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Autocratic leadership
The importance of autocratic leadership
Strengths and weaknesses of autocratic leadership styles
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Recommended: Autocratic leadership
Before you can find the primary problems associated with an autocratic management style, you have to understand what autocratic management style is. Autocratic management style is the belief that in most cases the worker cannot make a contribution to their own work, and if they could, they wouldn't. Autocratic managers attempt to control work to the maximum extent possible. It is a major threat to control its complexity; complex jobs are more difficult to learn and work. A manager may need to use a more autocratic style of management with a new employee, whereas with an employee who has been with the business for some time, a more consultative approach.
The primary problems associated with autocratic management style is people who abuse an autocratic leadership style are often looked at as bossy, controlling, and dictatorial, which can lead to resentment among a group of people. Because autocratic leaders make vast decisions without consulting the group, people in the group tend to dislike that they are unable to contribute ideas. In most instances autocratic leadership often results...
An autocratic leader is a leader that is boss-centered. This type of leader relies on his/her power in order to dominate and control others. Through power this type of leader engages in a virtual dictatorship where there is little acknowledgement of the efforts of subordinates. One great example of an autocratic leader is Hitler. Hitler dominated through power and fear; “Hitler believed that his decisions were always right and that nobody could have better knowledge about something than he held (Hitler info site).” His authority over his subordinates was clea...
Lewin, Leppit, and White were cautious in the conclusions the drew from this study. They noted that autocratic leadership does get results and is preferred over democratic leadership. However they observed that autocratic leadership can create tension, apathy, frustration, and dependence by the group on the leader. Further, the researchers found that some of the differences in the behaviors of the children were associated with the presence or absence of the leader. Specifically, constructive effort declined in the autocratically controlled children groups. Finally, they observed very little value in laissez-faire control ---an essentially “no-leader” approach to leadership.
The extreme leadership style of the Authoritarian can have a negative effect on team members. A characteristic of this leader is one who makes all the decisions and passes the directives to subordinates who are expected to carry these out under very close supervision. Because open communication is vital to any project, these perceptions can hurt team performance.
The result is a relaxed atmosphere, but one where there are dew guidelines and directions. This can sometimes result in poor productivity and lack of motivation as employees have little incentive to work hard. Autocratic leaders centralize power and decision making in themselves. They structure the complete work situation for their employees, who are expected to do what they are told and not think for themselves.
In autocratic leadership style, the leaders take direction ship and make decision in own. They do not transfer any domination to the others.
Autocratic leadership theory is a part of the behavioural approach. In this leadership theory, leader makes all decisions and uses power to command and control the followers to achieve goal. According to Lewin(1939), “autocratic leaders are associated with high-performing groups, but that close supervision is necessary and feeling of hostility are often present” (p.173). It is incredibly efficient and tasks are completed quickly. Autocratic leadership can be beneficial when decisions need to be making quickly. For example, in emergency situation surgeon uses this theory because the patient’s situation is between life and death and there is no time to discuss with other members. Bass (2008) mentioned in the Leadership styles and theories article, “Autocratic leaders can be effective because they create good structure, and determine what needs to be done. They provide rewards for compliance, but punish disobedience” (Giltinane, 2013, p. 35-37).
There are negative effects to being an authoritative leader, which is that they lack the ability to help team members understand how they get to a goal or vision
Autocratic I (A1). The leader takes a decision completely at his discretion without the knowledge or consent of the team members in this style of leadership. This style of decision making is possible only in cases where there is not a lot at stake with the out come of this decision, when the employees’ decision is not exactly crucial for the outcome of the project, or when a leader thinks decision can be arrived at based on the information at hand and thinks any additional information isn’t needed from the team members to take a good and calculated decision.
Another example of his bad leadership style is that his employees can’t obey him and the sure thing they can’t disagree with him. These two examples made him a leader that his employees will have difficulties to cope with him. Is difficult to work under such conditions. Some people can not be effective if they have to follow such rules in a company.
Within leadership, there is the opportunity for many issues in itself. Leadership styles and practices, one of the most vital aspects determining productivity in organizations, is truly what sets the standard for every level of management within a company. If a proper leadership style is not chosen and followed to lead a team within an organization, there will be no one to follow and the team will certainly not be successful. The repercussions of poor leadership will certainly make a drastic difference in a company. This can include the needs of not only employees, but
A leader sets the tone for those they supervise. Having a weak or ineffective leadership style turns what could be a productive organization into one that lacks direction, is chaotic, and fails to live up to its potential. Incompetent central leadership can also cause a power struggle amongst the other remaining team members. Groups seek leadership; when leaders fail to use their powers others will maneuver to use the power left in the void. This can lead to a power-struggle and backstabbing (Morgan, 2007).
). Burke et al (2006) suggested that transactional leadership, based on contingent rewards, can have a positive effect on followers' satisfaction and performance. However, a transactional leader focuses on management tasks, and will not identify shared values of a team. By contrast, transformational leaders inspire others with their vision and work together with their team to identify common values (Marquis and Huston 2009). The transactional approach is task-orientated and can be effective when meeting deadlines, or in emergencies such as when dealing with a cardiac arrest. This approach can lead to non-holistic patient care, because nurses focus on the task they need to complete, rather than the patient as a whole (Bach and Ellis 2011).
An autocratic style of leadership is also known as an authoritarian leadership style of managing. Autocratic leaders are those who believe in individual control over all and every decision. Autocratic leaders also do not believe in any inputs from group members. Leaders that practice autocratic style of leadership normally make business choices based on their own agendas and judgments and never accept recommendations from their subordinates.
In this paper I will look at the four major leadership styles, their characteristics, advantages, disadvantages, and in what situations a particular leadership style is desired. Additionally, I will look at my leadership style and how I acquired this style throughout my career.
The team can capitalize on each leader’s desire to achieve its goal by acknowledging the importance of collaboration within the team with freedom (participative, laissez-faire leadership style), and the importance of giving adequate and educative directions (Autocratic style). The inclusion of the three leadership styles will satisfy each leader, gives value to their styles and ultimately increase the team’s productivity