Introduction
Management is a vast topic, and it covers everything from how you manage your team to how you manage your projects. Here are some of the different management styles out there:
The Art of Leadership: What’s Your Management Style?
You might be wondering, What’s the difference between leadership and management? Well, it’s pretty simple:
- Leadership is about getting people to follow you.
- Management is about getting things done.
Leadership is all about motivation and inspiration–and if you can’t inspire people to follow you, then they won’t do any work at all! In contrast, management requires more concrete tasks like planning out projects or assigning tasks to other people in order for them to complete those projects successfully. So while both are important aspects of running any organization (or business), one requires strong personal character traits while the other requires specific skillsets that depend on each individual situation at hand–and knowing which one will work best depends on what kind of person you are yourself!
Visionary
- Visionary leaders are often called “charismatic.” They have a positive outlook on life and see the big picture, which makes them great at inspiring others to follow their lead.
- Visionary leaders can be optimistic, but they don’t always have to be–it’s just as important that they’re able to look past the immediate problems in front of you and envision what could be instead.
- They have a clear vision for where they want your organization or team to go (and how they plan on getting there).
Inspirational
Inspirational leaders believe that people are motivated to perform well when they feel that their efforts will be recognized and appreciated. They also believe that people can be trusted, and that they will be loyal if they are treated with respect.
Inspirational leaders tend to have a positive outlook on life, which is contagious among others in the organization. As a result, these leaders are able to create an environment where everyone feels valued for what he or she does for the company’s success.
Coaching
Coaching is a leadership style that focuses on helping employees develop their skills and abilities. The coach gives feedback, helps the employee to solve problems, and encourages self-directed learning.
A good coach:
- Is supportive and encouraging
- Is focused on the future rather than past failures
- Sets goals with you in mind
Participative
Participative leadership is a style that emphasizes teamwork, team building and empowering team members. A participative leader will encourage consensus decision making while sharing responsibilities among group members.
A participative manager:
- Encourages shared responsibility among all employees
- Empowers his or her staff to take on more responsibility for their work by delegating tasks and projects
- Listens carefully to the ideas of others before making decisions
Transactional
Transactional leaders are focused on getting things done, and they will only reward efforts that produce results. They are not interested in team building or relationship building; their focus is on the bottom line. These types of leaders tend to be more transactional because they have a high need for control (they want to ensure that everything runs smoothly) and autonomy (they don’t like being told what to do).
Transactional leaders might also have an “overachiever” mentality–where they feel that if something isn’t done perfectly, then it wasn’t worth doing at all–which can lead them to be quite demanding of their employees’ time and energy as well as highly critical when things don’t go according to plan.
Democratic
The democratic style of management is centered on shared responsibility and consensus decision-making. It depends on each member having a voice in decision making, and encouraging individual contributions toward a common goal or objective. A participative leader helps facilitate the discussion process by continually asking questions that focus on issues related to the project at hand instead of just giving orders and expecting them to be followed without question.
After identifying your management style, you may want to ask yourself: “Is this style working?” If not, try something new!
Delegating, Autocratic and Laissez-Faire are all considered authoritarian styles. They are found in what are called “command and control” organizations. These organizational structures promote power over trust, and require compliance at all levels. They can be slow to respond to change, especially as new technology becomes available. In contrast, democratic leadership is centered on shared responsibility and consensus decision-making. This style encourages active participation by all members of the team. It depends on each member having a voice in decision making and encouraging individual contributions toward a common goal or objective. A participative leader facilitates the discussion process by continually asking questions that focus on issues related to the project at hand. Each person’s viewpoint is valued and eventually integrated into the group goal so everyone feels valued for their contribution to team success.
Democratic leadership is centered on shared responsibility and consensus decision-making. It depends on each member having a voice in decision making and encouraging individual contributions toward a common goal or objective. A participative leader facilitates the discussion process by continually asking questions that focus on issues related to the project at hand. Each person’s viewpoint is valued and eventually integrated into the group goal so everyone feels valued for their contribution to team success.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many different styles of leadership. Each has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. Some are better suited for certain situations than others, but all should be considered when developing your own management style. One thing is clear: the best managers know when to use each style in order to achieve their goals effectively
