The Pros and Cons of 7 Different Management Styles
The Pros and Cons of 7 Different Management Styles
Most managers want to be known as good managers. They want to motivate their employees to the best performance possible, maximize the resources they have and achieve favorable results. But making these goals happen is much easier said than done. What can seem straightforward from the outside becomes an interpersonal balancing act on the job. As managers everywhere will tell you—there’s no one way to manage people.
“To understand management styles, it's important to understand what the core purpose of management is,” says Anshuman Didwania, sales operations lead at Clara Lending . “Management exists to enable coordination of resources (labor or capital) to achieve a very specific outcome.” Didwania says management is valuable because the right coordination can achieve an impact that isn’t possible through individual efforts.
“Management styles are differentiated by how managers coordinate resources,” Didwania says, adding that this is normally a matter of how managers gather, process and act on information. We asked managers to weigh in on the pros and cons of management styles they have seen to give you some ideas on finding a management style of your own.
A closer look at 7 management styles
1. Directive management
“Directive management is all about having full control,” says James Nowlin, founder and CEO of Excel Global Partners . In this management style, the manager makes decisions and directs the employees in their tasks. “Its primary advantage is that the manager is in full control all the time while its primary disadvantage is that the subordinates get very little opportunity for learning.”
“This management style can be very effective in certain industries such as construction or the military,” says Tim Bartholomew, president of Simplified Management . Bartholomew explains that managers in this style don’t exchange input with team members. “When there is only one acceptable way of doing something or the end product has to meet very strict quality standards, this management style can help the work to flow smoothly without a lot of friction or unnecessary delays.”
Bartholomew offers workplaces like operating rooms and ambulances as examples. In situations where even small errors can lead to death or injury, directive management can be the smartest option. But in other areas, it can be problematic.
“In this style, workers are told the ‘What?’ and not the ‘Why?,’” says Joe Kiedinger of Prophit . Kiedinger says this type of management was common for the baby-boomer generation, but that it’s becoming less common today. Kiedinger says the main benefit is speed and efficiency, as the manager’s orders are carried out. “The cons are that people will quit, and it’s difficult to keep good workers engaged. These companies spend more of their resources on recruitment and training than more collaborative counterparts.”
“Employees need to come to you for approvals on all kinds of small things, which often leads to a decrease in productivity and efficiency,” says Steven Benson, founder and CEO of Badger Maps . Benson says micromanaging is very common, even among managers who agree it isn’t effective in their environment. “If you don't give your employees appropriate levels of authority, then their work will suffer, and the organization's progress will slow down.”
2. Coaching management
“Coaching management is all about cultivating the talent and skills of subordinates,” Nowlin says. “Its primary advantage is it encourages a thirst for learning, while its primary disadvantage is it can cause unhealthy competition.”
“A coach breaks down a role, task or skill into parts, and works with each person on how they can improve each part,” Benson says. “I think the most important management skill that you can develop early in your career is to be a great coach.”
Benson says helping each individual reach their full career potential is an important part of building a high-powered workforce. “I teach my employees the strategy and direction of the business and the set of skills they need to be successful,” Benson says. “The goal is to give them the information and knowledge they need to thrive in their role and help them develop through regular training, feedback and one-on-one meetings.”
3. Relational management
This management style is characterized by the trusting relationship built up between the manager and the employees, according to Bartholomew. The goal of relational management is to build a relational foundation that can empower employees to engage and even experiment to capitalize on their strengths. “This type of management style can be slow to provide results,” Bartholomew says. “When a new manager moves into position, they may not be able to get a lot of work done until they build those relationships up.”
In relational management, employees feel more freedom to question the manager when they think they have a better idea. “Sometimes this is a good thing and results in a better process going forward,” Bartholomew says. “Sometimes it's bad in that the results are delayed and there are more failures since new things are tried more often.” In a company built for innovative thought, where there is time to try new things and take some risk, relational management can be the perfect choice that empowers employees to take ownership.
4. Affiliative management
“The type of management style you decide to use in your workplace depends wholly on the type of business you work in and the personality traits of your employees,” says Murat Evin, Creative Director at The London School of Make-Up.
“Using an affiliative management style is great; it creates a harmonious office vibe and encourages employees to speak out about any issues they may have, because they feel relaxed enough to approach management and discuss concerns openly,” Evin explains.
The goal of affiliative management is to have employees and managers working in a collaborative harmony. Creating team chemistry is a big priority in this managing style. Evin says affiliative management is a great way to keep up morale, but it doesn’t leave much room for conflict or a stern approach when something needs to be improved. “As a result, this style of management is less effective when it isn’t used in conjunction with another type of approach,” Evin says.
5. Participative management (also called democratic style)
“The goal is to build a team with an ethos of ‘We’ve got this,’ with a focus on moving the organization forward,” says Kristin Nawoczenski, marketing manager at a full-service travel agency. In participative style management, the employees are encouraged to voice ideas and take responsibility for results. “Open communication and exchange of ideas within the team is encouraged,” Nawoczenski says. “Employees are referred to as colleagues, and members are highlighted when deliverables are presented to upper management.”
Didwania sees this type of management most often in early-stage to mid-stage companies, particularly in Silicon Valley. For example, Didwania says a participative manager might approach the team asking questions like, “What should be our criteria for success?” and “What is the culture we want the team to operate by?” This way, the group’s decisions become a foundation for operations.
To foster this sense of participation, teams in this style use terms like “we” instead of “I” and avoid communication with negative or demanding connotations, Nawoczenski says. But the democratic nature of this management style has to be genuine. Nawoczenski says making employees feel that they can make changes, but not actually giving them the authority to do so will erode motivation and make employees feel undervalued.
“These companies have many meetings and wish for everyone to contribute their ideas in making a decision,” Kiedinger says. “The pros are people feel like they have a voice. They are welcomed to contribute their ideas. The con is a slower process change; the inability to move at the high speed of business.”
6. Pace-setting leadership (aka: leading by example)
“The best managers are people who are talented and confident in their own abilities,” says Richard Scholes, managing director of Parrs. Pace-setting managers lead by their own good example. They work hard and bring the same learning and positive attitude to the job that they expect of their employees. “This acts as an inspiration to others on their team,” Scholes says, adding that the pace-setting manager he knew gave guidance when asked for it. “However, this manager’s team generally learned by watching what the manager did and following their behavior.”
Nowlin has seen some problem areas with pace-setting management. “The manager does plenty of the work in hopes of motivating the subordinates, which sometimes results in subordinates feeling too much pressure to perform as well as the manager.” In this case, the result is employees growing unhappy, who then quit the job. “My best advice to new managers is that they should find a style that plays to their strengths and adheres to their professional and personal beliefs.”
7. Servant leadership
“The servant-leader management style is about giving the manager the autonomy to create their own mini-culture within the broader corporate culture,” Kiedinger says. “This style speaks to every generation currently in the workforce. I would say it closely resembles parenting. We want our kids to learn from their mistakes, so we mentor them and not manage them. Through our counsel, they become independent contributors because their values guide their decisions.”
Kiedinger says leadership training is becoming more and more important for managers today. “We need to go from an age of manager to mentor.” This approach requires a strong commitment to individual employees as well as a firm commitment to professional vision. Managers who oversee large groups of employees or employee groups that shift might not have the time to work this way. A potential downside of the servant leadership style is the temptation for the manager to take on more work and mentoring than is feasible.
What’s your style?
Do you see yourself in some of the management styles mentioned above? Can you picture yourself using some of these mindsets or strategies to help other people thrive in their efforts? As these managers have said, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to management. The best managers out there bring their talent, natural qualities and hard work together to find the best style for their specific situation.
And while anyone can learn to become an amazing manager, certain traits and skills can make the process much easier. See if you have the qualities of a natural-born manager in our article, “ 5 Managerial Skills You Didn't Realize You Already Had.”
Take our quiz to see what type of leadership style best suits you!
The 8 Best Management Styles Found In Extraordinary Leaders
As leaders, our job is to create high performing teams where success is inevitable.
A critical factor to the success of teams is the ability to manage people towards an objective or goal.
To drive success as a leader, you need to identify a management style (also known as a leadership style) that works for you.
It requires you to look towards the areas in which your talents lie.
In this blog, we detail 10 of the best management styles that can be found in extraordinary leaders.
Use this guide to identify what kind of management style best suits you and how you can put it in to practice.
What Are Management Styles?
As written by HRzone, management styles are ‘the principles that underline the methods, abilities and techniques managers use in handling situations and expressing leadership within an organisation.
When discussing management styles, it’s important to understand that ‘no one style’ works in workplace scenarios and business types.
That’s why most leaders will use a variety of management styles depending upon the task, people or situation to be managed.
Of course, being a good leader takes knowledge, skill and plenty of practice. But it’s undoubtedly about the approach you take and the leadership you maintain with your teams.
Managers with the most flexibility in style can draw the best outcomes form their teams.
Here are the best management styles for extraordinary leaders.
Management Styles
Results-based
Leaders who exercise results-based management styles understand their goals. They start with a clear understanding of what their organisation is trying to achieve and how they want to achieve it.
They’re able to allocate the right resources and focus on the right tasks; enabling teams to succeed.
Because of the clear expectations that a results-based style gives, the morale of employees is boosted, loyalty improves and engagement levels increase. Employees find it easier to trust results-based managers when they have specific performance goals to measure.
Autocratic
An autocratic management style can be characterised by the way communication flows from the top down. This involves centralised control from a single source of authority; the leader.
In this management style, teams are expected to follow because this form of leadership enables managers to do whatever they feel is necessary to achieve a goal. With this style, a skillful manager can successfully run a business because there are fewer people in control.
Autocratic leaders may often lead business activities according to the considerations of their organisation, often ignoring the expertise of their team.
Read this blog: 10 Leadership Disciplines For Today's Digital Age to discover what makes great leaders in this digital age.
Authoritative
This management style is closely linked to autocratic leadership where leaders dictate and control all decisions within the team. Leaders with an authoritative style focus on getting the job done.
Decisions on processes, tasks and goals are created by the leader, often leaving little room for any real sense of morale among teams.
Benefits of adopting this management style include structure and discipline among teams. When time-critical and urgent tasks need completing, authoritative managers make decisions based on logical steps to get these completed.
Participative
A participative management style is built on the concept of leaders who understand the importance of human intellect and seek strong employee relationships.
Leaders who adopt this style are innovative and welcome ideas and concepts from their teams. They seek to involve and welcome input from other people in processes and business decisions of their organisation.
Ultimately, a participative leader is close to their teams. They take an individual approach to know their employees because a standard approach would lead to dissatisfaction among employees.
Coaching
A coaching management style can be characterised by the way it promotes partnerships and collaboration. This style is less about the hierarchy found in most management styles and more about giving way to creativity and motivation.
Coaching managers strive to improve their employee's professional development. They have a passion for teaching and watching their employees grow.
According to HubSpot, coaching managers motivate their employees with professional development opportunities, like a promotion or more responsibility -- these rewards make employees hungry for knowledge, and their steady development improves the team’s performance.
Transformational
Leaders with a transformational management style are innovators who believe in change and growth for their organisation. They often realise that they are more capable than they originally thought.
The transformational style leaves employees feeling motivated and improves team performance. It enables positive development and fosters a positive working environment with clear values, priorities and standards.
A transformational leader and their teams can adapt to drastic industry change and consistently challenge the status quo.
Collaborative
A collaborative approach to leadership focuses on asking your employees to get involved with improving the business.
The collaborative management style can be characterised by distinguishable attributes. These include balanced motivations where the leader wishes to generate value wherever they work.
This style further centres on thoughtful conversations between the leader and their employees. These conversations empower teams to provide innovative solutions and feedback about company decisions, goals and even policies.
Visionary
Visionary management style is also called inspirational and strategic. Leaders with this management style do not involve themselves with the day-to-day details of their teams. Instead, they focus on conveying the vision of their organisation and entrust their team to handle the details on how to reach the organisation’s vision.
A visionary leader will motivate people while ensuring that the team and the vision stay aligned. This style makes sure that everyone is working towards a common goal or objective.
Looking for leadership activities to drive success? Read our blog: Discover 5 Simple Leadership Activities For Team Success
A visionary management style is best suited for experienced and professional teams, especially for those who work with little or no supervision.
Conclusion…
Leadership can be turbulent and management can be a hard job. But with the right management style, there is no reason why you can’t lead your teams to success.
Hopefully, this blog has helped you to identify the right management style and its managing traits that you should adopt.
If you’re still seeking help and want expert advice on which management style suits you, get in touch.
3 Different Types of Management Styles in the Workplace
Business leaders of all kinds have radically different styles of management. What's your style – or the style of your immediate manager or supervisor?
Management styles make a difference in how we communicate, how we delegate, and how we move businesses forward.
Let's look at some common fundamental management styles and characteristics to understand how these orientations and choices affect our business relationships.
Autocratic and Permissive Management Styles
In some ways, a greater range of management style is based on a simple duality: autocratic versus permissive.
In fact, looking at both autocratic and permissive management helps us to document the ways that business has changed throughout the last several decades.
An autocratic style of management works on a top-down, hierarchical model. It’s great for the boss, and often, not so great for those being bossed. It’s also very much a part of many world societies going back through the centuries. But it’s now giving way to new ways of thinking and managing people.
Permissive management, which is on the rise, is a management style in which the boss takes more of a back seat. There are many ways to frame this. Permissive management may mean unlocking more worker creativity and getting more feedback from the front lines. It may mean making concessions to talent in order to compete in a particular industry. In either case, permissive management means less top-down instruction and micromanaging.
Over the last hundred years or so, permissive management has become very much more the norm. Companies have realized that they need to accommodate their top talent, and that their workers have discretionary productivity. That's even more relevant when you're dealing with knowledge work or similar highly skilled work. So some types of permissive management more accurately display how most people manage in the 21st century.
Three Key Permissive Management Styles
These three relatively permissive management styles are very much in vogue today. See which one best describes the person or people in charge of your office.
The Democratic Management Style
This type of management style is very much oriented towards making decisions as a group. In that sense, the manager is not the rule maker, and everything that is decided falls back on the entire group as a whole. No one person takes all of the credit or all of the blame for decisions. Things are done “by committee.”
This can be a very motivating form of a management style because many workers want to have input. Employees want to have ownership of their own work processes. Job experts talk about the many ways that democratic styles unlock productivity and spurs innovation. After all, we have accepted this mode of management in our governments – why not in our workplaces?
Some of the hazards of this type of style, though, involve conflicts where nearly half of the office wants to do something, and the other half wants to do something else. In situations like this, supervisors may have to take on a more traditional decision making and delegation style of management.
The Persuasive Management Style
Many of the managers who may have been autocratic in an earlier age now practice the persuasive management style. They use the power of their ideas to get their will accepted by the workers. They may even use various kinds of soft power, like their authority, to get their ideas accepted. In those ways, the persuasive style can be very much like a “kinder, gentler” version of the autocratic style – the iron fist inside of a velvet glove.
Persuasion is an interesting thing. It's sometimes also referred to as coercion. There are a lot of different ways to go about persuading people, and persuasive managers use a lot of these parts of the toolkit. You may or may not find a hint of autocracy in a manager’s persuasion.
The Laissez-Faire Management Style
You might remember this term from studying American history in school.
The term “laissez-faire,” taken directly from the French language, describes some of the philosophies of the American founding fathers and other leaders throughout history. It's the idea that you can sit back and let systems govern themselves. Today's free market ideology is very much based on a laissez-faire sort of management philosophy.
Laissez-faire leaders will essentially turn workers loose and have them figure things out for themselves. There's not a lot of intrusion, and there's a good deal of freedom and autonomy. Again, this works very well in some offices, and less well in others where it might lead to different sorts of chaos and confusion.
Now that you know some of the hallmarks of different management styles to look out for, take a quick quiz. Who in your office is a persuader, a democratic boss, a hands-off manager? And who hearkens back to the age of autocratic rule?
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