Pros And Cons Of Autocratic Leadership

Authoritarian/autocratic leadership The authoritarian/autocratic group leader typically is an expert who directs the movement of the group and makes all the strategic decisions within the group or organization (Val & Kemp, 2012; Gill, 2014; Gladding, 2016). Per Gladding (2016), authoritarian group leaders can be charismatic and manipulative and typically believe they understand group dynamics, make interpretations, give advice, demand obedience, and expect conformity. Furthermore, these leaders typically do not seek the input and advice of others and often demonstrate a lack of trust in the ability of others to make decisions and suggestions (Gill, 2014). According to Val and Kemp (2012), authoritarian leaders often use their observations and beliefs regarding what is most important or most needed to benefit the group when solving problems and making decisions. Such leaders often structure their groups using the wheel model, in which all information is filtered and distributed through them, and at their extreme, may insist on making minor decisions: Consequently, being viewed as micromanagers, and may be overbearing and demoralizing (Gill, 2014; Gladding, 2016). Lastly, because authoritarian leaders are tasked with making all the decisions, they are expected to make correct decisions (Gill, 2014). According to Gill (2014) the authoritarian leadership style has fallen out of favor in recent years due to (a) its association with dictator and tyrants, (b) the view that it epitomizes authoritarianism, and (c) the fact that some leaders fall back on this style when dealing with people who lack skills, training and experience. While there are certainly disadvantages to this leadership style, some individuals work well under this style of leadership, such as those who work well with clear directives (Gill, 2014). Furthermore, it is often appropriate for certain groups and organizations, such as those that require precision, quick decision making, and meeting important deadlines, streamlining processes, improving efficiency in departments, or when training individuals (Gill, 2014). Per Gill, organizations where the authoritarian leadership style is most appropriate include athletic teams, the military, law enforcement, fire departments, restaurants, ambulatory care settings, manufacturing, and aerospace. Democratic leadership In contrast to authoritarian leaders, democratic leaders are more group centered, less directive, collaborate with the group members when making decisions, share responsibilities, and trust the group members to develop their potential (Val & Kemp, 2012; Gill, 2016; Gladding, 2016). According to Gill (2016), democratic leaders are self-actualized, self-confident, innovators, rational, strong collaborators, and multi-taskers. Furthermore, they take responsibility for their actions, support their group, and do not make excuses for failure. (Gill, 2016). While the democratic leader collaborates with the group and seeks input when making decisions, as with the authoritative leader, they bear …show more content…
He asserts democratic leadership can increase employee job satisfaction, lower absenteeism, increase productivity, increase productivity and innovation, and create mutual trust between the leadership and group members. However, he cautions that democratic leaders can become too dependent upon the expertise and experience of others and can become burdened by overseeing experts on collaborative teams. Additionally, collaboration can be time consuming when members cannot come to an agreement and may result in missing deadlines (Gill, 2016). Examples of groups that work well with democratic leadership include: juries, hospitals and labs, high tech firms, and the pharmaceutical industry (Gill, 2016; Gladding,