6 Types of Management Styles: Which Is the Best for You?

Do you know what kind of management style you have? Or how do you like to be managed? Here are the different types of management styles to know!

Every manager has a unique way of doing their job; some are really assertive, while others have a more laid-back approach.

If you're a manager, it's important to know how different management styles compare against each other and which one works best for you. Let's take a closer look.

What Is a Management Style?

A management style is a manner by which a manager exercises their authority to achieve objectives. It's the way they delegate tasks, allocate resources, give instructions, and provide motivation. Basically, it's their demeanor towards their job.

There's no single ideal way to manage. Different management styles achieve different goals in different industries and in different environments. Depending on the nature of a task, a manager may even use a combination or variations of the following management styles to be more effective.

Related: Management Skills for Resumes: How to Show You Are a Good Team Leader

1. Autocratic or Authoritative Management Style

The autocratic management style is the most oppressive of all management styles. It believes in rigid hierarchies, strict policies, and hard deadlines with little room for leniency or employee feedback. An autocratic manager expects their staff to do as they're told without question.

This style follows a top-down approach wherein all the decision-making power is in the hands of the superior and employee participation is not encouraged. It helps execute repetitive tasks and follow rigid schedules. Rigorous compliance tends to be the main focus here.

Due to the nature of this management style, it often ends up creating a very unwelcoming work environment. As a result, employees feel exploited and may form an “us vs. them” mentality against their employers and start conflicts.

Benefits of an Autocratic Management Style

Reduced uncertainty.

Quick decision-making.

Clear job expectations.

Stable chain of command.

Drawbacks of Autocratic Management Style

Lack of job satisfaction.

High dependency on managers.

High employee turnover.

Organizational inertia.

2. Democratic or Participative Management Style

In many ways, the democratic management style is the inverse of the autocratic management style. It encourages employee participation in decision-making and believes in diverse viewpoints and ideas.

However, participation is not a strict necessity. The final decision is still in the hands of the manager. Employees can choose to contribute, but managers usually support collaboration and communication. This style is suitable for achieving creative tasks.

Benefits of a Democratic Management Style

Increased problem-solving.

High employee morale.

Fulfillment of social needs.

Formulation of new ideas.

Drawbacks of the Democratic Management Style

Conflict of interest.

Slower decision-making.

Unpredictability of staff.

Unstable productivity.

Related: How to Ask Your Boss for a Pay Raise

3. Transactional Management Style

Originated during the Industrial Revolution, the transactional management style focuses heavily on the use of positive and negative motivation as a means to increase output. Here, the manager constantly monitors employee performance to judge their caliber.

High-performing employees are rewarded and recognized, while low-performing ones are punished. The organizational hierarchy is well-defined, and job expectations are clearly set. Employees are often provided with higher wages in exchange for greater performance.

Benefits of Transactional Management Style

Competitive compensation.

Provides an incentive to work harder.

Increased productivity.

Efficient use of resources.

Drawbacks of Transactional Management Style

Little concern for company culture.

Rewards don't motivate everyone.

Focus on self-interest and not teamwork.

Discourages creativity and initiative.

4. Laissez-Faire or Delegative Management Style

The term “Laissez-Faire” is French for “allow to do”. This type of management style believes in autonomy and division of power. In it, the manager places a great deal of trust and reliance on their team members and doesn't impose any strict rules.

It's a “hands-off” approach to management, wherein the manager overlooks the team and provides guidance when needed. They have little involvement in the project itself or the final output. Basically, the manager acts more as a mentor rather than a supervisor.

Benefits of Laissez-Faire Management Style

High employee retention rate.

High employee morale and job satisfaction.

High creativity and problem-solving.

Employee growth and skill-building.

Drawbacks of Laissez-Faire Management Style

Too much pressure on employees.

Increased risk of mismanagement.

Reduced accountability.

Unclear job expectations.

Related: Problems You Will Face in Your First Job and How to Solve Them

5. Affiliative Management Style

The affiliative management style is the most lenient of all styles on this list, as it seeks to build a harmonious team. An affiliative manager does so via empathic communication, employee appreciation, and conflict resolution. Managing human emotions is the primary concern here.

This type of management style works great to promote positive company culture and focuses on employee well-being. As a result, it works to retain employees and increase loyalty. However, doing so may result in employees not being able to handle workplace situations by themselves.

Benefits of an Affiliative Management Style

High employee morale.

Low employee turnover.

Reduced workplace stress.

Effective conflict resolution.

Drawbacks of Affiliative Management Style

Complacency.

Emotional dependency on managers.

Risk of underperformance.

Avoidance of criticism.

Related: Employment vs. Freelancing: Which Is a Better Career Choice?

6. Bureaucratic Management Style

In the bureaucratic management style, the manager puts a great deal of focus on getting things done using standardized codes. Doing so is important in industries that have to comply with strict government regulations.

This style helps adhere to guidelines and policies such that there are minimum chances of faulty operation. However, the staff required for such an operation needs to be highly skilled, well-educated, and conscientious.

Benefits of Bureaucratic Management Style

Clear job expectations.

Increased quality control.

Predictable output.

Eliminates favoritism.

Drawbacks of Bureaucratic Management Style

Decreased efficiency.

Resistance to change.

Time-consuming.

Discourages competition.

Related: Free Project Plan Templates to Simplify Complex Tasks

Which Management Style Is the Best for You?

Your management style depends largely on three things: your personality, your goal, and your team's competence. For instance, the autocratic or transactional management style is suitable when your team is unskilled or semi-skilled and the goal is to increase output.

But if you run a marketing agency, you might be more drawn towards the democratic or Laissez-Faire style of management. They are more suitable for managing a skilled staff and for achieving creative projects. Regardless of the goal, it's wise to explore which style will bring you the best results.

5 Management styles you should know (and when to use them)

5 Management styles you should know (and when to use them)

Updated on: April 7, 2022 | Published on: April 3, 2020 | Reading time: 7m

As a manager, you have one of the most wonderfully impactful roles in the workplace. Much like that elementary teacher whose name you still recall for helping you stretch beyond your limits, you will be a memorable stepping stone for your employees’ careers. You want nothing more than to help your team achieve their goals and grow in their expertise. After all, their success is your success. We’re here to help you develop alongside them by equipping you with all the management essentials you need to grow.

Management structures are specific to every organization. However, there are 4 main types of managers, or levels of management : top level managers (or VPs), middle managers, lower-level managers, and team leaders. For companies to succeed, every type of manager needs to master management fundamentals.

Management fundamentals include the basic manager skill set you need to do the job right, and the different types of management styles. Keep in mind there is no right or wrong style, it all depends on the needs of your team at large, each individual employee, and where you’re at in your career.

We’ll take a look at 5 prominent management styles, their benefits, and when to use each one.

The 5 most essential types of management

1. Participative management

A participative management style refers to actively involving employees in the decision-making process. It’s all about piecing together the different ideas, opinions, and skill sets of each individual, and then prioritizing and planning accordingly. By getting insights and input from your employees, you can then narrow your team’s focus, and organize and manage workloads from there. Not only does this management style encourage creativity and innovation from your employees, it can also help foster inclusivity on your team.

When to use participative management

This participatory management style works well when your employees have a strong understanding of business objectives, priorities and goals. For example, if your organization is very client-oriented and your employees are the ones in direct contact with clients, they might know best what to prioritize. It’s a way of flipping the typical top-down structure on its head — and can lead to big new ideas and approaches, as well as long term employee ambassadorship.

The benefits of participative management The more people are involved in the decisions being made, the more accountable and invested they will be in the work!

2. Network management

A network management style emphasizes building connections and lines of communication between teams and then trusting them to work collaboratively with each other. This is a fairly hands-off management style, as your employees’ first contact for resolving problems or getting initial approvals are each other, not you. The role of network managers is maintaining the connections between your employees so they can work effectively together. This could mean scheduling regular cross-team touchpoint meetings or setting up the right Slack channels — you might have to test out a few things before you find what works best.

When to use network management

For managers and leaders who oversee multiple teams, this is an ideal management style to master. Weekly syncs or joint retrospectives are a good start when your teams are small, but as your teams grow and it becomes harder to manage cross-team communication, try developing leadership from within: appoint one person from each team to take charge of this sync initiative. That being said, even if you’re a new manager with a small team, building up a skill set that allows for bridging team gaps will be imperative to your success as a leader. Keep your vision wider than the scope of the team to understand how everyone connects and can work together.

The benefits of network management Cohesion, communication, collaboration, and solid relationships. The more people are connected, the better the workflow and the greater the output for your customers.

3. Mentor management

A mentor management style means shifting between a hands-on and hands-off approach to management to develop your employees’ skills and lead them to be more autonomous. With this style, you act as a coach and work one-on-one with your employees to understand their strengths and weaknesses so they can develop their expertise. By having regular touchpoints where you set goals, create development plans, and follow up on progress, you help your employees become masters of their craft. Helping employees utilize their strengths every day impacts both their sense of achievement, and the business’ bottom line.

When to use mentor management

If you were a star performer in your field and got promoted into management, you’re perfectly primed to be a mentor manager. It’s about passing the torch and developing your employees to hone in on their skills and become experts themselves (and then getting out of their way). That being said, you can still be a mentor even if you don’t have the specific expertise your employee is developing — connecting them with the right coach or resources is a form of mentorship, too.

Apply mentor management with employees who want to develop and apply their strengths, or underperforming employees who need direction in their expertise. Be sure to ask the right questions for underperformers, because it’s not always as simple as ‘they aren’t getting it’. Are they not feeling connected to their work? Not using their strengths? Don’t see their opportunity for growth?

The benefits of mentor management More than ever, modern workers expect this coaching management style, not an old school boss. Employees are most engaged when they are being mentored to hone in on their skills, not being told what to do.

4. Pacesetting management

A pacesetting management style is hands-on and directive about the pace of work that is set, but hands-off about how the work will be completed. This style of management means implementing more aggressive goals, strict deadlines and checkpoints for projects, but leaving methods and execution up to employees. It is not always the most popular management style, as it can be more challenging and competitive, but there are teams who thrive in these settings.

When to use pacesetting management

For example, with high performing teams that aren’t quite living up to their potential, setting standards higher and offering stretch goals might be just the kick of motivation they need to boost engagement. It might not be sustainable for the long term, but if you have a specific project or a short term goal, this style could work. When teams are self-motivated, pacesetting may be all they need from you. Some teams work well when left to their own devices, and just need deadlines to structure their work around.

The benefits of pacesetting management: A dose of healthy competition to reach ambitious goals re-ignites motivation and engagement in teams that have become unstimulated in their day-to-day.

5. Authoritative management

An authoritative management style is the old-school, autocratic style of management, more aptly known as micromanagement. It goes against the grain of servant leadership where managers support a team from the bottom up, and instead follows the traditional top-down management model. In this style, you dictate exactly what is done, when, by who, and how, with no input from your employees.

Authoritative management is not necessarily in line with a people-first modern workforce, but under very specific circumstances, it can be a necessary, temporary approach. The trick is using it for the right reasons at the right time. Good managers remain clear in their intent behind choosing this style, as it is often circumstantial.

When to use authoritative management

The clearest time to use an authoritative management style is when your company or team is in a state of crisis. In a moment where everything is up in the air, and either the health of your employees or the bottom line is at risk, a more authoritative approach can actually help take the pressure off your team. The trick with this (and a key to being a good manager in general) is a strong foundation of trust between you and your team.

For an authoritative approach — even a temporary one — to work, your team has to trust that you have their best interest at heart. Use the other styles outlined in this article to connect with your employees and build trust day by day, and only implement this one when it’s absolutely necessary. A version of authoritative management can also work with junior employees who need direction at the beginning stages of their career, but it should never last too long.

The benefits of authoritative management: Removes burden from a team and ensures a lower margin for error in time of a business crisis.

Managing your management styles

The first step in developing your own management style is understanding the reality of your team, its individuals, and your own skills. From there, you can begin to implement them and draw on aspects from each one to discover the combination that works best for your team. It’s all about finding the balance between hands-on and hands-off approaches.

Finding your groove will take some time and practice, and will probably involve some learning from trial and error — but fear not. Committing to testing out different styles and being open to learning is the best place to start, and continual growth and development are key to being a good manager, and a great leader.

7 Management Styles for Effective Leadership

Whether you're a first-time manager or a seasoned pro taking on a new team, understanding the different management styles – and when they're effective – is mission-critical.

They say people don't quit jobs, they quit managers – which is exactly why it's so important you're finding the best way to work with each of your direct reports (and note: it's not one-size-fits-all).

When moving into a new role, your first step should be understanding the different types of management styles, when they're most effective, and how to find the one that works for you. We've laid it all out right here, so you can get back to work and start running a motivated and effective team.

Let's get started!

What Are Management Styles?

Management styles, true to their name, are the way in which a manager chooses to lead and work with their team. This includes, but is not limited to, the way they make decisions regarding their employees, how they discipline or exercise authority, communicate, manage projects, and generally, how they go about their day-to-day operations.

Managing your team involves a lot of different steps from tracking goals, encouraging improvement, and even approving expenses. You'll need to find a way to complete all the tasks in an effective way.

While there are many different management styles, a leader rarely encompasses just one in its entirety. Most leaders possess a few different traits from different styles. The best leaders are able to tailor their management style to best work with each of their reports.

That all said, management styles aren't just limited to people managers. They can refer to the way an individual contributor manages a project or even the way two peers work together to launch a campaign.

Types of Management Styles Democratic Visionary Autocratic Coaching Laissez-Faire Pacesetting Servant

1. Democratic

The democratic style of leadership is just like the democratic style of government, with a manager's direct reports having an active role in decision-making.

In this management style, the decision-making process is left up to the entire unit. Because of this, it works well when all of the manager's direct reports have a similar role or are working toward the same goal. However, if you're managing multiple individual contributors with different metrics, it likely won't make sense for your team.

Because of its increased collaboration, the democratic management style can increase team morale, because everybody feels like they have a bit more skin in the game. That said, as in any democracy, coming to a decision will almost definitely be a slower process, and it may get heated along the way.

If you're taking this approach, be sure you value candor and constructive criticism, but can coach your reports on giving and receiving different opinions.

2. Visionary

The visionary leader looks at the big picture – almost exclusively.

Also referred to as the inspirational management style, this manager doesn't much concern themselves with day-to-day operations.

Instead, they trust their employees to handle the logistics while they hone in on things like a company vision and future goals.

These charismatic managers almost always have some big ideas, and it may often be on the direct reports to "manage up" and level their expectations going into new projects.

In general, employees often see these managers as hugely motivational. Their focus on the future can rally employees toward a single goal and increase team morale.

It's important to note, though, that this method is better when managing experienced employees, as they'll often be responsible for taking care of the details.

3. Autocratic

If you've seen the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada, then you're familiar with an autocratic management style (and the genius of Meryl Streep, but I digress).

In the movie, Streep plays Miranda Priestly, the hyper-successful editor in chief of Runway magazine. While this is an extreme example, this manager takes a "my-way-or-the-highway" approach and is unashamed about publicly embarrassing her reports when their work doesn't meet her (extremely high) standards.

An autocratic manager will often give precise orders, leaving little room for creativity or employee growth. They may live in their project management tool and are likely assigning tasks with clear instructions and deadlines.

While lots of things about this particular management style are debated, you can't argue that it's inefficient. When decisions are made unilaterally, the process is quick and seamless.

That said, the benefit doesn't outweigh the disadvantages. As mentioned, this management style stifles growth and often leads to dissatisfied and uninspired employees.

My recommendation? Tread cautiously, and use only when absolutely necessary.

4. Coaching

This highly renowned management style focuses on fostering employee growth, encouraging development, and providing mentorship.

In this highly collaborative approach, the manager and report should work closely to identify the report's areas of opportunity. From there, the manager should help coach, teach, and provide further opportunities for professional development.

What could possibly be wrong with that?

While the situation may sound ideal, it's best suited for highly skilled managers. For example, if you hired a marketing ops manager but have no experience with the marketing software they use, you should likely try a different management style, or work on coaching them on less technical skills.

Similarly, coaching can (and usually is) a massive time commitment. Both the manager and their reports should be prepared for that.

More than anything, this style – and its ultimate success – rests on the idea that your employee wants to be coached.

If you sense they wouldn't be receptive to this style, you can't force it. Find what works for them, and focus your coaching efforts on the employees who want them.

5. Laissez-Faire

The laissez-faire, or the "let do" management style, is hands-off and, to be successful, requires a highly skilled and independent group of employees.

In this method, managers give their reports almost complete autonomy. Think the exact opposite of micromanagement. Employees are encouraged to make their own decisions, with management acting as a guide, if and when needed. While this may sound like an employee's dream, it's not necessarily a management style that should be used widely as it's better suited for very particular situations.

The benefits here are obvious – employees are empowered to forge their own path and take risks. The manager will have plenty of time to take on their own projects with significantly less time spent running day-to-day operations.

On the other hand, if your employees aren't as motivated as you think they are, this could lead to lower productivity. Similarly, employees may feel like they're without a leader or mentor, leading to feelings of neglect. For obvious reasons, I'd advise against this style if you're already managing remote workers.

This management style may work for managers whose employees are highly skilled in their respective specialties, but even then, be sure you're providing guidance and mentorship as needed.

6. Pacesetting

Pacesetting managers are typically goal-oriented, high performing individuals – and they expect the same from their team. These folks take "lead by example" seriously – they're often the first to arrive at the office and the last to leave. They prioritize deadlines, results, and a high-quality product.

Because of that, this style can be effective in a fast-paced environment, or on occasion when the business needs something turned around quickly and effectively.

That said, most of the quick benefits of the pacesetting manager are overshadowed by the longer-term impact.

These high expectations and extreme demands are the easiest recipe for burnout. Your lower-performing employees will struggle to keep up, and even your highest performers may become overwhelmed with the work.

Let's make one thing clear – nobody is saying you shouldn't have high expectations for your employees, or that you shouldn't push your employees to be the best version of themselves.

What I am saying is that while this management style can be effective, it should be used sparingly, and only when the business truly requires it. Overdo it and you risk losing some of your highest performers.

7. Servant

This management style revolves around the idea of "servant leadership". The manager who embodies this style sees their main priority as serving their employees. They care deeply about the relationships and dynamics of their team and do their best to foster a harmonious environment.

Unfortunately, this often comes at the cost of their employees' work-related tasks and responsibilities.

While these managers mean well, this particular style rests on the idea that if you pour into your employees, they will be motivated to succeed. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case and can lead to low performance and undesirable results.

Similarly, this likely won't serve your most motivated or metrics-driven employees.

While I wouldn't recommend implementing this approach across the board, it definitely has its admirable components. As a manager, paying close attention to your employees' well-being is critical to fostering an inclusive and open environment, and preventing burnout.

How to Pick a Management Style

The most important thing to remember when you're picking a management style is that you don't actually have to pick. In fact, I'd argue that you shouldn't.

While part of your management style will be a result of your existing personality traits, the best leaders are able to adjust based on a couple of different factors:

1. Their Team

Depending on their experience, skillset, seniority level, and personality, your reports will all need different things from you. And here's the kicker. Unless you're really lucky, usually the way you like to manage isn't the way they like to be managed. The best managers are able to adapt to that and find a style (or a mix of styles) that works for both of them.

2. Their Business

You may need to adjust your management style depending on the industry you work in. For example, a tech startup may favor a pacesetting manager (within reason). Alternatively, if you work at an established corporation, they may turn their noses up to the laissez-faire, and you'll need to adjust. If you're a new manager, simply look to your peers and, if they seem successful, try and adapt to their style.

3. Their Experience

The biggest influence on your management style will be your professional experience. If you've been in the game awhile, you probably have a pretty good idea of how you like to be managed, which will affect how you manage your team.

At the end of the day, what matters is that you're a human first; manager second. Leverage the experiences you've had (the good and the not-so-good) to find the style that will work for you and set your team up for success.