Leadership-Self Assessment: Autocratic Leadership Style

Running head: LEADERSHIP-SELF ASSESMENT
LEADERSHIP-SELF ASSESMENT
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Leadership is based upon two theory that is trait theory and behaviour theory. Trait
theory describes the qualities of leader and the behaviour theory mostly focuses on the
leadership actions. As stated by Meuser (2016), the effective leadership style is autocratic
leadership style and it is mostly based on the trait theory that is assuming the physical and
the psychological characteristics accounts for the effective leadership. The autocratic
leadership focuses on the requirement of achievement, intelligence, decisiveness, self-
confidence, initiative and the supervisory ability for leading people. Intelligence and vitality
are considered as the primary qualities for the leadership ability.
The autocratic or authoritative leader provides the clear expectations and also
involves the commanding and controlling factors. As commented by Iqbal (2015), the
authoritarian leaders mostly take the necessary actions and decisions alone without any input
from others. The autocratic leaders posses the authority of telling others what to do and what
not.
The strengths of the autocratic leadership style is that When people perceive a crisis
that is it has been found out many times that is when people are afraid they mostly tends to
focus on the leaders to make them feel safe that is the individuals want to be told what to do
in such situation. According to Nawaz (2016), the another strength of this leadership style is
When subordinates are uncertain that is in a situation where there is lack of information at
that time it becomes easier for the organization to follow the authoritative approach towards
work. Also argued by Khan (2016), that if one has Authoritarian followers that is there are
new team in the workplace that completely depends upon the strong leaders and this is
effective for the emerging organization.
The weakness of the autocratic leadership style is that this leadership style lacks the
innovative production that is the team members are unable to come up with the innovative

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approach as they become fully dependent on the instructions of the autocratic leadership
style. As commented by Stanley (2015), the another weakness of this leadership style is that
the followers become Passive-Aggressive that is the team members faces personality
disorders that is when the leader forces some ne to act as per his or her instructions.
The opportunity o this leadership style that the leaders are able to handle the critical
situations by making decisions quickly specially in the stress filled situation. As stated by
Smith (2016), the leaders are also able to clear the chain of command and oversight. This
leadership is one of the effective leadership styles that are the organization requires strong
and the directive leadership is required in any critical condition.
The threats that this leadership style faces is that this leadership style discourages the
group input. This leadership style sometimes impairs morale and would lead to resentment.
This leadership style ignores the creative solutions and the expertises from the
subordinates. This is so because People tend to feel happier and perform better when they
feel like they are making contributions to the future of the group. Since autocratic leaders
typically do not allow input from team members, followers start to feel dissatisfied and stifled
(Fiaz, Su & Saqib 2017).