What’s your management style?

Great managers can inspire, bring out the best in their team, and lead teams to success. Certain management styles may appear to be better than others, but sometimes it may be necessary to be able to move from one style to another depending on the situation. The way a manager chooses to interact and lead their team can impact the way they:

• hire talent
• develop talent
• delegate tasks (or don’t)
• manage their own time
• create good morale (or don’t)

We take a look at the different management styles and how to get the most out of them.

1. Micro-manager – A micro-manager is focused on the task, not on the team member, it can come from a lack of trust. A micro-manager can be seen as always getting involved in tasks even after delegating them. The approach can be beneficial in certain situations – new team members or less experienced team members may benefit from close attention while they get up to speed.
   • When using this management style – try delegating small tasks first, focus on the outputs or end results, not the way the team members approach the task, and make sure you give feedback on why you’d like a task approached a certain way so the team is aligned.
   • When working for a micro-manager – highlight the outputs (end results) reassure your manager that you’re comfortable with the task, make sure you’re clear on the priorities from your manager, and make sure you communicate any issues that prevent you from completing tasks.
2. Democratic manager – Democratic managers show strong collaboration skills and make decisions based on their team’s input. This can result in slower decision-making as they consult with their team before making a decision and they can be indecisive if the team is split on their opinions. Employees feel heard but the manager has to be able to cut through the different opinions and make the final decision. If they’re not able to do this it can result in conversations going around in circles.
   • When using this management style – focus on problem-solving and the goal of working together towards a common goal, be prepared to make the tough decisions, and use employees expertise to make the decision that is best for the company.
   • When working with a democratic manager – sometimes your ideas may be rejected or not used, remember it’s not personal. Know your strengths and how they fit into the team and make sure you return any trust that your manager shows you but trust them to make the decision that benefits the company.
3. Autocratic manager – An autocratic manager doesn’t consult with their team before making a decision. Sometimes this is a necessary approach such as when time is of the essence or when there isn’t really an alternative, however, it can mean employees feel undervalued and can promote low morale.
   • When using this management style – make sure you tell your employees that you appreciate them and value them, explain why the decision was made that way but be open to suggestions.
   • When working with an autocratic manager – if you believe a decision should be changed provide proof or build a case to present to your manager, ask them to talk you through the decision, if you can understand why a decision has been made this way it can help you be more aligned, and collaborate with your peers – suggestions from a group can be harder to ignore but make sure not to make them feel like you’re ganging up as this may have the opposite effect.
4. Big picture manager – A big picture manager has a strong vision for the future and has clear goals. They are usually good at delegating but they can sometimes lack the skills to make their team see the same vision as they do.
   • When using this management style – be clear on your role and your values, you need your team to help you deliver your vision. Be clear on expectations and make sure your goals are achievable and realistic.
   • When working with a big-picture manager – if you don’t trust the manager you won’t believe in their goals so you either need to have faith in your manager or if you really don’t maybe it’s a red flag that your role is not the right one for you.
5. Mentoring manager – A mentoring manager puts a high focus on bringing out the best in their employees and developing their skills over the long term. They tend to be personable and have great communication skills. This type of management style can take up a lot of energy and time and they may not see short-term results as quickly as other management styles can.
   • When using this management style – Make sure you keep your own skills up, allow for mistakes and build this into any timelines and be patient.
   • When working with a mentoring manager – Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, this type of manager will be happy to offer constructive feedback on how you can do better next time. Make sure you make the most of having this type of manager – use their knowledge and take the opportunity to develop your skills.

While some managers may fit perfectly into one of these management styles many managers show tendencies across a variety of these styles and may adapt their approach according to where the task or company is at the time. Teams, workloads and companies are constantly changing which means management styles need to change too. There is no ‘best’ management style – being flexible is probably the best style of all.