How To Adopt A Managerial Style That Works For You

by Kylee Stone Sep 22,2022
Engagedly
PODCAST

The People Strategy Leaders Podcast

with Srikant Chellappa, CEO

If you are a new manager and terrified of all the responsibility that comes with being a manager, firstly, stop panicking and take a few deep breaths.

Managing people can be a scary experience. And it’s not as if you can experiment upon them as guinea pigs, use them as test subjects to see what managerial style works best for you. So how do you develop a managerial style, without giving your direct reports whiplash?

First things first, you need to be aware of the different managerial styles that exist.

Different Managerial Styles

management style

Autocratic

Autocratic managers tend to be the kind of people who ask others to do as they tell them. They expect complete obedience and discipline from the employee and will micromanage as well to ensure that work is completed. There’s not much thought given to what the employee thinks or feels about the task at hand.

This kind of management style is most commonly seen in the armed forces. It makes sense for an officer or a general to behave this way because more than not, armed forces are involved in risky situations, where a successful outcome hinges on following instructions to the T. But when you try to use this kind of management style in the office, it just might backfire. Employee skills will suffer because new employees will lose the ability to do things by themselves and older employees will feel stifled.

Also Read: How To React To A Negative Performance Review

Consultative

This kind of management style is similar to the autocratic style. However, this style differs from the first one in that consultative managers tend to be looking out for the best interests of their employees.

Managers who employ this management style tend to give out orders and expect them to be followed. However, they are also fair and willing to listen. Employees can actually get back to them and not fear retribution.

This is a fairly good management style to cultivate. However, it does have its downsides. For instance, some employees might find that they cannot think and make decisions for themselves since they have become used to someone telling them what to do.

Democratic

If you know how the concept of democracy works, then you know how a democratic manager works. Everybody gets a say in a decision and managers are conscientious about consulting employees when it comes to working.

A democratic manager gives more freedom to the employees and they have an active say in the decision-making process. This is a good management style since it gives employees a chance to participate. However, if a manager is not able to streamline the decision-making process, the team gets stuck in something akin to an endless loop.

Also Read: 6 Must Have Features Of  A Performance Management Software

Laissez Faire

You must have probably heard the term ‘laissez faire’ thrown around before. It’s a French term that literally means ‘let them do’.

Managers who follow this style of management give their employees the freedom to make their own decisions. Employees do what they need to do and managers watch over their employees from the background, guiding them whenever employees require or request guidance. This style is when you have a bunch of proactive employees who are really good at taking initiative and following through. 

Which Style is The Best For Me?

There’s one thing all managers must realize. They must be flexible.

The managerial style mostly depends on your employees. If your employees are new to work and are still finding their feet, they probably require you to be the autocratic or consultative kind of manager. If your employees are talented and experienced, then you need to step back and trust your employees to do the right thing.

Of course, the nature of your work also decides what kind of managerial style you need to adopt. If you work in a high-risk situation or operate machinery, then you will need your employees to follow your instructions to the word. On the other hand, if you work at a magazine or say even a software firm, you can give your employees a brief and then let them do the rest.

Also Read: 5 Tips For Effective Meetings

There’s no one ideal managerial style. You will find that all styles have their pros and cons. When managing people, it is important to remember that the people working under you are all unique individuals with different personalities and ways of doing things. Recognizing what makes your employees tick and using that to help them work better also makes you a good manager.


managerial style


 

Kylee Stone

Kylee Stone supports the professional services team as a CX intern and psychology SME. She leverages her innate creativity with extensive background in psychology to support client experience and organizational functions. Kylee is completing her master’s degree in Industrial-Organizational psychology at the University of Missouri Science and Technology emphasizing in Applied workplace psychology and Statistical Methods.

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