Evaluating Advantages of Autocratic Leadership In 2025
There is what they call the autocratic style of leadership, wherein hardly any contribution or inputs is sought from team members or subordinates to the leader. However, it should be noted that autocratic leadership is not necessarily the same as tyrannical leadership, even though they share many features. All tyrants employ dictatorial methods, while not all dictators use tyrannical means. Autocrats are not really oppressors, but rather those who believe in wielding power for the welfare of the group. Such leaders usually take all the crucial decisions by themselves. Thereby they create a strict discipline and working environment at workplace.
Merits of autocratic leadership are very essential, and they become handy during stiff or rough situations. Some of them are mentioned here in the following section that talks about some core advantages of autocracy:
1. Speedy Making of Decisions
In deciding and making implementation, the least in consultation is administration and hierarchy since it is called autocratic leadership. With the leader being the only person taking decisions, management has little or no inputs whether or not the leader considers it. This means a faster decision can be made, especially in high-stress environments where quick resolutions are needed. All choices, then very possible outcomes, are weighed before an autocratic leader decides on a course of action that would best serve his interests.
2. High Productivity within the Workplace
These are the factors which increase the productivity of any autocratic project. Decisions are made by that particular leader, and immediately conveyed to the team with full knowledge to complete the entire project on the given deadline. Such leader also adds up productivity in workplace by bringing all knowledge imparting to the employees regarding what to do, and how to fulfill deadlines. Most of the time, such process leads to completion of projects at regular intervals and yields great effects on worker output.
3. Give Direction
Autocratic leadership is giving direction to the employees. The directions help the employee to follow the leader’s instructions and accomplish the objective accordingly in the best possible way. An example of an autocratic leader can be taken as giving directions to an employee who is regularly missing deadlines to explain how to divide the project into smaller pieces and focus on achieving short-term goals.
But, it must be considered that there are many disadvantages associated with this type of leadership. Some of the major disadvantages of autocracy are as follows.
Decrease in Employee Morale
Poor morale of employees is also a major disadvantage of following an autocratic leadership style. It has been observed that more than half the employees want to end their work because they feel unappreciated. Autocratic leaders ignore the suggestion made by their team members. They even take credit for the success of a project, which demotivates the employees.
Creating Resentment Among Employees
Most employees who prefer some amount of group authority and involvement in decision making do not relish autocratic leadership. The greatest drawback of this leadership style is nobody talks about innovation and experimentation. Autocratic workplaces do not method change and enter new ideas. Employees working under such an environment feel suffocated. Ultimately, a disgruntled workforce is created.
No Micromanagement
Micromanaging dictators supervise work members continually correcting them at stages of the process, rather than leading the work by giving clear instructions, deadlines and objectives. They will have the direct control of assignments, development and output and have direct reports from their employees. This creates fear and pressure in the employees.
Conclusion
Autocratic leadership presents a very high risk and at the same time, a very high reward. When applied, it brings about a very effective and efficient result. It proves to be very effective at the times when absolute control needs to be exercised during a dispute or crisis. At these times, it calls to mind the leaders making tough choices on communicating with the assembled audience and carrying out the plan with unwavering focus. Some of the autocratic instances include the actual battles or wars when one person would have to take the command and coherently decide in the battlefield about the victory or otherwise. Another example is the situation where a doctor has to decide during a surgery when he has to take very crucial decisions to save a life; if that lead surgeon was not able to take smart decisions with regards to time constraints, it can or cannot save a life. These are life-and-death situations where an error will have horrific repercussions. In those times, there will have to be one loud voice giving direction. A less complicated example could be a head chef giving orders to all his staff during a lunch or dinner shift.
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