Autocratic Leadership: 5 Traits of Autocratic Leadership

During your career, you take the role of leadership that provides you with an opportunity to manage the employees and enrich their success. Well, if you are given the privilege to manage the employees so how would you be making the decisions? Whether you would be giving command on any particular task or you would be having a consultation with your colleagues and employees before taking any important decision? 

Well, you may choose any option, but make sure it can help you in implementing the decisions more effectively. As the workforce is a prominent part of a business, therefore to take their assistance and suggestions in taking any decisions is essential. Because they have to ultimately execute the tasks and planning. In other words, a good leader is the one who ensures hybrid work is productive work because it enhances the engagement of group members in important decisions.

But in large corporations, the decisions are taken by the top management and the employees have to follow those as they are not allowed to provide any input in decision making. So in autocratic leadership, the leaders take the decisions on their own and they are rigid in decision making. Here I will brief you about autocratic leadership, its features and its pros and cons. Let’s start!

  

What is Autocratic Leadership Style?

The autocratic leadership style is the one where the decisions are taken by one team leader who holds all the right to make decisions without input from others. We all know that input is not necessary every time, as the help of a few trusted advisors can be taken. 

The autocratic leadership style works in a situation where we need error-free and quick decisions and it also has safety risks. These leaders oversee the tasks and provide clear instructions and directions to the team members. The leaders who follow the autocratic leadership style make sure that they take the responsibility on behalf of other team members to get done all the tasks within a prescribed timeframe. 

With this, autocratic leaders often work on a team of people who have limited skills and experience. 

 

Features of Autocratic Leadership Style

Autocratic leadership style depends upon the task, the group that is working on it, and the potential of the team members. Here some prime characteristics of the autocratic leadership style are described:

Top to Down Decision Making

As far as an autocratic leadership style is concerned, in it, the decisions are taken from the top to bottom level. So the team members are not allowed to interfere in the process until it is asked for.

Lesser Group Involvement

In the autocratic leadership style, there is very less involvement of team members, as they have to follow the instructions given by their leaders.

Lack of Creativity

Autocratic leaders make decisions without any input or reference from others so this reduces the level of creativity in decision-making. As the employees are not allowed to provide any input so their creativity cannot reach the leaders. Hence it affects the creativity of employees and decision-makers both. 

Rules

In autocratic leadership, the rules are rigid and strict. The employees have to follow those in a set framework. 

Clear Goals

The autocratic leaders have clear goals to achieve the destination. With this, they make the policies, provide the necessary instructions and make sure that the group members work accordingly.

Thus these are some prime features of the autocratic leadership style, it is important to find the right balance and flexibility in your leadership style in such a technical era as it is useful in having a broader concept of leadership.

 

Highlights 

Although autocratic leadership sounds draconian, it is not completely devoid of benefits. Some prime advantages of this style are described as under:

Resolute Leadership

Autocratic leadership works properly in an environment where quick, authoritative and smart decisions are taken. In other words, it is beneficial for taking decisions on complex issues. 

Effective in Quick Management

When a company needs quick crisis management then it takes the assistance of autocratic leadership. As in this leadership style, the leaders take fast and accurate decisions according to the condition. 

Set Framework 

Autocratic leaders set a specified framework for the employees. They also make sure that the group members work according to the prescribed work structure. 

 

Challenges

Besides the benefits, there are some cons of the autocratic leadership style and it is described as under:

Rigid Work Patterns

In the autocratic leadership style, the work patterns are rigid and these are to be followed strictly. This reduces the creativity and innovative ideologies of the employees. 

Affect the Potential

As far as an autocratic leadership style is concerned, in it, the leaders take the decision and do not take the assistance from any group member. This affects the potential of the employees as they cannot think and work out of the box. They are bound to work within the parameters set by the leaders. 

Reduce the Moral

In autocratic leadership, employees feel least innovative, as they are likely to work in an environment where their voices and suggestions are not worthy. Though it is important to nurture creative talent in an organization because employees are the precious asset of a company.

Thus these are some prime pros and cons of the autocratic leadership style. In the current scenario, this style is the least effective. It is because the employees are taking an active involvement in every task and even in decision-making processes also. This enables the businesses to take the advantage of the creativity and innovation of the workforce.

Roshni Khatri

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Autocratic leadership: What it is and how it impacts individual and organizational performance