An autocratic leadership style involves having just the leader at the top of the corporate ladder. The boss is in charge of practically every detail in the business, from workload distribution, tasks to be accomplished, timelines, and strategies to be used. Autocratic leaders are not open to their team’s input, especially when making organizational decisions.
Followers stay engaged and motivated with autocratic leaders because they’re inclined to thrive in this setup, considering their personality traits. This leadership style isn’t for all, so it must be exercised only with the right people. Such employees flourish in routine and close supervision.
This article will discuss why followers stay engaged and motivated despite such an authoritative and dominating leadership style, including the personality types that will most likely respond positively to this approach. We will also discuss autocracy’s perks and drawbacks and some of the common misconceptions linked to it. The bottom line is that autocratic leadership is tricky to implement, so read on if you want to know more!
How Do Autocratic Leaders Maintain Popular Support?
Autocratic leaders maintain popular support by customizing their approach to employees’ personalities. Not everyone will thrive in this leadership style. The key to its effectiveness is combining it with other approaches when needed and ensuring that employees are responsive to this style.
Although not all employees may respond well to an autocratic leadership style, some personalities will thrive in such a setup.
This authoritative and commanding management style can lead to decreased teamwork, engagement, and employee morale, but when utilized effectively with the right personality mix, autocratic leadership is more likely to deliver quicker results and higher productivity.
Authoritative leadership is often confused with leadership style where fear is used as a component.
Analyze your employees to determine if an autocratic leadership style is best suited for them. Let’s now discuss some personality clues that allow this leadership style to thrive.
Committed Followers
Employees who like the predictability, dependability, and stability that established procedures and rules bring will thrive in this setup. They like being told exactly what to do because it minimizes risks and makes it much easier and quicker to get things done.
Employees with this personality type won’t mind not having a say in decision-making or implementation processes.
They appreciate that they’re not held accountable for the way they accomplished their tasks, especially when things don’t go as expected. They trust the leader’s abilities, foresight, and capacity to make smart decisions.
They also don’t like being in the spotlight and prefer working in the background.
Routine Aficionados
Employees who thrive in routine will flourish in an autocratic leadership style, as they like routines’ consistency and predictability. They love knowing exactly how each day will progress because practically everything has already been decided for them.
This personality type can deliver results quickly and get more things done sooner. They prefer this setup where they can always be on the safe side, with minimal risk for errors and mistakes.
They’re cautious, so they like how their leader has already laid out an efficient system for them to follow.
Highly Acquiescent
Individuals who are readily compliant and find no issues with quickly accepting an established system will have no qualms about an autocratic leadership style.
They’re not likely to question plans for them, nor are they keen on injecting their ideas into how tasks are accomplished or policies are made. They readily do what is expected of them with minimal to no hitches.
Poor Decision-Makers
Some individuals find it extremely challenging to make decisions. They find it taxing to carefully analyze situations and predicaments to develop the best possible course of action. An autocratic leadership style will be much appreciated for this personality type since it eliminates the decision-making dilemma for them.
What Is Autocratic Leadership?
Autocratic leadership, also called authoritarian leadership, is a leadership style wherein the leader has absolute power when dictating to employees exactly how tasks should be done. Leaders who adopt this style have the final say in decision-making processes and aren’t expected to consider other people’s input much.
Popular Autocratic Leaders
Autocratic leaders have one thing in common. They have complete control over everything and everyone in their organization and dictate practically anything that goes on within their jurisdiction.
However, a true autocratic leadership style doesn’t condone oppression or suppression. Rather, it promotes using power and authority to push people beyond their limits to achieve their full potential.
The aim of autocratic leaders is to keep propelling the team forward toward success.
Here are a few of the most popular ones to get a clearer picture of what autocratic leaders are like. We will also examine how they handled power and fully utilized their authority to lead and manage their people:
- Napoleon Bonaparte: This French Revolution leader commanded a large army without entertaining ideas and suggestions from anyone. His leadership style was effective since he grew his empire exceptionally fast.
- Richard Nixon: President Nixon had difficulty trusting other people, even those considered experts in their field. He had more confidence in his skills, insights, and experiences, which influenced most of his decisions.
- Elon Musk: Known for his diverse business ventures, Musk supposedly rarely considers the input of others, even those in his team. He is known to be an impulsive decision-maker, primarily driven by his unique and unconventional business visions.
- Queen Elizabeth I: She saw to it that her empire adhered to a top-down leadership style, where she was the sole possessor of absolute power.
Characteristics of Autocratic Leadership
An autocratic style of leadership has its perks, so it’s wise to always respect the limitations that come with power and authority for it to be effective. It also has drawbacks, so a leader must be careful when deciding whether or not this management style will be acceptable and effective for the team.
Here are some of the characteristics of an autocratic leadership style.
One Decision-Maker
Autocratic leaders prefer to direct how the team accomplishes tasks. They decide what processes to follow and which methods to utilize to move closer to goals efficiently. They encourage and accept little to no input from their employees.
Autocratic leaders call the shots.
Employees under this leadership style don’t enjoy autonomy in their daily tasks. The leader dictates when a task should be done, how it should be executed, and when it should be accomplished.
In the face of crises and dilemmas, the leader is the sole decision-maker, and the rest of the team waits for the final verdict.
Structured Work Environment
All organizations follow some kind of structure to be functional and efficient. However, with an autocratic leadership style, the structure is rigid and inflexible. Everyone knows who’s in charge, and that person is at the top of the corporate ladder — the leader.
Everything and every one must pass through the leader’s approval. The leader has complete control of all business processes and has the final say in all matters, big and small.
Advantages of an Autocratic Leadership Style
Autocratic leaders may seem dominating and highly controlling, but these traits can sometimes make a team more anchored and streamlined. The key is to maximize these characteristics to the team’s advantage without utterly disregarding their sense of autonomy.
Here are some advantages of adopting an autocratic leadership style for your team.
Well-Defined Business Structure and Strategies
Autocratic leaders leave no room for employee-initiated adaptations and modifications. When guidelines are crystal clear, and employees know exactly what to do in any given situation, tasks are accomplished sooner with minimal disruptions.
This leadership style is ideal for employees who prefer a commanding and controlling management strategy, wherein leaders enjoy the final say in big and small aspects of business operations. However, only a minority of employees thrive in this setup.
According to a 2019 survey of 14,033 employees, only 21% appreciate autocratic leadership in business.
Quick Response and Action
An autocratic leader has the first and final say in all business aspects, making the decision-making and implementation processes extremely quick. It can come in handy during stressful situations and crises when quick action provides maximum results.
Drawbacks of an Autocratic Leadership Style
Although an autocratic leadership style has significant advantages, it exposes the team to several drawbacks. Extreme authoritativeness may not always be the best stance, especially when faced with dilemmas and crises, since it affords minimal flexibility for the team. Hence, this leadership style, although not entirely unpropitious, should be employed with care.
You can expect other drawbacks from implementing an autocratic leadership style for your team.
Demotivates Employees
Autocratic leaders don’t include employees in the planning stages, nor do they consider their team’s opinions and ideas. This can sometimes result in employees feeling ignored and undervalued.
They may feel uninspired about work when they sense they aren’t contributing significantly to the team.
Extreme Dependency
When autocratic leaders continuously disregard their team’s input, employees may begin feeling passive and unmotivated about work. They may start relying on their leader for practically everything related to the organization, even with tasks directly involving them.
Extreme dependency on one person’s leading and managing skills may put the entire organization at risk. Since the distribution of power and authority is one-sided, the team may eventually become unstable.
Apathetic Behavior
When a whole system has already been laid out for employees, some will tend to be detached and dispassionate with their work. Their main goals will be to tick things off their to-do list as quickly as possible, in a manner expected of them.
An autocratic leadership style may also dissuade employees from collaborating and working together as a team. They would much rather do their tasks individually and interact minimally with their peers.
Misconceptions About Autocratic Leadership
Autocratic leaders are perhaps the most misunderstood since autocracy is often associated with dictatorship and tyranny. After all, some of the world’s most notorious leaders are considered autocrats.
However, not all autocratic leaders are necessarily dictators.
For instance, Adolf Hitler and Vladimir Putin, both strong leaders in their own right, are known to be extremely domineering and authoritarian in their leadership approaches. They made many autonomous decisions, utterly disregarding the advice and input of their teams.
Their extreme leadership styles may not have been ideal and beneficial, but they demanded their people’s obedience, so much so that things were accomplished quickly.
In a business setting, autocratic leaders may have to weather through many misgivings and misconceptions due to some preconceived notions. Here are some of the more common misconceptions associated with autocracy in leading and managing a team.
Autocratic Leaders Are Bossy
Autocratic leaders may seem intimidating, but that’s mostly due to their absolute power and authority in the workplace. In reality, an effective autocratic leader is firm, precise, and meticulous in leading and managing their team.
It’s easy to misconstrue these strong leadership traits as plain bossiness.
These can actually come in handy when deadlines have to be met, or problems need to be solved. Autocratic leaders can make smart decisions quickly so that issues are quickly resolved, and tasks are swiftly accomplished. The team moves continuously forward, thanks to its leader’s strong qualities.
Autocratic Leaders Have No Empathy
Autocratic leaders are thought to care only about the business, paying no mind at all to their employees’ personalities, preferences, and personal lives. Although this may hold true for a few, autocratic leaders generally acquire this reputation since they’re bullheaded in business affairs.
They typically don’t like mixing business with personal matters.
This trait can benefit organizations by ensuring that goals are met efficiently with minimal unnecessary disruptions. Autocratic leaders expect their employees to perform as expected, so there’s practically no room for anything outside the business setting.
Autocratic Leaders Are Hoverers
Autocratic leaders typically monitor their employees closely to ensure sufficient progress and tasks are executed as expected. This may come off as extremely domineering and controlling to some.
However, this practice helps autocratic leaders ensure the team is always on the right track. Leaders can quickly detect and correct lapses and errors with consistent monitoring and close guidance. They can easily make adjustments when necessary. Moreover, they can quickly intervene when problems are detected.
Final Thoughts
Autocratic leadership may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it is a management style businesses can turn to in crucial times. It can also come in handy when surrounded by receptive team members to this leadership approach.
The key to keeping followers engaged and motivated in an autocratic leadership style is ensuring their natural disposition allows them to thrive in such a setup. Aim for employees who are wary about making decisions, balk at serious responsibilities, and prefer well-defined, streamlined processes.
