Your management style is one of the most important features of your professional landscape. It’s also one of the most ignored. People in leadership are often shepherded into positions that have a layer of expectations, molding them into the type of leader they should be rather than letting them adapt to the situation at hand.
The business has objectives, the team has needs, and the manager (that’s you) is responsible for balancing all of that with their own workload. It’s a complicated position. And it can be even more complicated by the way you lead. Your team needs to be creative to evolve with an ever-changing market, but your higher-ups need organization-structured documentation and processes that leave essentially no room for that stuff. What do you do?
You adapt your management style. And we promise it’s not as hard as you think.
In this post, we will walk you through each management category, each type underneath those categories, and how you move into one that works better for you NOW—not management of the past. We will cover
- What is a management style?
- Why you should care
- How to identify management styles from three different categories
- The 10 types of management styles
- The best management style (in our opinion)
- How to change your management style
What is a management style?
Behind every manager is a unique management style. It’s how they lead their team and try to reach their goals. We evaluate a management style based on how they handle the following.
- Planning
- Organizing Tasks & Information
- Decision Making
- Documenting Progress
- Delegation of Tasks & Priority
- Conflict Resolution
- Interactions With Staff
- Feedback
As you’d expect, your management style can vary drastically depending on the organization’s internal culture, location, type of work, industry, and country. We believe that the most effective managers are those who can adjust their style as the conditions of their organization, work, or team change.
A management style can also be impacted by the following internal factors.
- Work policies
- Structure
- Priorities
- Nature of work (procedural or creative)
- Specialization of staff
Other things that can impact your management style include the current state of the economy, supply chains, competition, the consumer market, and legislation that discusses employment.
Why You Need To Know Your Management Style
You might be reading this thinking, “Why should I care?” Well, whether or not you think so, you have a style. And it can differ depending on who you are managing/talking to. How you manage outsourced help will differ from how you manage an employee.
It helps to improve self-awareness by seeing what category you fit into. It’s always good to understand what patterns you repeat because then if you need to, you can change them. You’ll be able to clearly see your weaknesses as a leader and address them—the same goes for your strengths. You’ll be able to lead your team authentically, and not feel like you have to fit this old, dusty mold that was handed to you by a “company policy guide” written in the 80’s.
Also, you won’t be stuck in a rut with unhappy leaders or team members without knowing why.
Skilled labor will not stick around if they are managed poorly, and your style has a lot to do with that. They will leave, and no one wants that.
How To Identify Management Styles, 3 Different Categories
Management styles (all 10 of them) fit very snugly into three categories:
- Autocratic – from the Greek word “autos,” meaning self, and “kratos” meaning power, autocratic leadership styles are absolute with little care of outside input, especially from those outside the leadership demographic.
- Democratic – from the Greek words “demos,” meaning common people, and “kratos,” meaning power, democratic leadership styles involve evaluating the beliefs, needs, and goals of the many and finding ways to balance them.
- Laissez-Faire – from the French phrase that translates to “allow to do,” laissez-faire refers to management styles that are very hands-off.
These categories can be broken down further into 9-10 different types of management styles. So, let’s talk about how you identify your style.
- How do you interact with coworkers, supervisors, and stakeholders?
- Do you value the opinion of those around you (above and below) or just those above you?
- Do you seek ideas and input from multiple perspectives?
- Do you direct conversations, or do you allow people to bring up topics as they see fit?
- What is your communication style?
- Do you believe in clear “need to know” boundaries?
- How do you relay information to your team members?
- Is your communication style open and free-flowing or commanding and closed off?
- How do you make decisions?
- Do you prefer introspection, or do you consult others as you go?
- Do you get input from perspectives outside of your group, or do you only refer to those in your group?
- Do you commit to decisions quickly, or do you take your time to decide and implement?
- How do you do leadership?
- How good are you at inspiring others?
- Are you a visionary, or do you need solid, structured direction from outside parties?
- How closely do you pay attention to details, or are you a “whole picture” type of person?
By understanding how you move through your day as a manager, you are so much better equipped to make sustainable and helpful changes.
10 Types of Management Styles
When you look into management styles, you’ll likely find a lot of different names for the ones we’ve listed. Some might say that there are only four styles (following the categories we mentioned above). We feel that those aren’t the most accurate as each type has its own placement, usage, and nuance to make the distinction worth it.
Here are the ten most common types of management styles.
- Autocratic
- Bureaucratic
- Transactional
- Democratic
- Coaching
- Transformational
- Servant Leadership
- Laissez-Faire
- Charismatic
- Situational
As you examine these, we recommend evaluating each one wholly. Each one has uses, but there are times when it is useless. Keep that in mind as you explore different management styles.
1. Autocratic
When you use an autocratic management style, you follow the mantra “my way or the highway.” There is no other way, solution, or idea that surpasses that of the manager. They live at the top of the pyramid, make all decisions (task delegation, goal setting, etc.), and control the project’s direction with little to no input from others.
The process looks like leadership delegates tasks with the the expectation of complete buy-in and immediate execution from team members And as you might expect, this style is great for fast decision-making as it doesn’t rely on counsel or collaboration. It also fails because of that very trait.
The management style is synonymous with punishment and policing. One goes for failure to complete tasks in the timeframe or manner the manager decides, and the second is to ensure that the team obeys. Employees on these teams can often face humiliation, shame, and blame in these settings as they are the main vehicles of motivation.
At this point, you can probably see why this management style is a dying art.
The main focus of the autocratic management style is project details, giving direction over inspiration, and making decisions internally with complete control over tasks and projects. It works best in crisis situations, but outside of that, there are few successful applications of this style.
One of the biggest drawbacks of using an autocratic management style is how it makes your team feel. There tends to be a lack of input (which can cause idea stagnation), a lack of inspiration, no opportunity for employee progression, and high turnover.
2. Bureaucratic
The word “bureaucracy” usually makes people think of red tape, paperwork, and slow administrative processes that weigh progress down. The management style isn’t that different from that picture. It relies on rules, strict policies, and standards of the team rather than the personality, skills, and needs of the people. Usually, the team’s performance is evaluated based on how they meet standards and complete procedures and little else.
You can tell a leader has a bureaucratic streak because they do the following.
- Document everything
- Are intolerant of people’s unique needs and skills
- Communicate according to protocol (and not much else)
They aren’t often working outside the box, but rather they work to keep people in it.
For those in large corporations, you will recognize this management style like it’s an old friend, as well as those in government. It’s helpful in avoiding favoritism, especially when you have a massive team (or multiple massive teams), but it’s easy to overlook the fact that it is living human beings who work in these giant, faceless organizations.
Similar to the autocratic style, it’s very effective for making decisions. You simply create new procedures and hand out a memo about it. But it can bog down progress with unnecessary procedures. If your organization is often facing the same issues over and over again, you might want to consider implementing new styles—at least on occasion.
3. Transactional
One of the easiest ways to take a well-meaning management approach is to start using a transactional management style and letting it die. Basically, this one is all about reward. Once a team or individual meets a certain goal, objective, or milestone, they get something. What that something is is completely dependent on what the manager is able and willing to provide—that’s where things get slippery.
When these rewards are substantial (commissions and bonuses that are actually worth the effort), then this system is great for motivating competitive individuals. However, research on the self-determination theory has found that these types of incentives only go so far. They go nowhere if these rewards are meaningless (a plaque).
You can identify this type of management style by someone who documents everything—similar to a bureaucrat. They are good at communicating timelines and expectations while offering feedback to assist team members in achieving objectives. They also tend to make decisions based on pre-determined goals assigned to them.
Again, this can be useful, but not for every person or every project.
4. Democratic
Unlike autocratic styles, the majority rules in democratic management styles. The team’s feelings, needs, and ideas are the priority. The manager actually takes the time to seek these things out. Also, “the team” can consist of those who are under their supervision and those who are outside the project, such as stakeholders or consultants.
In the end, the manager will be the one to decide, but the team’s influence is heavy. The manager will also have veto power, but they will rarely use it.
You can tell someone is a democratic type of leader because they value ideas and understand that their team is the key to success. They look for feedback and input just as much as they are willing to give it—it’s not one-sided. These managers aren’t prone to snap decisions. They take their time and discuss their options with their team. Here, everyone has a voice and is encouraged to use it.
Not only does this management style encourage, engage, and motivate employees, but it also allows the team to reach goals better because of the use of different ideas. Decision-making is slower, and the deliberation process can lead to stalemates, but there is an inherent element of trust because the employees feel heard and like their thoughts are valued.
5. Coaching
The coaching management style focuses on developing employees AND achieving organizational goals. There is a teaching element that comes with this style of management—a passion. They like to see their employees grow, which makes them more patient with short-term failure. You can spot this type of manager by the way they focus on individual development, self-improvement, and shared opportunities.
One major drawback of this management style is how the need to always be better can create a competitive environment. However, if handled with care, mixed with empathy, support, and a pro-team mindset, that can be offset.
A coaching manager can look a lot like a service management style, but the key difference is that there is more accountability. Yes, the team’s well-being is important, but that is balanced with the overarching objectives. If you are in a position where you can provide opportunities, this is a great way to do it. But you need to understand that some team members will take that development into other opportunities, so you’ll need to come to terms with that possibility, or else you’ll feel resentful.
6. Transformational
Transformational management is the direct opposite of bureaucratic management styles. It is completely dedicated to attributes like
- Progress
- Change
- Adaptation
Managers using this tactic try to constantly inspire their team members and encourage them to think outside the box. These people are unique and bursting with ideas. They are also easily bored, always questioning the existing systems and finding new ways to navigate issues. The big picture is always in focus.
This management style is amazing when it comes to participating in ever-changing industries but is difficult to maintain in organizations with a consistent day-to-day. A balance must be struck between clear expectations and milestones—if they move too much, people never have the satisfaction of completion.
7. Servant Leadership
Unlike every other management system, this one completely prioritizes the needs of the team… almost to a fault. In other words, the manager spends so much time trying to be friends with their team members that they forget to manage them. People come first, and tasks come second.
Now, we are NOT giving you permission to ignore your team’s needs. That is an extremely helpful feature of this style because people feel so heard. However, those needs, thoughts, and feelings must be balanced with the team’s goals. This management style is often used by very well-meaning people who are just a little afraid of confrontation. That also means that there is very little accountability.
Goal-oriented employees will struggle with this because they feel like they’re getting nothing done. Managers using this style won’t be able to give feedback and can be easily abused by stronger personalities below and above them.
8. Laissez-Faire
The laissez-faire management style, like the direct French translation “allow to do” implies, is completely hands-off. These managers come in to close the project, reset the procedures, and hop right back out of the picture. The team underneath them works independently. They are responsible for idea creation, development, completion, etc.
The manager might oversee their activities, but there is a fundamental expectation that team members will step up. They don’t provide or seek feedback, they don’t give direction unless asked for it, and there is little discussion of the vision.
For less experienced teams, this management style does not work. There is a lack of guidance, which can make employees feel abandoned. On the contrary, for high-level or highly skilled teams, this can be a great option. There is a great deal of accountability instilled in the team with this style.
9. Charismatic
The charismatic management style, also called the visionary management style, is very similar to the transactional style, but rather than provide a physical reward, there are social ones. A manager using this style tends to be emotionally intelligent and self-aware. They share a clear picture of the vision and almost sell it to their team members.
The main focus is making people feel a part of something, inspired, and motivated to reach their goals. It’s great for doing those things, but it’s not completely sustainable. Why?
- It places the full weight of the social and emotional dynamic of the team on the manager’s back.
- It’s completely reliant on their personality, which means less extroverted people will struggle to keep it up.
- It can quickly spiral into toxic positivity.
In our opinion, this management style is great for motivating people, but that’s it. Meaning when stuff hits the fan, this one won’t get you very far.
#10. The BEST Management Style, Situational
Before you roll your eyes, give this one a chance. We simply mean that you need to be more adaptable than any other management style allows. There are ebbs and flows, peaks and valleys, and a lot of speed bumps that you can experience just within a month. What about a quarter or a year? Flexibility is much better than being so rigid that you snap when the wind gets heavy.
Don’t do that. Mix them all up! It’s so much better that way. Consider the following.
- Autocratic – Best for crisis situations or high-stakes moments when decision-making needs to be quick and consistent.
- Bureaucratic – Best for following up on crisis situations to assist with future prevention.
- Transactional – Best for when you notice motivation dips down. Use this to help make it the final stretch.
- Democratic – Best for making decisions, choosing team objectives, and clarifying details of the “how.”
- Coaching – Best for helping green team members find their way or those who feel stagnant in their role.
- Transformational – Best for problem-solving and concept exploration.
- Servant Leadership – Also very good for following up on crisis situations and ensuring the team is ready to move on or make necessary changes.
- Laissez-Faire – Best for highly-skilled teams that have expressed and proven need for autonomy.
- Charismatic – Best for developing relationships with team members, a sense of belonging, and supporting other management styles.
We will admit that this management style is not without its flaws. It’s harder to standardize, but it’s not impossible.
How To Change Your Management Style
People who get into management are handed a script to repeat, a list of goals to meet, and shoved out of the nest. In that process, you could easily pick up habits that aren’t intentional or in line with the manager you want to be. So, how do you connect those dots?
First, consider the goals of your organization, your team, and the individuals you oversee. Do people need to be creative, or do they need to be structured? We know that creativity, control over one’s contributions, and belonging are fundamental factors in self-motivation. Are there ways for you to improve those factors for your team while meeting organizational goals?
Next, try to identify the exact issue—start with something small. Maybe you could improve the way you communicate and display information. You could start being more receptive to feedback. The list goes on, but the idea is to find one issue and make incremental, sustainable changes to fix it.
Understanding the different management styles we discussed in this post helps, too, because it allows you to see if other management styles would be better for supporting your team.
Another step in changing your management style is being honest with yourself. What are your strengths as a manager? What are your weaknesses? We all have them. A manager works best when they can connect the team’s needs with the business objectives, assign and delegate work effectively, receive and provide feedback, and communicate clearly the whole time. There is at least one of those categories that you could refine.
Lastly, you must make changes with your team, not for them. That is how this stuff lasts.
Let New Ideas Find You
Here at A.McBeth, Inc., we know it’s better to open our thinking caps, receive new ideas, and use them occasionally than act like we know everything. Project management is pretty uncomfortable with that attitude, so we are offering up new (and old) ideas all month long, so sign up to be notified the next time one pops up. You won’t want to miss it!
