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AUTOCRATIC LEADERSHIP


Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary defines an autocrat as “a person (as a monarch) ruling with unlimited authority or one who has undisputed influence or power”
 (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autocrat).  This style of leadership is considered job-centered as identified by the University of Michigan and Ohio State University studies.
The job-centered (task-initiating structure) behavior focuses on the leader taking control in order to get the job done quickly.  It relies heavily on employees taking orders from the leader instead of the leader offering much clarification or dialogue (Professional Organizations, n.d.).  According to a (University of Central Florida [UCF], (n.d.) study, employees are inspired through threat of correction and reprimand.  The autocratic leadership style offers several advantages: swiftness of project completion keeps group members from producing alternatives that influence the minority negatively, guarantees the leader is heard and informs members when their conduct is undesirable.  The disadvantages of the autocratic leadership style are: dissociates group members, non-development of employees and convenience of use instead of round tabling quandaries (Professional Organizations, n.d.).  One might use this style of leadership when the group is in danger of not accomplishing a task in a timely manner or in a crisis situation (Murphy, 2005).    

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