Autocratic vs. Democratic Leadership Styles

Leadership characteristics can be generalized as either autocratic or democratic. The autocratic leader tends to lead by authority and uses coercive power. Oppositely, the democratic leader will delegate authority and use expert and referent power to influence employees. One difference between a mechanistic structure and an organic structure in an organization is the chain of command. Similarly, a difference between an autocratic and a democratic leader is how decisions are made. At the one end …

…making the decision. It may be hard for a democratic leader to get used to having to make decisions and then have to impose them on their employees. Even though a leader's personality may be more autocratic or more democratic, ultimately leaders must adjust their style depending on the structure of the organization in which they work. Perhaps the best leader is the one that is able to adjust their style most timely and effectively