Autocratic Leaders Can Cause Big Problems

Cathie Leimbach • July 23, 2020

This is a subtitle for your new post

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. 



Performance Conversations: Clarity Is Kindness

By Cathie Leimbach • July 7, 2026
Most leaders want better performance. They want employees who take ownership, meet expectations, solve problems, and continue growing. Yet many leaders seldom initiate performance conversations – and when they do, it doesn’t go well. Leaders often hesitate because they fear discouraging people. Employees, meanwhile, don't know if they are missing the target. This can be costly. Research highlighted in McKinsey's Courageous Conversations article found that organizations with strong performance practices are four times more likely to outperform their peers. Yet fewer than one-third of employees believe performance reviews actually help them improve. The problem is not just a lack of performance conversations. It's a lack of clarity. The article points to a simple but powerful distinction: separate the hardware of performance from the software of performance. The hardware includes facts, goals, KPIs, commitments, timelines, and standards. The software includes tone, timing, relationships, empathy, and intent. When leaders clearly explain the facts while delivering them with care and respect, employees become more receptive to improvement. Strong leaders don't judge people—they diagnose work.  They focus on behaviors, actions, and results rather than character. They clarify expectations, provide coaching, and create frequent opportunities for alignment. In high-performing cultures, clarity isn't viewed as criticism. It is viewed as support. As the article notes, "Clarity is a kindness, and ambiguity is a burden." Employees deserve to know where they stand, what success looks like, and how to improve. When leaders provide that clarity with dignity and respect, performance conversations become growth conversations. And growth is where better results begin. Download the Performance Conversations: Hardware & Software Checklist for Leaders and learn how to have everyday performance discussions that include opportunities for growth, accountability, and stronger results.

Trust-Building Conversations

By Cathie Leimbach • June 30, 2026
Most workplace tension doesn't come from major conflicts. It comes from too few conversations. A disappointment that was never discussed. A broken agreement that was never repaired. Appreciation that was never expressed. Over time, these "withholds" create friction that slows collaboration, weakens trust, and makes even simple conversations feel difficult. The strongest teams don't avoid tension—they address it early. Research highlighted in a recent McKinsey article found that unresolved tensions can significantly reduce team effectiveness, while high-trust teams consistently outperform their peers. The difference isn't the absence of problems. It's the willingness to talk about them. One of the most practical leadership habits is creating regular opportunities for transparent interaction. That includes appreciation. People should hear what they're doing well far more often than they hear about their shortfalls. Specific, genuine recognition builds trust over time. Those trust deposits matter because once positive relationships are built, difficult conversation are more likely to accept the message . When correction is needed, reinforce that you value the person, even though they aren’t perfect. The goal is growth, not judgment. But leaders should be careful not to make appreciation transactional. If positive feedback has been absent for months, suddenly offering praise immediately before a critique usually feels insincere. Trust is built through a steady pattern of recognition, encouragement, and honest conversation—not a last-minute compliment. Transparent leaders also address issues early. Small frustrations become large resentments when left unresolved. Teams that clear the air quickly spend less energy managing tension and more energy producing results. The result? Less friction. More trust. Stronger relationships. Better performance. Because healthy conversations don't just solve problems—they strengthen the team. Free Leader Guide: 5 Practices for Trust-Building Conversations The best leaders don't wait for tension to become conflict. They build trust before it's needed. Download our 5 Practices for Trust-Building Conversations guide to learn practical ways to strengthen relationships, reduce friction, and create a culture where honest conversations lead to better performance. Download the guide and start building trust one conversation at a time.