It is a leadership style that can be applied in three different ways. If yes, then the best way to manage such teams is through autocratic leadership. If the results an autocratic leader achieves do not meet corporate expectations, then it can be difficult to correct the issue. Many prime ministers and presidents around the world are also well-known for their autocratic style. 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. Pros They get to take all the credit for the work that gets done. The three commonly observed leadership . They must control the consistency at a personal level, which means they can no longer afford to give their team any freedom to operate. It will also highlight team members that have strong creative skills and those that do not. Quick decision: Quick decision making is guaranteed because a single person decides for the whole group. For example: When quick decisions are needed in a company (e.g. 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. What is the cons of autocratic leadership? There are many qualities that are needed to be a good leader or manager. 2. Many companies tend to turn to an autocratic leadership style when they need to create short-term results in an urgent way. Despite facing criticism, there are some tangible benefits that an autocratic leader brings to the company. Autocratic leadership A leadership style in which leaders dictate without consultation of subordinates. An autocratic leader is well-equipped to deal with a crisis situation. Autocratic leadership, also known as authoritarian leadership, is a style of leadership characterized by direct, top-down communication and commands. Subordinates are expected to comply with orders from their supervisors, who in turn are expected to comply with orders from their superiors. ? He holds an MSc in Tourism & Hospitality from the University of Sunderland. The result is a more consistent and accurate output. Home Pros and Cons 11 Autocratic Leadership Advantages and Disadvantages. Did you ever tell him about your awesome weekend? Its main weakness is that it hinges heavily on the abilities and temperament of your employees. Some are collaborative and inspiring, while some are authoritative and controlling. It is an easy way to cut through administrative red tape to ensure better communication to all workers. These environments allow for an error margin of zero. Employee morale can also be negatively affected when autocratic leadership is employed. List of the Disadvantages of a Democratic Leadership Style. - encourages independence and creativity. So, there are. Inexperienced employees generally need a lot of hands-on guidance from their supervisors to learn their roles, learn how to perform their job duties effectively and learn how to work well within the organization. These types of leaders are known as democratic leaders and laissez-faire leaders, respectively. In time, this may result in fewer errors, which can provide a boost to revenues. The first involves the work that gets done. Leader Dependence. Strict compliance becomes necessary. The idea here is that with a centralised control, giving guidance and direction to employees is relatively easy. This can lead to burnout. Tel: +44 0844 800 0085. When there are multiple levels of leadership within an organization, a command from the top becomes like a childhood game of Telephone. Leadership styles There are many ways to lead and every leader has his or her own style. The quality of a team, structure, or organization practicing autocratic leadership is dependent upon the ethics of the leader in charge. It increases the work burden for the leader. An autocratic workplace environment is typically not friendly to innovation or outside-the-box thinking, and this can leave workers feeling intellectually stifled. Autocratic leaders take the pressure off of their teams because they are fully responsible for the decisions that are made. Leaders are of different types. Both issues decrease worker morale and put blame on someone, even though the issue may not be their fault. 7. An autocratic. Most autocratic leaders do not consider the opinions or abilities of their staff members while making decisions. It removes the pressure on the employees. 2. Communication is the systematic process of passing information from one person to another. All the standard operating procedures are also followed. 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 . They are the managerial equivalent of an emergency room surgeon who is forced to do whatever necessary to save a patients life. Motivation and reward for leaders Effective where a chain of command is crucial Autocratic leadership is one-directional, top-down leadership. That means leaders using this style tend to be busier than other leaders. 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. Each level of management can inadvertently (or purposely) put their own spin on the communication come from the leadership. To bring in information to the group members. This is yet another of the several advantages of autocratic leadership style. But it becomes ineffective in large and diversified organizations. That makes it almost impossible for leaders to leave the workplace, as workers can become so dependent on their decision-making abilities that nothing gets done if the leader is not present for some reason. Their expertise and experience can solve short-term issues. This is beneficial to reduce role ambiguity among the employees. Advantages Quick decision making: This comes in handy when a leader is governing a small group or business. Laissez-Faire. Autocratic leadership is very similar to the authoritarian leadership style. But, the results always lead to corporate success. The advantages of Autocratic Leadership are: 1. But, the results always lead to corporate success. In a negative work environment, they also have the power to micromanage, enforce employee dependence, bully and generally mistreat their team. They prefer to set their objectives, plan of action, processes and methods independently. At times, the original instruction may get lost within complex and multiple channels of communication. The leader shares defined roles and patterns of work with the employees. Autocratic leaders have imperious or commanding personalities. Hence, he ensures that the products manufactured and services rendered meet the desired quality benchmarks. St. Thomas University: What is Democratic/Participative Leadership? Autocratic leaders rely on specific rules, policies, and procedures to govern all processes within the workplace. However, they describe the disadvantages of this style as promoting staff defiance, lack of free . Autocratic leadership always encourages one-way communication to eliminate this problem. Due to this behaviour, the leader should yield the ultimate power and provide the employees with the motivation to work, i.e. 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. As such, here, every employee is abiding by strict discipline. According to Attner and Plunkett (1994) managers who use the autocratic leadership style do not share decision-making authority with their subordinates. This can be beneficial for organizations that need to maintain a strong sense of control and predictability. advantages of the autocratic leadership style, autocratic leadership style advantages and disadvantages. Such times require a leader with ability to give instructions or guide and direct to those under his or her authority. 6. Communication is the systematic process of passing information from one person to another. 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. Although this kind of leadership can sound harsh at first, it can be very effective. Although they set their rules and regulations to control the team, they also play a significant role in eradicating employee stress. 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. Autocratic leadership refers to a form of leadership in which a leader takes choices without consulting others. Did you know that autocratic leadership is great when it comes to handling crises? Autocratic leadership involves absolute, authoritarian control over a group of people. Managers deal with their employees in different ways. 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. - They don't have group members, they have followers. 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. Advantages of Autocratic Leadership Quick Decision Making. An autocratic leadership style is similar to an authoritarian leadership style. Autocratic leadership is a type of leadership that is individual-centric. In, laissez-faire leadership leader gives all power to his subordinates to act on their own. Charismatic leaders are usually adaptable and possess the power to make the followers feel comfortable with . When there is an autocratic leadership established within an organization, there are fewer levels of administration that must be kept informed of each decision. Autocratic leaders generally could use organizational . Khan et al. Faster decision-making is the key to attaining organizational goals. Safeguarding Mental Health in the Gig Economy Strengths of Laissez-Faire Leaders Employees, in turn, learn discipline and consistency from their leader. And when it comes to long-term issues, autocratic leaders know how to direct traffic through the hierarchies. Employees do not get recognition for their efforts. Your email address will not be published. For many it is someone who can inspire and get the most from their staff. Here're some benefits of autocratic leadership: Ensures faster decision making In autocratic leadership, there're fewer levels of administration and hierarchy that you inform before implementing the decision. When the leader is the only person in the organization who makes decisions and determines the companys strategy, they can easily feel overwhelmed. Because of the too much rigidity in the structure, and low growth opportunities, most of the experienced employees tend to leave the autocratic organizations.