Q.In an organisation, one of the departmental manager is inflexible and once he takes a decision, he does not like to be contradicted. As a result, employees always feel they are under stress and they take least initiative and fear to express their opinions and problems before the manager. What is the problem in the way authority is being used by the manager?

The problem here is that the manager is using authority in an authoritarian or autocratic style. In this approach, the manager centralises decision-making power, expects unquestioning obedience, and does not allow employees to participate or express their views. This creates a climate of fear and stress, where employees lose initiative and hesitate to share problems or ideas. …

This situation is a classic case of authoritarian leadership — a style where the manager centralises decision-making, expects unquestioning obedience, and discourages any dissent or feedback. In the NCERT Class 12 Business Studies textbook (Chapter 7: Directing), this is contrasted with participative or democratic leadership, where the leader consults subordinates, encourages open communication, and values their input. The manager here has crossed the line from being decisive to being rigid and domineering.

The core problem lies in how the manager exercises control. An autocratic leader centralises all decision-making and expects unquestioning obedience. Used this way, authority stops being a tool for coordination and becomes a means of domination. This NCERT chapter describes the autocratic leader as dogmatic — one who does not change and does not wish to be contradicted — which is exactly the behaviour shown here.

Let’s break down the specific consequences visible in the question:

• Employees take least initiative. This is a direct result of the manager’s rigidity. When every decision is final and cannot be questioned, employees learn that any attempt to suggest alternatives is pointless or risky. Initiative dies because it is never rewarded — only compliance is.
• Fear to express opinions and problems. This is the most damaging outcome. Open communication is the lifeblood of any organisation. If employees are afraid to speak up, the manager loses access to vital information — about operational issues, customer feedback, or even potential improvements. This shuts down both upward communication and the free exchange of ideas, so the manager loses the feedback that open communication would otherwise provide.
• Constant stress. An environment where one person’s word is law, and where contradiction is punished (even if subtly), creates anxiety. Stress reduces productivity, increases absenteeism, and damages morale. The NCERT notes that a good leader should reduce employee frustration, not add to it. …