Situational Leadership vs. Autocracy

This assignment examines the effectiveness of situational leadership compared to autocratic leadership. It argues that adopting a situational approach leads to a more positive work environment, enhanced employee motivation and loyalty, and ultimately, increased productivity and profitability for businesses.

Running head: LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
Leadership and Management
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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Introduction
In today’s world in the ever-changing market situation the importance of leadership is
immense behind the success of the business organizations. Generally the business leaders initiate
the work by enhancing and making the most of the efforts given by the general workforce. An
effective business leader motivates the employees of the organization so that their productivity
increase and they can work for the concern with increased motivation and loyalty (De Hoogh,
Greer and Den Hartog 2015). I believe that the business leaders are majorly responsible for
maintaining the culture of the business organization and in an organization where the
organizational culture is positive, the managerial board of the organization will easily experience
better productivity and profitability in the organization. The purpose of this essay is to highlight
the current situation of a business organization that functions under an autocratic leadership
model and to give possible recommendations to improve the situation by implementing a new
style of leadership (Day 2014).
Discussion
In this essay the main discussion will be on the main issue of the model of the leadership that
is relationships in the organization. I think that to become a successful leader in a business
organization, the leaders should have proficiency in intrapersonal skills and utilizing that, the
leaders can get to the bottom of the requirements of the general employees. It is necessary for the
leaders to know the needs of the employees in order to motivate them to gain maximum
productivity (Arnold et al. 2015). Thus, the intrapersonal skills of the leaders will give them
extra opportunity to excel in their respective field.

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The major traits that are necessary for a leader to gain success in professional life are self
confidence, determination, integrity and most importantly intelligence (De Hoogh, Greer and
Den Hartog 2015). I believe that these are the qualities that determine whether a leader will be
successful in his or her career or not. The above mentioned qualities are the basic prerequisites
for the making of a leader who can lead a business organization to the path of glory and success.
Apart from these, the business leader has to have good intrapersonal skills and he or she should
be able to understand the needs of the employees. In this regard it is worth mentioning that the
business leaders should have good cultural intelligence so that he can manage a workforce with
diversified cultural background; that is immensely important nowadays in the globalized world.
I believe that the core values of the business leaders represent the general employees and the
core values support the general workforce and eventually align idealized behavior and support
the future recruitment of the organization. The leaders who possess strong core values can
empower the general workforce beyond the technical competencies and along with strategies to
be successful eventually (Day 2014).
Among all the leadership models, situational model of leadership is most effective practice
of leadership that is based on the premise, which is the situation merged with the readiness of the
followers and not the characteristics of the leaders (De Hoogh, Greer and Den Hartog 2015). I
think this should explain the behavior of the leaders. Situational model of leadership depends on
the need of the followers regarding the support and direction. In this model, the business leaders
can respond in four possible ways that are by delegating, supporting, directing and coaching.

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Figure 1 Model of leadership
Source: (Arnold et al. 2015)
The leadership model of the business organization that is present aims to achieve
maximum productivity along with maintaining a positive ambience in the workplace that
supports team work, enhances bonding among the workers of the employees and can surely help
to boost the reputation of the business organization.
If the situational model of leadership is present in a workplace, then it can surely be said
that the organization will experience the presence of a workforce that is culturally diversified and
a strong bonding among the workers can be seen (Arnold et al. 2015). In this leadership model, I
strongly believe that it can be seen that the relation of the general employees with the
administrators are good and that promotes the productivity.
I think when in a business organization, there is a presence of situational leadership; it
can be observed that the organization will definitely experience better employee employer
relation that will positively impact on the level of productivity. Under this type of leadership, it

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can be observed that the organization can retain a culturally diversified workforce with no major
issues as under this situational leadership model the bonding among the team members are
generally seen on the higher end.
When a business organization functions under a situational leadership style, it can be said
that the leaders incessantly continue to inform himself about the motivational requirements of the
general workers of the company (Ricard et al. 2017). I believe that this leadership style allows
the leaders or the supervisors to constantly teach, direct and coach the employees for the
betterment of their level of performance. It can be said that under situational leadership model, it
allows the leaders to act as the mentors of the employees and that creates a positive work culture
within the workplace (Efferin et al. 2015). The leaders have a better idea regarding the strengths
that are required in developing certain areas within the work place so that it can help in
increasing the efficiency of the firm. The coaching of the employees is highly effective in this
system, which helps in increasing the chance of success rates and be flexible within the system
as well. The teams under this leadership model become highly productive, as the individuals are
developed in accepting the new roles that are present with the change in the nature of the tasks
(Day 2014).
Currently the business organization where I work is following autocratic leadership style
and under this particular model of leadership, the leaders or the managerial board takes all the
necessary decisions and directs the employees to work according to the wish of the leaders.
Under this type of leadership style, the employees do not have the ability or right to take
necessary decisions and they remain as the puppets in the hands of the directors (Iqbal, Anwar
and Haider 2015). Under this style of leadership there are probability of disruptions and loss of
motivation among the employees and if there is any type of error from the leader or the

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manager’s end, that can potentially increase the disruption among the workers and can lead to
loss of productivity along with the profitability (Vann, Coleman and Simpson 2014). On the
other hand, I believe under situational model of leadership it is seen that the style of leadership is
flexile as it changes in accordance to the requirements of the general workforce. In this way the
leaders does not take decisions solely and they involve the general employees to express their
valuable inputs for the betterment of the level of performance and to consider how to improve
the productivity or how to improve the workplace culture or the ambience of the workplace
(Arnold et al. 2015). Under situational leadership style, it can be said that the employees will
experience more flexibility and friendly ambience within the workplace that can potentially
enhance the level of productivity along with profitability.
Conclusion
Thus to conclude, it can be said that to improve the condition of the business organization
it would be better to abolish the autocratic style of leadership and replace it with situational
leadership style. I think it would allow the management of the organization to experience a better
work culture and improved relation of the general employees with the managerial body. If the
managers or the leaders get rid of a directorate approach and take up a mentor’s role, it would
benefit the employees to improve their level of competence. Apart from that if the leader’s
intrapersonal skills are good, then he would understand the requirements of the employees better
and that would easily help the employees to get further motivated and that will enhance their
loyalty towards the business organization. Thus, it can be stated that in the business organization,
introducing situational leadership style will improve the situation and can potentially improve the
productivity along with the profitability of the business organization.

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