An authoritative style of management encourages employees to perform to their highest potential by giving them a clear vision and freedom to do their jobs. They listen to employees and praise their achievements, while removing obstacles to team performance. These managers may seem overbearing to some employees who have grown accustomed to having complete control over their work and lives. To avoid these disadvantages, an authoritative manager should set clear goals and provide clear instructions on how to achieve them.
The downside of an authoritarian style of management is that complacent employees may go outside the legal and proper boundaries to achieve their goals. This can give the perception that the manager doesn’t care about the outcome and is not interested in their input. However, the advantages of an authoritative style of management include a lack of handholding, which may be useful if there’s a clear vision of the future of the business. An authoritative manager can also help guide the business in times of crisis by influencing employees to act in accordance with the vision.
An authoritative style of management is characterized by a leader who makes decisions and abides by them. While the leader may feel empowered, the team may not feel comfortable with the leader’s authority and may not listen to their suggestions. A skilled leader can maintain a balance between these two styles and keep a team from failing. But the key is to choose which style best suits the needs of the team. It’s important to keep in mind that neither style can be applied to every situation.
The autocratic style is considered the most controlling of all styles. It involves top-down communication from the leader to the team. In these types of management, employees are typically treated as drones and are not encouraged to give their own input. The autocratic style has three subtypes: paternalistic, persuasive, and authoritative. It creates a highly structured work environment and requires the subordinates to perform their tasks according to a set of rules and instructions.
One well-known example of a successful authoritarian style was Steve Jobs, who led Apple using a directive style. Although this style led to discontent among his employees, it was successful in bringing structure to Apple. Furthermore, it fosters security and safety. Employees following a directive are more likely to comply with company regulations than to fall foul of them. However, the disadvantages of this style of management cannot be ignored.
Employees who work in hierarchical teams are likely to resist this style of management. Using it in the workplace can be counterproductive if your team is small and specialized. It may also lead to resentment and frustration among workers. Ultimately, an authoritative management style is best for managing upwards, but it will not work well in a large organization. However, it is effective when employees are consulted and asked for their input.
