Describe the advantages and disadvantages of each leadership style: Democratic, Autocratic, Laissez-Faire, Bureaucratic.

Autocratic leadership style

Advantages

Autocratic style of leadership is very effective in times of emergency or stress since people will always work from orders or commands of their leaders. Such times require a leader with the ability to give instructions or guide and direct to those under his or her authority.
Again, autocratic leadership helps avoid lengthy debates in the workplace. Thus, it allows employees to focus on their tasks enabling them to become more proficient in their work as they help the company achieve its objectives.

Disadvantages

Autocratic leadership style always involves a one-way communication where the boss/manager may in most cases dictate the subordinate. This can demoralize employees and as a result lower their performance.

Again, it can suppress creativity and innovativeness in the workplace since employees are used to being directed on what to do when performing their tasks. As a result, this could make the company less competitive.

In addition, autocratic leadership is likely to create an environment of fear as well as resentment, and this could lead to frequent staff absenteeism and high turnover.

Democratic leadership style

Advantages

Democratic leadership makes employees to be more accountable for their actions and in their tasks since managers and supervisors always delegate tasks with full responsibility.
Employees feel valued and become motivated since they are given the opportunity to make contributions in decision making and issues concerning their tasks as well as the organization, although the manager remains the final authority.

The manager/supervisor is always open to contributions and feedback. This allows employees to be more creative since their ideas are used to form the basis for improvements and future developments. Besides, employees are encouraged to commit themselves and give their all to the company. Thus, employee turnover is reduced.

Disadvantages

In democratic leadership, the decision-making process may take longer since it involves consultation with and contributions from all those involved. This could cause the organization to miss opportunities due to delays that occur as those involved try to come to consensus on issues.

Laissez faire leadership style

Advantages

Laissez faire leadership style promotes trust among employees since most people do not always want to see somebody looking over their shoulders every now and then. As a result, extremely responsible employees may become more effective. It may also help boost employee morale and consequently lead to high job satisfaction.

Disadvantage

It may give workers leeway to slack off completely or perform substandard jobs since the manager/supervisor has little concern over how workers conduct themselves and perform their duties. Thus, it may reduce the effectiveness of workers and the efficiency of the organization since it could take a very high-visibility problem to identify such workers.

Again, it may cause employees to lose their sense of direction as well as focus since the manager/supervisor displays lack of interest in the job. This could lead to job dissatisfaction

Bureaucratic leadership style

Advantages

Bureaucratic leadership ensures that subordinates or employees follow rules as well as procedures of the organization/department accurately and consistently. This is very suitable in a workplace that involves serious safety risks and therefore rules and procedures are necessary for ensuring the health and safety of all those in the workplace. It is also helpful where the job needs to be done in a specific and detailed way. In addition, it ensures accountability since each person/office has a defined role.

Disadvantages

Rule-based practices and procedures hinder creativity since employees/subordinates simply perform their duties or tasks as specified and are not given the opportunity to think independently.

The inflexibility as well as high levels of control exercised by managers/supervisors may demoralize workers, and this can limit the organization’s ability to respond to the changing environment or trends.