Authoritarian Leadership Style
Although generally considered as a traditional, outdated, and non-preferred style of leadership, the autocratic style still can be used effectively in certain situations. It is a leadership style characterized by individual absolute control over a group. If you work for an autocratic leader, your job is usually to do what you're told. Learn more about this style and situations where this could be an effective style to use and when to avoid this type of approach. Analyze the characteristics of this style to evaluate if your followers consider you an authoritarian leader!
Authoritarian Leadership Style:
An authoritarian leadership style is being used when a leader who dictates policies and procedures, decides what goals are to be achieved, and directs and controls all activities without any meaningful participation by the subordinates. Authoritarian leaders are commonly referred to as autocratic leaders. Direct supervision is what they believe to be key in maintaining a successful environment and followership.
In fear of followers being unproductive, authoritarian leaders keep close supervision and feel this is necessary in order for anything to be done. Authoritarian leaders use their power to influence and tend to be task-oriented. It is also referred to as a directive or controlling style of leadership. Autocratic leadership allows quick decision-making and eliminates arguments over how and why things get done. Autocratically -led organizations are generally not supportive of personal relationships, but much more keyed to chain-of-command.
Characteristics of Authoritarian Leaders:
1. The authoritarian leadership style or autocratic leader keeps strict, close control over followers by keeping close regulation of policies and procedures given to followers.
2. Authoritarian leaders provide clear expectations for what needs to be done when it should be done, and how it should be done.
3. Authoritarian leaders make decisions independently with little or no input from the rest of the group. Staff and team members have little opportunity to make suggestions, even if these would be in the team's or the organization's best interest
4. Authoritarian leaders uphold stringent control over their followers by directly regulating rules, methodologies, and actions.
5. Authoritarian leaders construct gaps and build distance between themselves and their followers with the intention of stressing role distinctions
6. Authoritarian leaders seldom foster creativity in decision-making
7. Authoritarian leaders believe that followers require direct supervision at all times or else they would not operate effectively
Communication Patterns of Authoritarian Leadership:
- Downward, one-way communication (i.e. leaders to followers, or supervisors to subordinates)
- Controls discussion with followers
- Dominates interaction
- Independently/unilaterally sets policy and procedures
- Individually directs the completion of tasks
- Does not offer constant feedback
- Rewards acquiescent obedient behavior and punishes erroneous actions
- Poor listener
- Uses conflict for individual gain
- Give orders and assign tasks without taking the subordinates into confidence
- Intercommunication between members is little
- Directions are given as commands, not suggestions
Situations where Effective:
- Authoritarian leadership is best applied to situations where there is little time for group discussion.
- Autocratic leadership style works well if the leader is competent and knowledgeable enough to decide about each and everything
- Authoritative is considered one of the most effective leadership styles in case there is some emergency and quick decisions need to be taken.
- The decision of an autocratic leader is fast and time-saving
- Increase in productivity when the leader is present
- Produces more accurate solutions when leaser is knowledgeable
- Is more positively accepted in larger groups
- Enhances performance on simple tasks and decreases performance on complex tasks
- Also effective and useful when the group is not educated
Situations where In-Effective:
- Most people resent being treated this way
- Not effective for complex tasks
- Not effective where creativity and innovation are required
- Increases aggression levels among followers
- Increases turnover rates
- Abuse of this style is usually viewed as controlling, bossy and dictatorial
- Often leads to high levels of absenteeism
Conclusion:
Late Steve Jobs, former CEO of Apple was the exemplar of this style of leadership. Although it is not a generally recommended style of leadership, research does support that when an organization is under extreme pressure authoritarian leadership may very well be necessary and can help in the turnaround of the organization. We advise caution while applying this style with mature people in your team.
Related Links
You May Also Like
-
There are four characteristics of leadership that help us to understand the character of leadership as a concept. 1. Leadership is a process, 2. Leadership involves influence, 3. Leadership always occurs in a group context and 4. Leadership involves goal attainment. These are the four components that make up the character of the 'leadership' term and help us to define the leadership concept. All of these components of leadership have common characteristics.
-
Power is the ability to exercise influence or control over others. Leadership involves authority and it is very important for leaders to understand what type of power they're using. The 5 Types of Power in Leadership are Coercive power, expert power, legitimate power, referent power, and reward power. Authority is the right to command and extract obedience from others. It comes from the organization and it allows the leader to use power.
-
There are four major factors in leadership called Leader, Follower, Communication, and Situation. The success of the leader is dependent on how the leader is effectively able to communicate and motivate followers to perform desired tasks using the appropriate leadership style best suited for the given situation. Interdependencies and dynamics of these four factors of leadership must be considered by a leader to be effective.
-
“Level 5 Leadership”, this term was coined by Jim Collins in his book “Good to Great” and it is all about achieving "Greatness" as a leader. This article will explain what we mean by Level 5 Leadership and what the characteristics of a Level 5 leader are. What it takes to achieve greatness as a leader, and what are the steps and strategies that one can use to move up to this top level of leadership.
-
Crisis leadership is a very important part of leading in today's world. The skills a leader needs in order to guide people during a crisis are different from the skills needed to help a group grow. Are you a good crisis leader? What is your leadership style in case of a business crisis situation? A business crisis can test the strongest of leaders, read this article to explore how to ensure you’re ready to take action and weather the storm when one strikes you.
-
Understanding of how individuals of different cultures interact with each other is very important. Not all individuals can adapt to the leadership styles expected in a different culture whether that culture is organizational or national. In a fast-paced business environment, developing a richer understanding and sensitivity to other cultures is a skill that leaders must possess. Learn to be effective in a cross-cultural setting.
-
This style is characterized by leaders making decisions for others and expecting followers to follow instructions. The directive leader is adept at giving instructions, setting expectations, and establishing timelines and performance standards. However, it is possible for the same leaders to display both directive and supportive behavior as per the demands of the situation.
-
Laissez-faire is a style of leadership that affords the group members a great deal of independence. Tasks are delegated to the group members and they are responsible to see the project through to fruition. Research has shown that this style of leadership leads to the lowest levels of productivity. This article explains this style and covers the implications of having a hands-off approach and the situations where this style could be effective.
-
Charles Darwin had once commented that “It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.” Agility means the capability of rapidly and efficiently adapting to changes and recently, agility has been applied in the context of software development, agile enterprise, and agile leadership. Agile leaders play an important, even essential, role in scaling agility in an organization. Understand how being an agile leader helps in effectively catalyzing organizational change.
-
A good leadership style is something that every effective leader must have in order to succeed, but identifying what that entails or does not entails might be difficult to understand. Most of the research on leadership focuses on the exemplary, best practices, and positive attributes of effective and successful leaders. This article talks about a new approach to learn leadership using lessons from bad leadership. That is the lessons to be learned by examining leaders who have not effectively exercised their power, authority, or influence.
