The Authoritarian desires power and demands absolute authority. These leaders expect unquestioning compliance, obedience, and respect. The Authoritarian feels no obligation to attend to the well-being of others, unless that person is highly positioned in the organizational hierarchy. 

These toxic leaders seem to be effective, but only if their subordinates comply. Any sign of dissent is swiftly punished to regain order. 

Authoritarians tend to:  

• Reject or disregard input from subordinates 
• Enforce rigid or arbitrary hierarchies 
• Boast about their self-importance 
• Blindly obey any direction from superiors
• Demonstrate over-confidence in their own decision-making
• Justify their treatment of subordinates as being “in their best interest”