Just like every other job, managers aren’t a one size fits all. Personalities come into play in more ways than one, and how you manage your team affects your relationship with your team members and how effectively your team runs.
What Is Your Management Style?
Want to find out your management style? Take our quiz!
Each of the three management styles has positive qualities but also has shortcomings to be aware of. And while you may lean one way or the other, that doesn’t mean you operate in that space all the time.
Collaborative managers make a point of getting feedback from each team member. This leads team members to feel more valued and even encourages buy-in from team members. These managers create a strong sense of cooperation among their team, which can be a powerful tool in getting things done.
And while this is true, this type of manager may get bogged down by spending too much time getting feedback. This can delay decision-making, as a manager may struggle to make tough decisions that are unpopular with their team members.
Authoritarian managers are decisive, strong leaders who aren’t afraid of making tough calls. Since there’s usually only one person making the decisions, teams led by this type of manager can easily shift gears or pivot based on the cues from their manager.
Where collaborative managers can struggle to make tough calls, authoritarian managers may struggle to get cooperation from their team members. Team members may also feel overlooked if their ideas aren’t heard.
Mentoring managers love coaching up their team members, helping them set personal and professional goals and encouraging them on their journey. This type of manager supports their employees and can help them realize their full potential.
Mentoring can work well on small teams, but when managers try to mentor too many people, this style may fall short. Some personalities don’t mesh well with the mentorship model, too, so mentoring managers need to be aware of how their style impacts others.
None of these styles is superior, and certain situations may call on managers to adopt a style outside of their preference. Getting comfortable operating in each style can help you adapt when you need to, and recognizing your style’s shortcomings can help you avoid them.
