What are the different types of management approaches?
There are different types of management approaches that various managers and leaders employ to handle their teams and tasks.
Personally, I think a management “style” or “approach” should be tailored to the problem being solving, or the situation, or the task at hand.
An effective, inspiring, and highly productive manager – irrespective of the organization he/she belongs to, would be adaptable and skilled to switch between the various the management approaches and choose and employ the one best suited for the given situation.
According to the consulting firm Hay McBer [1], six of these styles, and the situations they can be used in, are –
1. Directive/Coercive
Characteristics:
- The “do it the way I tell you” manager
- Closely controls employees
- Motivates by threats and discipline
Effective when:
- There is a crisis
- When deviations are risky
Not effective when:
- Employees are underdeveloped – little learning happens with this style
- Employees are highly skilled – they become frustrated and resentful at the micromanaging.
2. Authoritative/Visionary
Characteristics:
- The “firm but fair” manager
- Gives employees clear direction
- Motivates by persuasion and feedback on task performance
Effective when:
- Clear directions and standards needed
- The leader is credible
Ineffective when:
Employees are underdeveloped – they need guidance on what to do
The leader is not credible – people won’t follow your vision if they don’t believe in it
3. Affiliative
Characteristics:
- The “people first, task second” manager
- Avoids conflict and emphasizes good personal relationships among employees
- Motivates by trying to keep people happy
Effective when:
- Used with other styles
- Tasks routine, performance adequate
- Counselling, helping
- Managing conflict
Least effective when:
- Performance is inadequate
- There are crisis situations needing direction
4. Participative/Democratic
Characteristics:
- The “everyone has input” manager
- Encourages employee input in decision making
- Motivates by rewarding team effort
Effective when:
- Employees working together
- Staff have experience and credibility
- Steady working environment
Least effective when:
- Employees must be coordinated
- There is a crisis – as there is no time for meetings
- There is a lack of competency – close supervision required
5. Pacesetting
Characteristics:
- The “do it myself” manager
- Performs many tasks personally and expects employees to follow his/her example
- Motivates by setting high standards and expects self-direction from employees
Effective when:
- People are highly motivated, competent
- Little direction/coordination required
- When managing experts
Least effective when:
- When workload requires assistance from others
- When development, coaching & coordination required
6. Coaching
Characteristics:
- The “developmental” manager
- Helps and encourages employees to develop their strengths and improve their performance
- Motivates by providing opportunities for professional development
Effective when:
- Skill needs to be developed
- Employees are motivated and wanting development
Ineffective when:
- The leader lacks expertise
- When performance discrepancy is too great – coaching managers may persist rather than exit a poor performer
- In a crisis
References:
1. Cardinal, R. (2013, April 16). 6 management styles and when best to use them – The Leaders Tool Kit. Retrieved from https://leadersinheels.com/career/6-management-styles-and-when-best-to-use-them-the-leaders-tool-kit/