Understanding Management Styles

February 15th, 2011 by admin No comments »

Management can be a very complex thing and while many people believe that there is only one way to manage a company there are actually three distinct management styles that are distinct and understanding what type of manager you are can help you to better adapt your style to the different employees that you encounter. Since not every management style suits every individual or situation it is important to be flexible and try to use different management styles when your employee is just not getting the job done.

An autocratic manager is one who drives with authority. There is give and take only the manager tells employees what to do and when without comment allowed lower-level employees. This management method tends to work well when a director is in charge of many workers with no education, low qualification. Most employees do not have the moral good in this type of management system and not much more than an “us against them mentality in this environment. This type of management is not very effective.

Paternalistic managers are those who kind of parent their employees. This tends to be more autocratic then democratic but this process takes more in to consideration the employee’s desires and needs. There is more two way communication but in the finish the manager is in charge and the staff must follow the rules irrespective of how they feel about them. Although they get some say in what goes on in the finish they must go along with what their managers say.
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Management Blues

February 10th, 2011 by admin No comments »

So there you are settled comfortably in your work routine and along comes the inevitable winds of change. Your current manager leaves the company or gets promoted and suddenly a new sheriff is coming to town. We all know that any time there is a personnel change within a company, the entire system and everyone in it is going to be affected. There are steps that both the new manager and the employees can take and thought processes that can be adopted to make the transition a positive one. Having been both an employee and a new manager I would like to share what I have learned.

The incoming manager is likely to be just as apprehensive about taking over a new department as the employees are about getting a new manager. If the new manager has been promoted from within the company there may be resentment and jealousy within the department that will have to be resolved. The new manager may now be managing someone with whom they are friends. Being accused of favoritism toward an employee may be a concern. If the new manager is an outside hire, then he or she could be uneasy about working for a new company where they may not know anyone and are not entirely sure of what lies ahead for them.

From the employee’s standpoint, they have become accustomed to the way the departing manager operated. The employees and the manager found ways of functioning together that worked well for everyone. The employees may not have always agreed with their manager, but at least they knew what to expect. They may be concerned that the new boss will change procedures and they will have to learn new procedures that may not work as well. They may be worried about the management style of the new boss and how they will all get along together.

Now, let’s take a step back and look at this from a little higher vantage point. The new manager and the employees have a few important things in common… They are all human. No one is perfect. This situation is equally stressful for the employees and the incoming manager.
» Read more: Management Blues