighing the pros and cons of each choice, not a C-Suite. When the leader is the only person in the organization who makes decisions and determines the companys strategy, they can easily feel overwhelmed. Now that weve discussed several advantages of the autocratic leadership style, here come some disadvantages: One of the biggest disadvantages of exercising autocratic leadership is that it can result in low employee morale. List of the Disadvantages of a Democratic Leadership Style. Advantages of Autocratic Leadership . Although this kind of leadership can sound harsh at first, it can be very effective. There may be dangerous situations or working environments which require complicated tasks to be completed. 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. According to St Thomas University (2018) the autocratic leadership process generally entails one person making all the strategic decisions for their subordinates. Moreover, the instructions will go straight to the employees. The competencies of the leader practicing autocratic leadership become the foundation for future success. Business english 13. 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. Professionals operating under this leadership can have lower confidence and slower decision-making skills. Autocratic leadership can be defined as a leadership style where an individual leader holds the decision-making power over all organizational members and all activities. We all had, in one job or another, a boss who was feared by everyone. - They are in complete . Tel: +44 0844 800 0085. As such people working under autocratic leaders are supposed to accept the guidance or orders of their leader without any disagreement. Characteristics of autocratic leadership style. Motivation and reward for leaders Effective where a chain of command is crucial 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. Many analysists also argue that this style usually leads to an absence of creative solutions to problems, which may ultimately hurt the group efforts. 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 leadership style can produce authoritative short-term results. An autocratic leader is well-equipped to deal with a crisis situation. Safeguarding Mental Health in the Gig Economy Strengths of Laissez-Faire Leaders 6. 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. Full potential of subordinates and their creative ideas are not utilized. 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. In most autocratic leadership structures, the leader is responsible for every action of the team. In addition, normally, inexperienced employees are rules followers. It creates moments of insecurity within the leadership. Charismatic leaders usually display a great level of confidence to convince a large audience. But, this lacks in autocratic organizations. The cadets were fresh and were eager to learn, my Commanding Officer told me to do the "traditional" way of welcoming the cadets, this in fact is very beneficial to me and us because it instill dis. On the other hand, employees are responsible for following instructions and meeting deadlines. They wont get blamed if it fails and they wont get credit if it succeeds. Such leaders usually make decisions based on their own judgment and ideas. A clear chain of command is important in certain environments, like the military. The theory, which is generally linked with autocratic leadership, assumes employees don't like to work and tend to focus on fulfilling self-interests. It gets even worse if workers can voice an opinion that is never utilized. This is yet another of the several advantages of autocratic leadership style.