Definition
Leadership style treating employees like children who need guidance and protection. Often masks authoritarian decision-making as 'caring.'
Example Usage
Our CEO practices paternalistic management, insisting on approving all work-from-home requests 'for the good of the team.'
Origin
Behavioral management theory from the 1920s
Fun Fact
Paternalistic management correlates with lower employee autonomy and innovation in studies
Source: Organizational psychology terminology
Related Terms
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