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      Autocratic leadership style of Henry Ford

1.1.           Definition

     Autocratic leadership, also known as authoritarian leadership, is a leadership style

characterized by individual control over all decisions and little input from group
members. Autocratic leaders typically make choices based on their ideas and judgments
and rarely accept advice from followers. Autocratic leadership involves absolute,
authoritarian control over a group.

     Like other leadership styles, the autocratic style has both some benefits and some
weaknesses. While those who rely on this approach heavily are often seen as bossy or
dictator-like, this level of control can have benefits and be useful in certain situations.

1.2.           Autocratic leadership style of Henry Ford

     Ford was a dictatorial leader and never involved employees in decision-making.
Henry Ford was known as a tough leader who had a hand in every major decision. He had
a hand in most major decisions at the company and is said to have even monitored
employee's activities outside of work. Ford did not have faith in his employees. He was
eager to know what the employees were doing both at the workplace and outside. He
engages in daily activities of organization to ensure that they go as planned. Ford’s
highhandedness resulted in him losing many experienced employees who facilitated the
success of the company.

     Henry Ford puts all decision-making power into his hands. There’s no input for others.
He is full of processes, strategy and tasks. Ford strictly manages the expectations of
projects and tasks to ensure strategy is working as he has designed and issued to be
implemented. Furthermore, Ford had a poor relationship not only with his workers but
also family members. He embarrassed and bullied his son in public after he criticized his
leadership style. In reality, this leader is said that Ford’s paranoia and suspicion of all
around him changed his relationship with his workforce from one of happy cooperation
to one of fear”.

     Ford made a significant impact not only to his company but also the automobile
industry. His tyrannical leadership style was credited for helping Ford Motor Company to
transform the transportation industry. Ford’s was determined to manufacture cars that
were affordable to middle class customers. Because Ford was resolute in his vision, he
declined investors’ requests when they wanted him to build a car for the wealthy driver,
Ford thought that was the wrong way to go. Due to him, Ford did not see a need to target
the rich who comprised a small percentage of American population. "In typical fashion,
instead of listening to his backers, Ford eventually bought them out," wrote Lee Iacocca
in Time magazine in 1998.
     According to Yang (2014), Ford was devoted to ensuring that ordinary Americans
afforded cars. Ford’s leadership enabled his company to inaugurate what was referred to
as the “Motor Age”. He used his experience in the automobile industry to change social
and economic conditions in the United States. Ford Company manufactured economical
and efficient cars that eased movement of people and goods. Ford aided in the
development of a modern transportation system in the United States. Yang (2014) argue
that Ford Motor Company, under Ford’s leadership, prompted the American government
to improve the state of the country’s roads.

    Competition in the automobile industry led to Ford looking for ways to boost
efficiency in Ford Motor Company. Ford knew that it was difficult for a company to
remain operational without fulfilling customers’ orders. He assisted the company to
create the moving assembly line. This invention was helpful in boosting Ford’s
production rate. Nevertheless, it was criticized for contributing to employee burnout.

2.      Evaluation of Henry Ford’s autocratic leadership style

2.1.           Advantages

- When decisions need to be made quickly without consulting a large group of people,
only with a single person, the leader.

=> Time and cost saver

- Some projects require strong leadership to get things accomplished quickly and
efficiently. When Henry Ford is the most knowledgeable person in the group, the
autocratic style can lead to fast and effective decisions.

- Ford Motor Company, under Ford’s leadership, prompted the American government to
improve the state of the country’s roads because Ford ensures that projects are finished
on time and he is devoted to his dreams.

2.2. Disadvantages

- It can shut out team members whose expertise may help make better decisions.

- Henry Ford, in creating and leading the Ford Motor Company, took the charge in
creating the automobile assembly line.

=> Lead to micromanagement and levels of rigidity in the organization structure.

- Autocratic leaders tend to overlook the knowledge  and expertise that group members
might bring to the situation.
=> Group members can end up feeling that they have no input or say in how things or
done.

- Failure to establish a good relationship with employees deprives an autocratic leader of

the opportunity to exploit their skills.

References

Amy Gunderson, The Great Leaders Series: Henry Ford, Founder of Ford Motor
Company (2009) https://www.inc.com/30years/articles/henry-ford.html

IvyPanda, Walt Disney and Henry Ford Leadership Styles Essay (2020)
https://ivypanda.com/essays/walt-disney-and-henry-ford-leadership-styles/

Kendra Cherry, Autocratic Leadership (2020) https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-

autocratic-leadership-2795314

Ubiq, What's Your Leadership Style (2015) https://www.goubiq.com/whats-your-

leadership-style/

Vivek Wadhwa, What You Can Learn From the Leadership Styles of Walt Disney, Henry
Ford, Steve Jobs, and Elon Musk (2016) https://www.inc.com/linkedin/vivek-
wadhwa/democracy-great-thing-except-workplace-vivek-wadhwa.html