Dietetic Technician Practice Test

An employee's input on workflow is dismissed by the manager. What leadership style does this exemplify?

1. Democratic leadership

2. Autocratic leadership

3. Bureaucratic leadership

4. Participative leadership

The correct answer is: Autocratic leadership

The leadership style exemplified in this scenario is autocratic leadership. This style is characterized by a manager who makes decisions unilaterally, with little to no input from employees. In this case, the manager is dismissing the employee's contributions to workflow discussions, indicating a lack of collaboration or consideration for team input. Autocratic leaders often maintain strict control over the decision-making process and typically prioritize efficiency and adherence to established procedures over team involvement. This can lead to a top-down approach where employee feedback is not valued, as seen when the manager ignores the employee's suggestions. In contrast, democratic, bureaucratic, and participative leadership styles encourage input from team members. Democratic leaders actively seek and value team input in decision-making. Bureaucratic leaders strictly follow rules and processes that often include involving employees in certain types of decisions. Participative leadership also emphasizes collaboration and valuing employee perspectives, making them fundamentally different from the autocratic approach.