And, with leaders being seen as distant and possibly uninterested, team members may also begin to lose interest in the work, which can lead to significant losses for the organization. High turnover and low satisfaction is expected, in response to this leadership style. The word has Greek roots, with the word reflecting independent and self-sustaining power. While autocratic leaders are in charge of the decisions, listening to other opinions or reading more about the topics in question will broaden your understanding and make it easier to make those crucial decisions. Autocratic leaders make choices or decisions based on their own beliefs and do not involve others for their suggestion or advice. Henry Ford is a popular example of an autocratic leader, who changed society through his automobile development. One of the authors, Richard Shell, of the University of Ohio, argued that there are four basic styles of leadership : The autocratic, the bureaucratic, the liberal and the democratic.
Nevertheless, leaders can learn to use elements of this style wisely. Advantages: Autocratic leaders are able to improve efficiency and productivity by streamlining the work process. Factors that determine the leadership style of the director. They will, therefore, place their suggestions for improvement. Labeling leadership styles is a general practice, but each leader will have a more in-depth, detailed orientation in the the leader's approach to managing, inspiring and driving results within his organization. The autocrat pushes employees hard; often, he does not get loyalty and long-term commitments in return.
Three manifestations of autocratic leadership Autocratic leadership can manifest in different ways. Research by Catalyst has claimed this style, described as altruistic leadership by the company, can improve diversity and boost morale. So which is better according to research? Although Ford remains a controversial figure as an authoritarian industrial magnet, he created hundreds of thousands of jobs and raised wages for assembly-line workers. The leader plays only a minor role. They are leaders who supervise all the activities that the worker performs, so that they comply with standards that have been predetermined beforehand. For example, he suggested the style would work well in environments that require large-scale production or have a number of unskilled workers in place.
It can enhance decision-making and make the operational aspects of a business run smoother. If you are scared of taking responsibility, you are unlikely to feel driven by challenges. Definition: Autocratic leadership is a management style wherein one person controls all the decisions and takes very little inputs from other group members. Rigid organizations often use this style. Motivation for personal power Autocratic leaders are characterized by seeking prestige and strong motivation for personal power.
Being above board from the outset prevents a lot of miscommunications and misunderstandings. If you are overly autocratic, tell me how it is and leave it at that. Great leaders often hold dear the best interests of their employees. This skill set comes naturally to some leaders, but requires years of practice for others. Autocratic leaders have a way of being more strict. If a split-second decision is required, the leader will skip the participant process and make a decision, based on his existing knowledge and instincts.
About the Author Zach Lazzari is a freelance writer with extensive experience in startups and digital advertising. Autocratic or Authoritative Style 2. If you need to enforce punishments, or indeed rewards, always do so with a consistent approach. When to use authoritarian leadership? For the long term, an autocratic style can be more damaging than good, but sometimes you have to get things done. Learning from those failures and using that experience to become a better leader will ultimately stand to benefit the business.
Although Lincoln did not exhibit many of the authoritarian characteristics of autocratic leaders, American history demanded a bold president who was willing to make difficult and unpopular decisions from 1861 to 1865. The four key characteristics The quote by Alfred Hitchcock at the start of this guide is a rather good example of what is the essence of autocratic leadership. Dollfuss was assassinated by the Nazis in a raid on the chancellery. She demands perfection from her subordinates, but the intense demands have helped create a successful enterprise in what is a competitive environment. Lastly, the Situational leader will communicate a larger vision to her employees while inspiring them to reach new heights and goals.
But it the leader is not as competent, the organization might suffer. Simultaneously, new leadership theories were coming out and these tended to focus more on personal development, wellbeing and participatory style of leading. Personnel Psychology, 37, 1-6 McGregor, D. Autocratic Leadership This aggressive leadership style is based on control. Transformative Leadership When comparing types of leadership that do really well in the business world, Transformative Leadership really shines, as an all-around effective approach.
Effects of different leadership styles on group accuracy. This leader asks subordinates to obey and to adhere to their decisions. Lewin also found that it is more difficult to move from an authoritarian style to a style than vice versa. The autocratic leader tells the subordinates what he expects of them, specifies the work to be done and the goals to be achieved and guides in a specific way how to achieve it. This leadership style survives by default because it comes naturally to most leaders, especially in times of low morale or insubordination. He designs the work-load of his employees and exercise tight control over them. As such, it should only be used when team members show the necessary drive and have the necessary training to be able to function without needing supervision.
As explained above, when the rules are clear, when the employees feel respected, and the communication lines are open, the employee is less likely to rebel and feel demoralized. Autocratic leadership is negative, based on threats and punishment. Multiciencias, 12 1 , 35-44. Dollfuss was assassinated by the Nazis in a raid on the chancellery. In fact, given that many business leaders identify the democratic leadership style as the overall most effective method for day-to-day work, the real question here should be when not to use this style. Characteristics Leaders using the autocratic style sometimes, but not always, provide clear expectations for what is needed to be done, how it should be done and when it should be done.