bureaucratic leader

What is a Bureaucratic Leader?

You don’t have to point a magic wand like Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to live this style of leadership. In fact, the only spells you’re interested is in spelling out precisely and exactly what it is your team is expected to do! (And for this document’s sake and purpose, we’re going to conveniently forget that Dolores was also a ruthless, heartless and corrupt sociopath with no scruples or morales 😂)

Bureaucratic leadership is a style that is defined by a hierarchy of authority, a clear chain of command, and fixed official duties. The leader tends to follow company policies closely or past practices and seldom, if ever, deviates. Bureaucratic leadership is a top-down approach and doesn't involve employee participation in management decisions.

Bureaucratic leaders also tend to prefer rules, laws, or regulations that are rigid. When flexibility can be removed from the equation, then there are fewer unexpected consequences which can occur. With greater predictability comes more opportunities for personal growth for everyone.

This style also embraces a hierarchy of power that establishes management and decision-making norms. A strict and formal hierarchy is followed through the entire line of authority. Creating and using proper channels as part of its framework is vital to the organization and way of running things.

You see this style of leadership in public sector most, with government offices and such adhering to the rules and regulations that they carry. Dolores used the unweilding laws at the Ministry of Magic to ensure that everything went according to plan with no surprises.

Pros

  • Ensures fairness to all employees - rules are objective and non-preferential, which also removes favoritism

  • Creates more efficiency and productivity because there are clear cut roles and established duties and tasks for each person

  • Lowers costs for the organization as everything is streamlined for efficiency

  • Has high level of job security - with a need for everyone on the team and often healthy pay and leisure time, turnover is low

  • Predictable form of leadership - everyone knows where they stand and they know what to expect from their leader

  • Encourages familiarity - most people can settle in quickly to this style, as it’s used so frequently. Does not involve culture change

Cons

  • Slow to adapt to change - by the nature of this style of leadership, changing on the fly isn’t its strong suit

  • Slower decision making - with so many layers and checks and balances, decisions can lag

  • Abuse of power is possible, with leaders making decisions based on personal gain than for the organization or team

  • Leaders may be out of touch with goals and the “outside world” due to being obsessed with structure, laws, and rules

  • Decisions can also be based on cost, rather than riskier innovations which can stifle growth

  • Can slow down productivity if too many rules and regulations are heaped upon one another and teams are spending time conforming

  • Doesn’t give room for team member growth, mentoring, or professional development

elevating your leadership

Being a Bureaucratic leader can be challenging at times, especially if you’re dealing with an ever-changing industry or with a team who feel shackled to their tasks rather than innovating or feeling invested in the company.

Here are a few ways you can better develop this style of leadership to the benefit of your team, company and self:

  • Stay on top of your technical expertise - both as a leader and in your area of knowledge. Professional development is important to stay relevant to your position

  • Continue to be unshakable - this means staying confident, up-to-date, strong-willed and determined. Your authority must lay on this foundation to be successful

  • Don’t be robotic - this style of leadership has a particular “hands off” approach, emotionally, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still practice some form of compassion and kindness in your role

  • Be positive - understand that your team will take their energetic cues from you, so while you may be in a structure that may not be open to innovation or strong interpersonal connections, you still have an influence…so use it for good

  • Continue to work hard - this style of leadership involves you also getting your hands dirty in some ways. Show the way with positive, productive, and strong work ethic

  • Grow your attention to detail - your expertise, powerful way of approaching work, and adherence to streamlining procedures will only improve by focusing further into the details of how to improve things

While this is far from the touchy-feely style of leadership that is the hallmark of other styles, you can still create a friendly rapport with your team. In fact, it may be to your benefit to understand their strengths and weakenesses to best assess where they fit best.

Some powerful results can happen under this style of leading, and like any other kind of leader, results improve when you lead yourself in more impactful and strong ways.

And of course, if you need support, guidance, mentorship, or just a space to brainstorm to help build your leadership acumen, you can find out how to work with me by smashing the button below. I offer many ways to help you create the leadership you desire to make the impact you know you can make in your life.

Or, you can join THE SPARK: IGNITING NEXT LEVEL LEADERSHIP - a community of all levels of leadership - where you will get tools, peer support and techniques that you can use to shift your thinking and abilities so that you can help grow yourself, your team(s) and your business. It’s for folks like you - fired up, future-forward, and ferocious in your desire to be a stronger and more powerful leader. Click below to join for FREE!