Business 101: Principles of Management

If you've ever had to deal with a boss who's a control freak, this lesson on autocratic leaders may help you see your boss in a new light. Yes, there can be advantages when one person has complete control over decision making.

Control Freaks

'It's my way or the highway.' 'If you want something done right you have to do it yourself.' 'Anything you can do I can do better.' Perhaps you have heard someone say one of these phrases before or maybe you have said one of them yourself. They all encompass this idea of control. Often regarded as control freaks, these people try to dictate anything and everything in their lives, and sometimes in the lives of others. They are often perfectionists and demand excellence from themselves and others. In management, control freaks can really cause anguish for their followers and often result in micromanagement. They tend to regard themselves as superior to others and feel that it is necessary for them to intervene continuously in the works of their subordinates to ensure that things are completed to their standards. This often leaves subordinates who resent their leader and regard them as being bossy, controlling, and dictatorial.

The Authoritarian or Autocratic Leader

Definition of an authoritarian or autocratic leader

Control freaks often emerge in the business environment as the authoritarian or autocratic leader. The two terms are one and the same and describe a leadership style where managers have complete control over decision making, which is the opposite of democratic leadership, where subordinates are encouraged to participate in decision making by providing their opinions, insights, and suggestions, all of which are not welcomed by the authoritarian leader. Decisions on things such as what work needs to be done, how that work will be completed and by whom are made according to what the autocratic leader believes is best.

Expectation of the authoritarian or autocratic leader

Their decisions should not be questioned by followers; rather, they expect them to take them as the golden rule. Authoritarian leaders are meticulous planners and expect that their subordinates will trust that they have come to the best possible decision on their own without needing insight from others. Famous autocratic leaders include Martha Stewart, Saddam Hussein, Joseph Stalin, and Howell Raines.

Famous examples of authoritarian/autocratic leaders

The Benefits of the Authoritarian or Autocratic Leader

While some of you might be thinking that you know exactly where you would tell a boss who practiced this style of leadership to stuff it, you should know that there are some benefits to autocratic leadership. For example, the authoritarian leadership style is extremely useful when decisions need to be made quickly. There are certainly many decisions in business that need to be made on the fly and without the input of others. This is where the autocratic leader's ability to make decisions on their own is a valuable asset to an organization.

Some projects benefit from authoritarian leadership

Additionally, there are projects that mandate strong leadership that is focused on excellence. Just think back to the last time you worked on a project with your coworkers that was unorganized and lacked effective leadership; such circumstances can be extremely frustrating to have to deal with and often result in the demise of those working on the project. In this type of situation, the autocratic leader can quickly turn what appears to be a hopeless situation into one that has structure, guidance and expectations. Likewise, there are certain decisions that carry a heavy burden, making the authoritarian leader a welcomed one, allowing subordinates to defer such difficulties to their manager. Finally, the autocratic leader is especially beneficial during times of crisis, emergency, or high stress; while everyone else is running around confused from the chaos, the autocratic leader is calm and busy making necessary decisions to help get the organization where it needs to go.

Another benefit of authoritarian leadership

Lesson Summary

Let's review. Control freaks often emerge in the business environment as the authoritarian or autocratic leader. These leaders have complete control over decision making and expect their subordinates to trust that they have come to the best possible decision on their own without needing insight from others. Their decisions should not be questioned by followers, rather they should be accepted as the golden rule. Drawbacks of this style of leadership include causing anguish to their followers, who are often micromanaged, regarding themselves as superior to others, which causes resentment in followers who often consider the autocratic leader as bossy, controlling, and dictatorial. However, the authoritarian leader can also prove useful in situations where decisions need to be made quickly, during times of crisis, and when excellence is the expectation, as well as when decisions carry a heavy burden. Famous autocratic leaders include Martha Stewart, Saddam Hussein, Joseph Stalin, and Howell Raines.