Management Styles in Business: Composing a Symphony of Success

Defining what makes a great manager is a bit like debating which type of music is the best. It all depends on the style — and whether a chosen management style fits the mood, tempo and talents of a team.

Some companies march along briskly to a John Phillip Sousa beat. High-tech startups may have more of an easy listening feel. Managing a team of creatives may require a style redolent of jazz.

Once your management style is in sync with the people who look to you for leadership, you can achieve a harmony that sets the stage for tremendous success.

The popular career site Indeed.com reviewed some of the common types of managers and styles, and fit their defining characteristics into seven categories:

Authoritative

“An authoritative manager follows a top-down approach to leading. In this style, managers make decisions almost entirely alone. They set clear and specific policies that everyone must follow, and they typically don’t request feedback from employees.”

Decisiveness is the hallmark of this management style, but it can be a poor fit with teams you hope will be innovative, daring and creative. What works great in the Marines can be disastrous when applied in a wholly different setting, such as a Google AI lab or an Ivy League faculty lounge.

Consultative

“Consultative managers ask employees for feedback consistently and take employee concerns seriously. They often have an open-door policy that encourages employees to share what is and isn’t working in the organization. While managers will consult with employees, they ultimately retain sole decision-making power.”

With this management style, employees feel engaged and valued. On the other hand, reaching final decisions can be a protracted process, and great ideas can suffer a death by a thousand cc’d emails.

Democratic/ Participative

“A democratic or participative manager’s decision-making process is heavily influenced by their employees. This style includes effective communication and openness through all levels of the organization, and employees and managers work together to reach the goals of their vision.”

This style is similar to consultative, but broader (and often slower). Again, the appropriateness of this style is directly related to the type of business team you will manage. The British Parliament may be an ideal way to govern a society, for example; but wholly impractical in deciding the next play in a football huddle.

Laissez-faire

“In the laissez-faire management style, managers are more like mentors than leaders. They’re available when employees need guidance, but they often let employees make decisions on their own about how to move forward with projects.”

This is a hands-off management style that gives employees the freedom to sink or swim. Depending on your business, your team may thrive with this kind of autonomy. But many employees need direction and will feel rudderless without a more engaged management presence.

Persuasive

“Persuasive managers hold control of decision-making but work to help employees understand why decisions made by management are best for the company. They share an honest rationale behind decision-making policies that can foster an inclusive and trusting environment.”

“Honest” is the key word in making this management style work. If employees believe the arguments a manager presents are honest and genuine, they can be persuaded to buy into a particular decision. The opposite is also true: If employees believe the intent of outreach is to manipulate or mislead, this approach can lead to distrust.

Transformational

“A transformational management style focuses on creating an environment that supports innovation. Leaders with this style often push their employees to set and reach goals even if it makes them slightly uncomfortable.”

This management style requires a high degree of employee engagement. Team members need to view their role as something more than just a job. They may see it as a calling, even a mission. Such individuals will follow a transformational manager, but it’s a poor fit for employees with a punch-clock perspective on their work.

Collaborative

“Collaborative leaders work closely with their team members and believe that when people feel personally and professionally fulfilled, they’re more effective and more likely to produce great work regularly. Because of their emphasis on employee satisfaction and teamwork, they tend to achieve higher levels of respect.”

This management style focuses on employee morale, and is a good strategy for creating and nurturing future leaders of the company. For a manager who is truly devoted to a collaborative style, it’s also hard work. As Michael Jordan once said: “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.”