In cases such as these, management needs to supervise the workers and monitor activities strictly to ensure that workers do not avoid completing their duties.
It recommends a hierarchical structure with narrow span of control at all levels for this purpose. An autocratic leadership style where the leader has complete authority and reserves the right to make decisions, and where the followers obey the instructions of the leader without question, remains ideally suited for workers with a Theory X type of orientation.
This theory states that ambitious and self-motivated workers enjoy doing their job. They like to seek and accept responsibility and apply their creativity in solving work-related problems, but most companies hesitate to let workers apply their skills, and under-utilize their workforce.
As with every leadership approach, autocratic leadership does have a set of benefits and shortcomings as well. The benefits are mostly related to speed in decision-making, time pressure, a high level of ambivalence and low complexity.
Because autocratic leaders are driven by time urgency, they are more likely to make quick decisions and this can lessen the impact of procrastination Briker et al. Moreover, because autocratic leaders do not seek ideas from their followers, they make solo decisions leading to faster outcomes. When new employees start a new job, they are often unsure of their role and need direction. In these types of uncertain situations and if the employee is struggling with low self-esteem, an autocratic leader can be effective through giving direction Schoel et al.
Research has shown that during harsh economic times, such as the current crisis due to the Pandemic, autocratic leadership is more effective than transformational leaders for firm effectiveness Huang et al. Depending on the way it is implemented, autocratic leadership is associated with a set of negative consequences for individuals, teams, and the entire organizations.
In addition, there is a risk that autocratic leadership fosters a toxic and destructive organizational environment that could do more harm than good. Most of the research on autocratic leadership has shown that ultimately subordinates dislike managers who have an autocratic leadership style and experience more job stress when being managed by such an individual Harms et al.
In a meta-analytic review, Gastil found that autocratic leadership was associated with lower levels of satisfaction , although autocratic leadership was not linked to group productivity. There is research to show that even when teams are performing well, individuals will quit these teams if they are led by an autocratic leader. One reason for this is that autocratic leaders increase negative affect in subordinates, including fear and anger Harms et al.
Moreover, because autocratic leaders are less likely to value creative ideas from subordinates, employees might feel less valued and this has the potential to increase employee turnover. This modeling can result in autocratic leadership being accepted throughout the organization at lower and upper levels. This increase in hierarchy can lead to an ineffective culture, undermine innovation and it also makes it difficult for organizations to change from an autocratic culture to a more democratic environment.
Briker, R. Hurry up! Personnel Psychology. De Hoogh, A. D Diabolical dictators or capable commanders? An investigation of the differential effects of autocratic leadership on team performance, The Leadership Quarterly, 26, Issue 5,,. When used effectively, this leadership style can bring many benefits to a workplace.
Strength, clarity, and discipline are just a few examples of what you can expect. In this leadership style, there is no need to gather consensus from your team or from other parts of the organisation when making decisions. Your say goes. Because of this, autocratic leadership lends itself particularly well to high-stress situations where quick decisions are vital.
Crises like an Ofsted inspection at school, for example; or when firm leadership is needed to restore balance to a company after a run of challenging months. With fewer people involved in the decision-making and goal-setting process, structure and direction can be established more quickly. This is one of the key characteristics of autocratic leadership: As a leader, you decide the overarching objectives, as well as the strategies and techniques required to get there.
Subordinates are not granted much independence, but effective autocratic leadership keeps them in line by explaining or at least communicating what needs doing. Though it can prove controversial, unambiguous decision making is useful for organisations that are disorganised or staffed mainly by people with very little experience. Clear goals and strong leadership often result in a well-understood chain of command and responsibility, which can allow certain workplaces to flourish.
Using construction work as an example: There is no need for each member of the team to contribute their opinion on how best to mix cement or lay bricks. An effective autocratic leader will have a keen eye on what is going on in their organisation. In real terms, this means fewer opportunities for subordinates to use their time in a way that might be considered wasteful. With strong leadership, clear goals, and procedural discipline in place for not achieving them, subordinate productivity can be expected to improve.
This leadership style comes with a few caveats that must be learned and understood to ensure smooth and effective implementation. BARS is now commonly used across businesses which deal with the public such as customer care units of telecom operators, banks, car rental service companies, etc.
A BARS approach usually breaks down any task into behaviour which is more cautious. This is done to have a unified technique of attending a call. They would have a quality team which would listen to your calls to gauge how you interact with the customers. Is it according to the standard operating procedures SOPs or not? Definition: Autocratic leadership is a management style wherein one person controls all the decisions and takes very little inputs from other group members.
Autocratic leaders make choices or decisions based on their own beliefs and do not involve others for their suggestion or advice. Description: Autocratic leadership is a form of management style in which one leader or member of the organisation takes decisions on behalf of the company.
This type of leadership style is seen mostly in businesses which are relatively small with fewer employees. This type of leadership style is only effective in organisations where the nature of work requires quick decision-making. The sole responsibility of the decision and the outcome is with the leader. It is considered to be a flexible leadership style but some would argue that it is outdated now. However, there are certain characteristics of autocratic leadership such as - no inputs from other group members are taken, group leader s dictate all the tasks or distribute responsibilities among other employees, and no reward or recognition is given to employees to boost morale.
Some experts argue that this type of leadership style can be damaging rather than rewarding in the long run as it resembles that of a dictator. It leads to low employee morale, which in turn may lead to attrition in many cases.
However, there are some advantages of autocratic leadership as well. It leads to quick decision-making, control over the processes and the operations of a company, etc. Autocratic leadership will be helpful in situations where a business faces constant change or a crisis.
It will be able to react to the situation promptly compared to other leadership styles, because of streamlined organizational structure and quick decision-making ability. Related Definitions. Browse Companies:. Mail this Definition.
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