Let’s keep it simple. There are basically two management styles: “bossy” and “buddy.”
All managers are drifting between these extremes, looking for the best approach in their particular cases. For you to choose the right management style, I’d like to share some insights, expert tips, and stories. I hope you’ll find them helpful!
Management style plays a big role in teams: it’s all about keeping the right amount of authority while offering support and being attentive to the needs of your team. Different approaches work best in different settings, and understanding the nuances will allow you to enhance your leadership effectiveness.
But first, a little disclosure. I’m writing about working styles because our Chanty team is curious about every aspect of team interaction. Armed with these insights, we delve in and create more effective and productive communication tools. Understanding leadership helps us provide a better communication tool for our customers: the fastest and smartest Chanty team chat. Our goal is to make easy, intuitive solutions to improve collaboration for managers and teams. Become a user now!
How management style affects team performance
The style of leadership you adopt has a profound effect on the morale and commitment of your team. Effective leadership can increase employee satisfaction, foster high performance, and create a culture of trust and collaboration. On the other hand, a poor management style can quickly lead to disengagement, high turnover, and lackluster results.
Employees who feel supported, heard, and respected by their managers are more likely to remain motivated and loyal. Leadership styles that focus on inclusivity, transparency, and coaching – where feedback is constructive and growth is encouraged – have been shown to improve overall team morale. A leader who listens and adapts to the needs of his or her team fosters a sense of purpose and connection, leading to greater engagement.
The link between leadership and team performance is undeniable. Research consistently shows that teams led by leaders who use empathy and empowerment perform better and are more satisfied with their jobs. For example, companies that invest in leadership development programs report higher levels of employee engagement and retention. These organizations prioritize continuous feedback and mentorship, which helps employees grow personally and professionally. As a result, teams feel more valued and are more likely to go the extra mile in their work.
Ultimately, a leadership style that prioritizes trust, communication, and employee wellbeing can significantly improve team morale and make employees feel more motivated, loyal, and invested in their work. The right leadership approach is key to unlocking the full potential of your team and driving organizational success.
Management styles: what’s the gist?
Before we get to what’s working in management styles, let’s consider what’s not.
Here’s a story: In 2010, TIME Inc., the world’s largest magazine publisher, got a new chief executive, Jack Griffin. To put it mildly, his appointment didn’t work out well. As the NY Times reported, employees described Jack’s leadership style as “brusque.” He implemented “swift and sweeping” changes “without communicating his purpose well” and “undermining his team’s confidence in their abilities.” Apparently, he didn’t fit the corporate culture and showed himself as an inflexible leader. In February 2011, Jack Griffin was forced out of Time Inc. after less than six months in office. |
Using this story as an example, it’s easy to consider the main points about management styles:
- Your management style matters. We can hear some leaders say: “I just hire the best people and get out of their way.” Well, sometimes it can work this way, but not always. Jack Griffin from our story was an experienced professional with a proven track record. But he didn’t understand his hires and didn’t manage to find the best way to communicate with them, which was crucial. Maybe if he used the conflict management style approach the story would’ve been different.
- Your management style is not defined by your temperament. Though you can lean towards one of the approaches, each style is actually within your power. Since Jack Griffin from Time INC. had the “brusque” management style, we may assume he is a hot-tempered guy. However, it shouldn’t have been a hindrance to his management.
- Different tasks, situations, and people can require different management styles. There’s no universal approach that suits any case. Experts claim the best strategy is to switch between the management styles depending on the circumstances. Back to our example with Jack Griffin, his approach to management could be exercised successfully in a different context.
- Management styles are rapidly evolving and constantly changing. How? Well, let’s see…
In the beginning, I mentioned there are two management styles: “bossy” and “buddy.” We could also use terms like “dominant” and “prestige”. While “dominant” means you want to be in control of everything, “prestige” is a more “hands-off” approach. So here’s the deal: “Prestige” management styles—the ones that give workers more freedom—are becoming more widespread nowadays. The old-school management style of “carrots and sticks” is considered to kill work culture. However, dominant styles are still exercised and even recommended in some cases.
So here’s the list of the 7 most commonly used management styles: Two of them are dominant, while the other five are prestigious. I’ll rely heavily on David Goleman’s landmark classification of management styles as well as on some other experts’ opinions. We won’t discuss laissez-faire or neurotic management styles but rather focus on what can work.
Dominant management styles
In certain situations, a more commanding approach is needed to guide the team through challenges. The dominant leadership styles lay more emphasis on clear directions, authority, and control. While these styles can be useful during crisis periods or when decisions need to be made quickly, they should be cautiously applied because they have the potential to alienate employees or dampen motivation. Let’s review some of the most commonly used dominant styles and how they can work in your favor.
Coercive style
Key features. “Do what I say.” That’s a message you give to your hires using this approach. This is one of the harshest and most direct management styles. Not only do coercive leaders state an overall goal, but they also define means to reach it, according to David Goleman’s classification. Employees have no choice but to snap a salute.
Having said that, coercive management is a traditional top-down management model that is still widely used around the world. It aligns with many similar approaches, such as authoritative, autocratic, and structural. They all have one thing in common: They all wield a lot of power. It seems like a really old-school approach and needs to be used wisely. You can become the best boss ever if you use this approach wisely, but remember, the focus is on using it wisely.
When do I use it?
- In a turnaround situation, a natural disaster, or when working with problem employees
What are the risks?
- This can lead to damaging behavior like bullying or gaslighting
- You can sap employees’ motivation and vision and inhibit the organization’s flexibility
No-nonsense style
Key features. Expect a high level of performance. Never tolerate mediocrity. Always win a meeting. These concepts were featured in the 1977 No-Nonsense Management book written by Richard S. Sloma, who actually coined the term. It’s a harsh, practical, and down-to-earth approach that echoes the coercive style.
Here’s a story: |
The no-nonsense style is a salute to the corporate culture of the Reagan era. But, strangely, it is now bouncing back. As market competition ramps up, businesses do their best to perfect their products. So many current leaders are claimed to use the no-nonsense approach.
Here’s a story: |
When do I use it?
- When your goals are clear, they need to be reached fast and your hires are motivated enough to do so
What are the risks?
- Your high standards can demotivate workers and leave them shamefaced
Prestige management styles
Prestige management styles stand out for their focus on building strong relationships with teams, encouraging open communication, and fostering employee development. These approaches not only enhance team morale but also help leaders adapt to varying challenges while maintaining a positive work culture.
The democratic style
Key features: Give the workers a voice in decisions and then benefit from their refreshing ideas. For this, at meetings and in private talks, facilitate the freedom of speech with no judgment. Any of your hires can be cheered like Terrence Howard’s character in the Empire TV series.
The democratic style received quite a spin-off within the bottom-up management model and has received the best boss ever award from many employees to implement it. Reportedly, companies like The New York Times, Ernst & Young, and IBM are implementing it throughout their hierarchy. Some experts claim it’s particularly important while working with Millennials to listen to them, as their thinking is right in so many ways and “kids table” is not enough for them.
When do I use it?
- When you need to build organizational flexibility and responsibility
- When craving for fresh and innovative ideas
What are the risks?
- Beware of endless meetings and appearing indecisive
Coaching style
Key feature. Personal development is crucial. Immediate work-related tasks can wait.
This is the classical description of this style provided by David Goleman. Since coaching is exercised by a good leader, according to Franklin Covey experts, any manager needs to apply this style at some point.
Here’s a story: Eric Emerson Schmidt, a former Google CEO, told a story about his first endeavors in the company. He remembers treating its founders – L. Page and S. Brin – as boys back then. (Disclaimer: he is almost 20 years older than Google’s founders) But soon he realized that his vital task was rather not to command, but to help them in achieving their goals. (basically by applying coaching skills) |
Like the democratic approach, listed before, the coaching style is especially beneficial when managing Millennials. First, they crave for instant recognition and gratification, which can be easily performed in professional coaching sessions. Second, since a clear purpose is very important for Millennials, they’ve got to align their goals with your company’s vision. Once again, coaching and adopting the conflict management styles are great tools for this.
When to use it?
- When employees are already aware of their weaknesses and motivated to improve their performance leaders use conflict management styles
What are the risks?
- If coaching is exercised poorly or your new hires lack motivation, their performance will stagnate
Affiliative style
Key features. If to wrap it up in one phrase, that would be “People come first”. You praise employees for what they’ve done right and treat them like your family members or friends. Ready to receive the best boss-ever title for this approach?
This style is called “participative” by some experts. You practice the “Friendship Factor” with your hires, which is made up of three components: time, care, and respect. Sometimes you express care and concern for them and their problems. This fosters a feeling of bonding and belonging to the organization.
When to use it?
- When building team harmony or increasing morale
- In stressful times or when trust needs to be established
- When you need to use conflict management styles
What are the risks?
- Exclusive focus on praise can allow poor performance to go uncorrected
Servant style
Key features: Be useful and helpful as a manager. Serve and become a part ot the conflict management styles! First—to a higher purpose, second—to your employees. The term was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf who summed up his views in his 1977 essay. As the approach obviously challenges the traditional top-down management model, it often seems unusual. Although, it has gained quite a spin-off lately. The famous entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk claims to use it suggesting that “managers should be actually working for their employees”. Sameer Dholakia, one of the most highly-rated CEOs in tech serves his employees too.
Here’s a story: Sameer Dholakia brought his servant-leadership style to SendGrid company when he joined it in 2014. Upon his arrival, the startup’s growth was slowing. But over the next three years, he reversed this tendency. For two years in a row, sales grew nearly 40%. Now the company’s revenue is on track to reach $5.1 million. According to Dholakia, it was exactly the servant management style that facilitated his company’s success. |
When to use it?
- With a diverse team, where personalization in management is required for each member
- In a start-up or with new hires to gain respect, trust, and loyalty
What are the risks?
- Beware of your team fully running the show and your authority being limited
Transparent style
Key features: No wonder one of the most famous online rating services of companies is called Glass door. The sense of fairness and trust is one of the leading motivating factors of knowledge workers, as experts suggest. Therefore, transparent leadership is not just an option, but a critical factor in your company’s success.
Here’s a story: |
When do I use it?
- To build trust and credibility and increase morale
What are the risks
- Be sure not to lose your private space and keep safe any piece of confidential info
Wrapping up
There are hundreds of management style models. From dominant to hands-off approaches—they provide great means to deal with particular cases. Although, in modern work culture prestige styles tend to work better.
Here are the most commonly used management styles that you can use wisely to become the best boss ever:
Coercive
Exercise your power strongly in a crisis situation or when a business is adrift. This style can be highly effective when fast decisions are required and discipline is crucial. But beware of the decreasing motivation of your employees and your work climate worsening. Overuse of this style can cause resentment and disengagement, leading to higher turnover rates.
No-nonsense
Set high expectations and exercise tough love, but do your best not to demotivate your hires with your excellent standards. This style works well when you need to enforce strict accountability, but make sure to balance it with regular feedback and encouragement to maintain morale.
Democratic
Give freedom of voice to your workers and include them in the process of decision-making. This management style promotes a collaborative environment, enhancing employee engagement. But beware of endless meetings and your hires feeling leaderless. It’s crucial to maintain a clear decision-making structure so that employees don’t feel lost in the process.
Coaching
Support and assist your hires in achieving their goals, but make sure they are motivated enough to follow your vision. This leadership style fosters development and growth, ideal for mentoring relationships. However, it requires active listening and personalized feedback to keep employees engaged and on track with their goals.
Affiliative
Build harmony and trust within your team by praising and supporting your workers as we do in conflict management styles. This style is particularly useful for improving team morale during challenging periods. But don’t allow poor performance to go uncorrected. Maintaining a balance between emotional support and performance accountability is key to long-term success.
Servant
Serve to the higher goal and to your employees. This style focuses on the growth and well-being of your team, leading to a more empathetic work environment. But beware of your team running the show or creating a vision that is counter to yours. It’s important to remain aligned with organizational goals, even while nurturing individual growth.
Transparent
Make yourself available to your workers, sharing information openly and fostering a culture of trust. But be sure to maintain your business integrity. Transparency helps in building stronger relationships, but it’s essential to know when certain details or decisions are best kept within the leadership team to protect strategic goals.
Experts claim the best strategy is to switch between different management styles depending on the situation. Whatever your case is, if your team’s collaboration is effective, it’ll be easier for you to communicate with your hires. Chanty—a simple team chat—can easily help you become a better manager, whatever style you decide to go for. Subscribe to learn more and join our community of early adopters.
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