Characteristics Of Autocratic Leadership Business Essay

In an autocratic leadership style, the person in charge has total authority and control over decision making. Autocratic leadership is an extreme form of transactional leadership, where a leader exerts high levels of power over his or her employees or team members. People within the team are given few opportunities for making suggestions, even if these would be in the team’s or organization’s interest.

The autocratic leadership style is best used in situations where control is necessary, often where there is little margin for error. When conditions are dangerous, rigid rules can keep people out of harm’s way. Good fits for Autocratic Leadership are Military, Manufacturing and Construction

Characteristics of Autocratic Leadership

Little or no input from group members

Leaders make the decisions

Group leaders dictate all the work methods and processes

Group members are rarely trusted with decisions or important tasks

In change management, this theory is successful during the emergency and necessary actions where is no chance of mistakes this is useful only in those areas where only orders and instructions are given e.g. military, constructions etc.

Participative/Democratic Theory

The democratic leadership style is a very open and collegial style of running a team. This theory suggests that the ideal leadership style is one that takes the input of others into account. These leaders encourage participation and contributions from group members and help group members feel more relevant and committed to the decision-making process. In participative theories, however, the leader retains the right to allow the input of others. Group members feel engaged in the process and are more motivated and creative.

In this theory, ideas move freely amongst the group and are discussed openly. Everyone is given a seat at the table, and discussion is relatively free-flowing. The people have a more participatory role in the decision making process. Levin’s study found that participative leadership, also known as democratic leadership is generally the most effective leadership style. 

The basic ideas behind participative theory of leadership can be summoned as follows:

Everyone Participate

New ideas are thrown about

Decisions becomes more-oriented

Leaders can assess the worth of their policies

A progressive approach

In change management, under this style of leadership leader need to be participate in the task which going to be achieved within the organization with team members to motivate and encourage them towards the goal.

Transformational Theory

The concept of transformational leadership was developed by James Macgregor Burns [] (Burns, 1978). According to Burns, transforming leadership is a process in which “leaders and followers help each other to advance to a higher level of morale and motivation. In transformational leadership various mechanisms are used to boost employee morale and motivation. The following list explains some of the mechanisms used. Please note that following list is not exhaustive, many more mechanisms are used and I am listing a few (Wiki-transformational, Ret. 2007):

Integrating individual goals with the organizational goal, it is to create a sense of belongingness; it also includes connecting one’s identity to the collective identity of the organization.

Depicting leader as a role model so that the entire followers can follow him, having a common role model also helps in creating common paths to follow.

Followers are challenged to take greater ownership of their work; this also includes techniques like constructive criticism. This also promotes the concept of taking liability of your actions in both positive and negative way.

Leader is made responsible for aligning and optimizing the employee performance by measuring their strengths and weaknesses.

In change management, under this style of leadership, leaders encourage and motivate the employees in such a way that they perform at their best to achieve more than the desired or set goal.

Transformational and Transactional

While there are many different approaches and theories of leadership, Transactional and Transformational are compared the most, so based on my research online, here is my attempt:

Transformational

VS

Transactional

Objectives are achieved by moral values and higher ideas

Objectives are achieved by rewards and punishments set by the leader

Proactive leadership

Responsive leadership

Individualized Consideration

Management by Exception

Motivation is achieved by promoting group interest and team work spirit

Motivation is achieved by promoting self interest

1.3 Leadership role models

I would like to be a transformational leader, so would be listing two transformational business leaders

Dr. Vijay Malaya

Mr. Rahul Bhatia

Leadership profiles

DR. Vijay Malaya

Dr. Vijay Malaya is currently of 56 years old and living in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. He got residency of India and Australia. He completed his Bachelor of Arts and science from Calcutta University. His all the property was inherited and grooming day by day. He is the brand ambassador of himself and prefers the belief to knowledge and talent. He always tries to focus on team presentation and how much experience they have got. His living standard is very high profile and social able. He got high ambitious person and very dominant nature. Because of his autocratic leadership style his company is booming. He got aggressive behavior because his all normal talks are with general manager of the company. He is from one of the irregular and late leaders. He always wants fully attention on work from his staff. He has no emotions for his employees. Because his policy is to whenever any of his employees had said no to work, he fired his/her. In his company hiring and firing is frequent. There are less chances of promotion in his company. There are less salary incentives as well in his company. He got strong position in politics as well, with the help of this power; he is getting high name and fame. Moreover, he has keen interest in sports as well. He is the owner of “Royal Challengers Bangalore”, an IPL cricket team. He also formed a Sahara force India formula one team. Furthermore, by reading his image, it is shown that he is very straight forward leader, who doesn’t wait for others to start. In simple words, Vijay Malaya do everything is of his own choice, he leads team in very formal way. He doesn’t have any emotions for his employees.

Change Management

Under his leadership, he made a big change in his company. His company is getting name and fame. He expands his company from low level to high level. He started kingfisher airlines. Before him according to survey, the kingfisher was on 32nd rank in the world, but after him, kingfisher got the 19th rank among another companies.

Mr. Rahul Bhatia

Mr. Rahul Bhatia is also in his 60s. He was born in Bentwal, Karnataka. He completed his studies BS in electrical engineering from university of waterloo, Canada. Currently he is living in Delhi, India. After completing his studies, he worked with IBM. Then he realized to setup his own company Indigo. He believes in diligence, future mindedness, transparency in work. He is democratic leader. He always gives chances to others to perform. Because of his positive attitude, his company is shining day by day. He always brings forward good talent. Mr. Rahul Bhatia always tries to keep his focus on good team performance. He believes in simple living and high thinking. He is very punctual in his life and always set goals to be targeted. He has seen some difficult period for his company, but he paid salaries and bonus to each worker time to time. He is continuously learning and trying to develop the leadership style. He is really a very good leader and task oriented. He respects the voice of his employees. He has promotion policy in his company and always promotes the good talent.

Change Management

He started indigo as a private low cost carrier based airline. But Rahul Bhatia put his a lot hard work in indigo, so that’s why it was the only airline in India making profits by the end of March, 2012. It became the India’s largest airline in terms of market share.

Comparison between Dr. Vijay Malaya and Mr. Rahul Bhatia:

Sr. No.

Autocratic Style

Participative/Democratic Style

Dr. Vijay Malaya

Mr. Rahul Bhatia

1

He is only one to make decisions.

He tries to use the decision made by majority

2

He doesn’t have any confidence on employees.

He lets other coworkers come forward and show the ability.

3

He is rude to his employees and for mistake; he got only one punishment of firing.

To establish goals though employees and help them to work hard to achieve goals.

Benchmarking criteria

For setting up of benchmarking criteria, I will be using participative leadership approach. I will be listing qualities of this leadership approach as a benchmarking framework for my own personal development.

Participative leaders have a very high degree of self-confidence- I see it as an essential element of my personal development benchmarking because I think every leader must have self-confidence. If you believe in yourself, only then you can convince others to believe in you.

Almost all participative leaders have high sense of Social Responsibility- it is important as it lays the basic draft plan for you to be socially responsible. Remember your followers also form a part of society, which makes it even more viable for a leader.

Participative leaders focus on Individualized Consideration- it is important as not all employees are same, some can perform exceptional but just need an extra push.

Transformational leaders have a proactive approach- It helps to achieve higher employee morale and integrates personal and organizational goals.

So we can sum out the basic criteria I described in Benchmarking criteria as follows:

High degree of self confidence

Social responsibility

Individualized consideration

Proactive approach

2. Self-Assessment

2.1 Benchmarking

Potential analysis is a benchmarking tool that not only compares your performance with benchmarks but also tells you the deviation. Deviation is basically the difference you need to make up in order to achieve your desired benchmark [] (Mgmt, Ret 1999). Let’s analyze our set standards in benchmarking criteria with my own performance:

A1

A2

A3

A4

A5

B1

Tests

Benchmarked Figure

My Own

Deviation

B2

Degree of self confidence

5

2

3

B3

Social awareness

5

2

3

B4

Individualized Consideration

5

1

4

B5

Proactive approach

5

2

3

A2 Tests are the key elements which are to be compared in Potential Analysis

A3 Benchmarked figures are the highest total which can be attained in a relative operational environment.

A4 is the actual measures of my own assessment in terms of Tests (figures here are calculated from the surveys completed)

A5 Deviation is the difference of comparison between benchmarked figure and the actual figure. This is the difference we need to cover up in order to achieve benchmarked results.

Reflection

I like to prefer participative leadership style.

As I came from well-educated Indian family I have enough knowledge about what qualities needed to be a good leader. My father always asks our opinions if he is going to make some major decisions that bring changes to our family.

I am working in such environment where the leaders are totally participative and encourage all the time to take parts in decision making process by asking our views.

According to me this leadership style is well suitable for me because I can encourage and motivate others to participate with their full extent. This encouragement enables team members to play major part in decision making process which makes their performance better. I can guide as mentor to help them in achieving their goals.

I need to develop proactive approach towards leadership. Responsive approach like transactional is mostly used in crisis management.

3. Personal Development Plan

Opportunities

Rationale

strategies

Timeframe

measures

measures

My short goal is to become the manager in my organization

I have chosen this goal because after completing my (level 5) in business I will become valid for the manager position.

After completing my course I will take 3 months training for the clerical work done in the organization. I have to take my leadership

I need 2 year more to get it to that position because at present I am working as a supervisor

If I get a good feedback working in the office from the manager that will be my measure to be there on that position

The main resources I need for this short term goal is to complete my diploma in business management (level 5)

As my long term goal is to be the area manager of my organization

I have chosen this position because I have a good power of motivation and convincing power also as I have a very good leadership style so that’s why my goal is to be the area manager of my organization

For this goal I need a very good communication skills to attend the big meetings or to the customers so I will take English class and also I will go for the further studies in the business field( level 6 )and( level 7)

So to get this major position in my organization I need four to five years of time because my studies will take two years more and I have to get more experience and to achieve a clear vision.

In this goal the measures will be my studies if I will be able to complete my studies then I will get my good skills and knowledge .other measures will be the right decision taken as manager of the organization start from today .

I need more money to get well education of the relating to my field , I need the time and in that time the decision made by me should be valid , need more skills

My another and the dream full goal is to be the successful businessman in new Zealand and being as a very idol leader for the others so that anyone can give good example about me .

Because it is my dream that I should be in the list of successful businessman in New Zealand

And a very good person to the people as well because success is nothing if we don’t have respect in the society.

I will go for the further studies and have to learn the big terms the leader should have like, self-confidence, risk taking, great vision, positive attitude, less negative points, great motivation quality.

As I have this very big goal in front of me is very difficult but not the impossible it needs probably 10 more years to be their because new Zealand successful business is a big term itself ,and need this period also to get immense experience and great knowledge and very good education as well and more importantly the focus s

As I have told my short term and long term goals the success in these goals and in the given time period will be great feedback to me .and if I will be successful in making myself more vision able but with the hard work that would be a good measures for me that I am going in a right way .

There are many resourcing that I need in this goal to achieved I need good amount of time to get work on each step