What is the difference between autocratic and democratic management styles

There are different leadership styles that are adopted by leaders to influence their followers to achieve the organizational goals. Some of these are: bureaucratic, autocratic, authoritative, democratic and laissez-faire.

Different styles are applied by leaders in distinct situations and every leader should know when to demonstrate a certain approach. This is the classical approach towards leadership in which a one-man show is carried out by the leader. The leader has almost all of the powers and authority to make decisions, and gives no regard to the suggestions and opinions of those working under them.

The employees are not provided any justifications for the tasks they are assigned, and have to follow the instructions of their leaders without asking any questions. There is complete centralization of authority under autocratic leadership, and all policies and processes are developed by the leader. Employees are supposed to strictly follow all the rules and regulations of the organization.

The motivating factor in this form of leadership is an organized form of rewards and punishments awarded to the employees. The autocratic style of leadership has been criticized by many because it does not take any input from the employees, leading to a lack of motivation among employees and high rates of absenteeism and employee turnover.

However, it does have certain advantages. It is easy for employees to understand what is expected of them because specific standards and targets are set for all employees and they are supposed to fulfill them.

In addition, decisions can be taken rapidly because a single person is in charge of making decisions, which can then be implemented without any delays. The democratic style of leadership is also referred to as the participative style. In this approach, employees are encouraged to take part in organizational decision-making. Employees are given a lot of significance and are consulted on different organizational matters. In addition, they are kept informed about all the things taking place within an organization that concern them.

There is open communication in the democratic leadership style, which allows the employees to directly communicate with all members of the organization. In such organizations, employees are free to communicate their ideas and and put forward their suggestions.

However, the ultimate decision is taken by the leaders. The democratic leadership style enables employees to establish goals, assess their own performance, and exhibit growth on the job. In addition, it motivates them to perform better as they feel that they are a very important part of the organization. At time leaders are critiqued for their actions or views on different business affairs. Leadership has a huge impact on the culture of an organization.

In this paper, I will explore and compare various leadership styles. Furthermore, I will determine what I believe are the most important aspects of the different leadership styles.

In addition, I will identify what my leadership styles are along. More importantly what are the characteristics of these styles.

This paper will discuss in detail three topics and how they relate to effective leadership styles. We will start by evaluating business situations to determine whether the leadership style is participative, autocratic, leadership grid based.

Even if Willie started with a fresh new group of workers, their attitudes and motivation would probably decline to the same extent as the current workforce — leaving Manny and the company in a similar situation. Analyze Willie 's management style and compare it to others that might be better. The management or leadership style that Willie uses is autocratic. Authoritarian leaders are often described as controlling and close-minded, yet this overlooks the potential positives of stressing rules, expecting obedience, and taking responsibility.

While authoritarian leadership certainly is not the best choice for every situation, it can be effective and beneficial in cases where followers need a great deal of direction and where rules and standards must be followed to the letter. Another often overlooked benefit of the authoritarian style is the ability to maintain a sense of order. Bass and Bass note that democratic leadership tends to be centered on the followers and is an effective approach when trying to maintain relationships with others.

People who work under such leaders tend to get along well, support one another, and consult other members of the group when making decisions.

In addition to the three styles identified by Lewin and his colleagues, researchers have described numerous other characteristic patterns of leadership. A few of the best-known include:. Transformational leadership is often identified as the single most effective style. This style was first described during the late s and later expanded upon by researcher Bernard M.

Transformational leaders are able to motivate and inspire followers and to direct positive changes in groups. These leaders tend to be emotionally intelligent , energetic, and passionate. They are not only committed to helping the organization achieve its goals, but also to helping group members fulfill their potential. Research shows that this style of leadership results in higher performance and more improved group satisfaction than other leadership styles. One study also found that transformational leadership led to improved well-being among group members.

The transactional leadership style views the leader-follower relationship as a transaction. By accepting a position as a member of the group, the individual has agreed to obey the leader. In most situations, this involves the employer-employee relationship, and the transaction focuses on the follower completing required tasks in exchange for monetary compensation. One of the main advantages of this leadership style is that it creates clearly defined roles. People know what they are required to do and what they will be receiving in exchange.

This style allows leaders to offer a great deal of supervision and direction, if needed. Group members may also be motivated to perform well to receive rewards. One of the biggest downsides is that the transactional style tends to stifle creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.

Situational theories of leadership stress the significant influence of the environment and the situation on leadership. Hersey and Blanchard's leadership styles is one of the best-known situational theories. First published in , this model describes four primary styles of leadership, including:. Later, Blanchard expanded upon the original Hersey and Blanchard model to emphasize how the developmental and skill level of learners influences the style that should be used by leaders. Blanchard's SLII leadership styles model also described four different leading styles:.

Ever wonder what your personality type means? Sign up to find out more in our Healthy Mind newsletter. J Soc Psychol. Bass BM. Transformational leadership, empowerment, and job satisfaction: The mediating role of employee empowerment.

Hum Resour Health. Nielsen K, Daniels K. The Leadership Quarterly.