Many factors play into your management style and how you manage your team on any given day. Your own personality, the personalities of your team members, your industry and work, and the tasks to be completed may all impact your management style. Learn the different types of management styles and how each one can make you an effective leader for your team.
Autocratic Management Style
With an autocratic management style, leaders prefer to control and manage from the top-down. When implementing an autocratic management style, managers may micro-manage their team members. They make decisions unilaterally and enforce them in an authoritative manner. This style may work better in certain industries, particularly high-risk environments or industries that deal with crisis situations. In a typical office environment, this management style often clashes with employees and company culture. It can even lead to turnover because employees feel disrespected and less engaged.
Visionary Leaders
A manager that works with a visionary management style works in an opposite way to an autocratic manager. They give their team members autonomy and simply provide an overall vision and high-level guidance for their team. To lead effectively with this management style, you need to communicate a clear vision to your team. When creating your vision and mission, be sure that your company culture is also communicated within that vision.
Transformational Managers
Managers with a transformational management style thrive on change and creativity. With this management style, managers encourage team members to think differently and adapt to changing situations. This style is well suited to boost morale because team members are encouraged and engaged by their leader. It works particularly well in creative industries and industries that change rapidly with innovative ideas, such as technology and software.
Pacesetting Management Style
Pacesetting managers quite literally set the pace for their team. They expect their team to keep up with them, so this style is well suited for a team where everyone is already an expert in their job and understands their tasks well. This management style is more collaborative than an autocratic style and more hands-on than a visionary style but leads by example. This option isn’t a great management style if you have a new hire that needs to adjust to your team.
Coaching Managers
Leaders with a coaching management style are well suited for teams with a lot of turnover or teams with new hires. A coaching management style includes mentorship and professional development, so these managers have a vested interest in each team member. This management style is an excellent way to build trust within your team.
Laissez-faire Management Style
A laissez-faire manager is very hands-off and gives their team members a great deal of autonomy to complete tasks. While some employees may enjoy complete autonomy, many employees dislike the lack of guidance that accompanies this management style. While this style is similar to a visionary leader, this manager lacks the vision and communication present within that management style.
Democratic Managers
A democratic management style allows managers to get opinions from all team members before making a decision. Managers that implement a democratic style entrust their team members with responsibility and value their opinions. This positive workplace recognition bonds your team and creates a loyal, productive work environment for everyone. A democratic management style is a good choice for a wide variety of industries and job types, and it works well with many employee personality types.
Which Management Style is best?
There is no one-size-fits-all management style, but you can choose the style that fits your own personality and team dynamics. To determine the best fit for you and your team, take our assessment. Our PIC Report gives you insights into your personality and how you prefer to work and manage others. Encourage your team members to take our assessment and then read their PIC reports so that you gain insights into how they prefer to be managed and their personal work styles. Utilize our Team Room on our web or mobile app to analyze your team and learn the best ways to manage your team, both individually and as a whole.
