Russian foreign policy

Russian foreign policy involves multiple agencies and thousands of employees its decision-making is concentrated within a narrow circle of politicians with president Putin in the center. It looks like the Russian president has an undisputed authority in defining Russia’s relations with the rest of the world.

There is a special term for such a foreign policy model: Personalist Foreign Policy. What are possible strengths and weaknesses of the Personalist Foreign Policy? How does this model compare to the one in more democratic countries. Which one is more efficient and why?  Examples?