The autocratic style is a management style where an individual leader does decision-making and control, and employees have no control over decisions. In the autocratic style, employee input is rarely considered, and decisions are entirely dependent on the individual leader’s ideas and judgment (Abd Rahim,2020). The autocratic style of management is applied in many parts of the world. This style of management would be very suitable for use in several situations. Examples of such situations are when decisions need to be made fast without discussions involving large groups of people, situations where decisions require special knowledge, such as military knowledge, and cases where much pressure is applied, such as during military fights on a battlefield. Autocratic management is the best in such situations since it is fast and effective where special knowledge is used. It is preferred in high-pressure situations as members can focus on the more significant task without worrying about complex decision-making.
Democratic management is a management style where all group members participate in decision-making, and everyone is allowed to participate. This decision-making is done with the facilitation of a democratic leader. This management style would be the best when there is much time for decision-making and large groups of people are involved, which could be in large companies or countries. This management style would be the best in this scenario because it allows more creative solutions since many members exchange ideas. It also contributes to high productivity levels among employees since they feel more involved in decision-making. It requires time to work well; in this case, time is available(Abd Rahim,2020). This management style, in some cases, has been associated with increased morale among employees in diverse organizations. This style has been used in many countries and has proved effective, which is why it is still used today.
Autocratic and democratic management styles are different in various ways and how they function. Both types of management have their merits and demerits. The differences are; in the autocratic style of management, decisions are made by leaders without input from employees or members of a group, but in the democratic style of management, democratic leaders involve employees in the decision-making process, autocratic style is best applicable in scenarios where fast decisions have to make, but democratic style is appropriate where there is more time for decision making, in the autocratic style of management leaders do not consider opinions from members but in democratic style leaders involve members in the decision-making process, autocratic style of management limits creativity and innovation among team members but democratic style encourages innovation and creativity among the members, autocratic style is applicable in situations where there are time constraints, but democratic style is less suitable in such situations(Caillier,2020). I would use either of the management styles according to the problem at hand. I could choose from either of the management styles; they have been used in the past and are being used in the present, being fruitful in many ways.
If I were to choose between the management styles, I would prefer the democratic type of management because I will be working with numerous employees and with the availability of time. The democratic style of management has several merits. This management style would create opportunities for innovation and creative ideas since the combined decision-making between me, and the employees would allow them to air their views, and we would consider each. It would also encourage commitment among the employees since they will be encouraged to work harder, knowing their opinions matter. The workforce would also have increased morale since they will feel they impact the organization’s performance(Oranefo,2022). In the long run, the organization will enjoy high productivity catalyzed by the high commitment and high productivity.
References
Abd Rahim, M. F. B. (2020). The Impact of Autocratic and Democratic Leadership on Employee Job Performance: A Case Study of Private Dental Clinic Industry in Malaysia.
https://kmc.unirazak.edu.my/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/MBA-Thesis-Furqon.pdf
Caillier, J. G. (2020). Testing the influence of autocratic leadership, democratic leadership, and public service motivation on citizen ratings of an agency head’s performance. Public Performance & Management Review, 43(4), 918-941.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15309576.2020.1730919
Oranefo, P. C. (2022). Autocratic Leadership Styles On Employee Productivity In Pharmaceutical Companies In Nigeria. Research Journal of Management Practice| ISSN, 2782, 7674.
https://www.ijaar.org/articles/rjmp/v2n12/rjmp21210.pdf
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