Autocratic Leaders Can Cause Big Problems

Cathie Leimbach • July 23, 2020

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Some leaders are staunch autocrats. They believe that being responsible for team or company performance requires them to control where, when, and how employees do their work.


Others are servant leaders. They leverage their employees’ strengths. They assign tasks that fit with each employees’ natural preferences. They are clear on what the employees are expected to accomplish and encourage their staff to find the best way for them to achieve these results.


Unfortunately, I have experience using both of these leadership styles. Servant leadership is a win/win/win while autocratic leadership can be a lose/lose/lose for the leader, the team members, and the organization. Interpersonal rapport, personal satisfaction, and bottom line results are all stronger with servant leadership. 


Servant leaders help employees to feel appreciated and valued, which increases employee engagement, retention, and productivity, resulting in a good bottom line for the organization. Yet, few managers are not servant leaders. 51% of managers think they are showing appreciation to their staff, only 17% of the workforce feels appreciated and valued. 65% of employees have left an organization to escape from a bad boss and the toxic workplace the leader created.


Our economy and our quality of life are both suffering because the majority of managers are ineffective. Only 35% get any training on how to lead people, and only 10% display effective people management skills during their first 10 years in a people leadership position. Many use an autocratic leadership style which frequently backfires.


Autocratic leaders often give employees step by step instructions on when and how to do their work, rather than clearly defining the results they should achieve and giving them flexibility with how to get there. Employees become frustrated with their boss’s micromanagement. (My children have balked when I have used the autocratic style when assigning chores they have done before.) Employees (or spouses and children) may discover ways to do their work that are more efficient and more fun. They may have a more alert mind and more energy in the morning, so want to do their hardest or least-liked work early in the day. Autocratic managers squelch such innovation and insist on following a standard process.


By denying their staff the opportunity to change for the better, autocratic leaders hinder the organization’s future success. 


Research shows that when individuals have a sense of control over how they live and work, they have more self-motivation and better mental health. When they don’t have much autonomy, they feel stifled and frustrated. They experience little job satisfaction resulting in less motivation, higher absenteeism, poorer health, and reduced productivity. 


Autocratic managers tend to cause more problems than they solve. How long will organizations and society put up with the economic and human toll of ineffective people management practices?


Management skills that empower, encourage, and engage the workforce can be learned. When will you and your organization make it a priority to invest in equipping managers to develop healthy, high performing individuals and teams?


There are few investments that yield a higher ROI than equipping leaders to support their team members for success. When will you invest in sharpening the people leadership skills in your organization?



To learn more about affordable ways to equip your leaders to serve the needs of your employees and increase productivity, contact Cathie Leimbach at cathie@agonleadership.com or 440-320-3113. 



What If Your Biggest Performance Problem Isn’t What You Think?

By Cathie Leimbach • May 5, 2026
What If Your Biggest Performance Problem Isn’t What You Think? When CEOs think about risk, they often focus on: Market shifts Operational issues Financial exposure But one of the biggest performance problems is far less visible: Low trust inside the organization. Nearly 30% of employees say they don’t receive clear, honest, or consistent communication from leadership. Over time, that creates doubt—about expectations, personal performance, and priorities. Employees begin to feel that their job is at risk because they aren’t getting any positive feedback. They question whether they have the tools, training, and support needed to do their jobs well. When they only hear about changes at work through the rumor mill, they feel information is being held back. And when that happens: Alignment drops Speed slows Assumptions increase Execution fractures “Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.” — Stephen R. Covey Trust isn’t soft. It’s a leading indicator of performance. When trust is strong: Decisions move faster Teams align quicker Change sticks When trust is weak: Everything takes longer Everything costs more And here’s the reality : Trust-building conversations are not a common leadership strength today. Yet leaders like Ken Blanchard, Stephen M.R. Covey, and David Horsager all point to the same conclusion—these are not optional skills. They are required for performance in today’s environment. Which means trust gaps are rarely about effort. They’re about conversation skills. A question to consider: Where might low-trust leadership behaviors—not lack of effort—be quietly slowing your organization down? Join Cathie Leimbach and a small group of leaders for a 45-minute Leadership Conversation – Workforce Challenges on Tuesday, May 12 at 3:00 PM ET. If trust is impacting speed, alignment , or execution in your organization, this conversation is for you. Register here Limited to a small group.

The Culture Problem Most Leaders Don’t See—Until It Shows Up in Results

By Cathie Leimbach • April 28, 2026
Most CEOs don’t wake up worrying about culture. They’re focused on growth, margins, execution. But culture quietly determines all three. Because when people feel disconnected, something subtle happens: Execution slows Ownership drops Problems surface later—and cost more Nearly a third of employees describe their workplace as isolated or impersonal. That’s not just a morale issue. That’s an execution risk . And employees don’t “love” a company because of perks. They stay committed when they feel valued. When that’s missing: Effort becomes transactional Communication becomes minimal Discretionary effort disappears The data is clear—when employees feel valued: Attendance improves Conflict decreases Productivity rises This is where many organizations misfire. They try to fix culture with initiatives. But culture is shaped in daily leadership interactions —not programs. And most leaders haven’t been trained to have regular meaningful conversations. They have been promoted to people leadership positions yet not prepared for their new roles. When untrained leaders don’t get topnotch results, it’s not due to a gap in effort or potential. It’s due to a current gap in ability. What can you do about it? Where might your workplace culture be quietly affecting execution—even if performance still “looks okay”? 👉 Join our next 45-minute Leadership Conversation— Workforce Challenges . We’ll explore how culture impacts performance—and what leaders can actually do about it.