Dominance refers to the position of an individual in a power hierarchy and it can be achieved through leadership and persuasion. Dominance plays a role in all human cultures and works as a tool to gain power if not respect, but generally douses a group or a society’s well-being.
The dominance leadership system is defined by the situation and the kind of organizational environment and climate. Leaders associated with dominance are assertive, confident, controlling, decisive, dominating and intimidating. Many of these traits are positive but dominant leaders have also been known to exhibit negative traits such as narcissism, aggression and lack of cooperation .
However, the dominance leadership system is most effective in those situations where decisions must be made quickly and groups need to be aligned with clear direction. Tight deadlines and organizational crises require rigid standards, rapid responses and a clear chain of command. Certain professions and working conditions might call for this particular leadership system more than a boss who is interested in listening to the opinions of her subordinates.
Every leadership system comes with some benefits and weaknesses, here are some pros of dominance leadership which include the following:
Faster Decision-Making
This leadership system enables quick decision-making, which is one of the most significant benefits of dominance leadership. Faster decision-making is the key to attaining organizational goals and only the leader will weigh the pros and cons of every option instead of the entire members of the crew. Fewer layers of administration and lesser feedback to look into facilitates swift decision-making in the team.
Effective Handling of Crises
When it comes to handing crises, dominance leadership does great and the leader is the only one who is in charge of the situation. Their expertise and experience can solve short-term issues and when it comes to long-term issues, dominant leaders know how to direct traffic through the hierarchies. These benefits of dominance leadership can swiftly take the team out of trouble.Reduces Employee Stress
Dominant leaders have imperious or commanding personalities, although, they set their rules and regulations to control the team, they also play a significant role in eradicating employee stress. Dominant leaders are like the captain of the ship and every crisis or decision lies on their shoulders and also they are accountable for the outcomes. On the other hand, the employees or subordinates are responsible for following instructions and meeting deadlines. This system leaves the employees stress-free.
The cons of dominance leadership includes:
Low Employee Morale
One of the biggest disadvantages of exercising dominance leadership is that it can result in low employee morale. Dominant leaders do not appreciate any inputs from their team members, and moreover, they also like to enjoy the credit for the project’s success, leaving the employees disheartened.
Leads to Resentment
Employees or subordinates who prefer some authority and decision-making powers in the team might not appreciate dominance leadership. The biggest problem is, no one talks about innovation and out-of-the-box ideas in this leadership system. This working environment can leave employees feeling suppressed and the result is an unhappy workforce.
Develops a System of Dependence
Most employers feel that it is crucial to create leaders at all levels but this might not be possible with a dominance leadership system. Since this leadership creates a system of dependence and professionals, operating under this leadership can have lower confidence and slower decision-making skills.
No Opportunity for Creativity
Dominant leaders hoard information and ostracize talented group members. They closely monitor talented group members to make sure they don’t get out of line and override in the team.
No Friendly Bond
Dominant leaders want to be in control of everything and do not care about the feeling of their subordinates. This tends to bring about great risk for being disliked and sowing discord among team members.
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