Management is a crucial aspect of a business where it is responsible for the guidance and leadership of the workforce. In recent times, management styles have been thoroughly researched and made available to the general public through the internet. As a result, the previously unknown management styles have made their way into mainstream business organisations and are being experimented with by management professionals. It is both a necessity and a duty of the management professionals to try and find out which management style best fits their organisations and teams. In a world where work patterns are changing with the changing tides of technology, businesses must experiment with all the available management options. As a result, companies can understand what clicks with their employees and gain employee loyalty and provide a satisfactory management experience to the employees.
Some companies like Google have been the pioneers in experimenting with management systems. They have even experimented with their workforce to see if they can function without a management system, which ultimately becomes a failure (Source: Inc). Though it was a failure, the lessons learned from the experimentation are more than valuable. Using resources in researching the workforce can be beneficial and provide immense value to the companies and contribute to society in general. In this article, we will discuss the types of management that companies across the world are using. You can either choose one according to your team's needs or tailor these accordingly.
Types of Management
Management plays the crucial role of maintaining the productivity rate, workplace harmony, smooth transition and undertaking of management decisions, and a medium of communication between senior management and the workforce. Several companies approach management in several ways which brings us to the topic - types of management or management styles. There are three major types of management styles: democratic, autocratic and laissez-faire. Within them, there are several other styles or types of management.
Democratic style means that the managers and employees are on the same level. The autocratic style means that the managers have all the power and employees have to follow their orders. Laissez faire style is a combination of the two styles where managers give orders but also ask for feedback from their subordinates.
Let us explore the autocratic management style first. It was the same management that humanity has used since time immemorial. Here, a leader, king, civil servant, or noblemen/noblewomen were responsible for the utilisation of the workforce for the greater good of their nation, kingdom, civilization, society, or village.
1. Autocratic management style
Autocratic management is a style of leadership in which the manager makes decisions without input from the employees. The employees are expected to obey orders and conform to the manager's style. The autocratic leader has complete control over all decisions, and the employees have no input into what happens in the organisation.
This type of management is most effective when a company has a well-defined goal or mission that they want to accomplish, and when there are clear-cut rules or guidelines for how things should be done.
Authoritative management
The authoritative management style is when the manager is seen as a father or mother figure. They are more directive and controlling, but they also have a lot of empathy for their employees. They are strict and make sure that the employees know what is expected of them.
An authoritative management style will be most effective when an employee needs to learn something new or when they need someone to take charge of their work because they are not able to do it themselves. This type is only suitable for new employees who need constant monitoring from the management professionals. In a well-experienced team that has mastery, expertise, and a thorough understanding of their work, this management style has little effect. Moreover, these management styles require the manager to be highly efficient in their jobs and have mastery, in-depth knowledge, and understanding of the tasks and work.
Persuasive management
Persuasion is a powerful tool in management, but it's not the only one. It's important to know when to use persuasion and when to use other tactics. A persuasive management style is about influencing people to make decisions that are in their best interest. The manager has a responsibility to the company, and for the company to succeed, they must have their employees on board with their vision. This is more effective when managers are highly experimental or learned and want to change the work patterns of the workforce so that they can deliver more value to the company.
Paternalistic management
A paternalistic management style is a type of management which is characterised by a hierarchical structure, centralised decision-making, and the use of authoritarian leadership. This style emerged in the late nineteenth century in response to the increasing complexity of organisations and their increased dependence on technology. Moreover, this is characterised by an organisation which is referred to as "family" by the management. However, this can result in a rigid management structure where making quick decisions is nearly impossible because decision-making power relies on a select few employees. Their unavailability can endanger the company in a high-risk business environment. In this style, managers are given more responsibility for their subordinates' welfare than in other styles.
2. Democratic management style
The Democratic management style is a management style that advocates for the participation of all employees in the decision-making process. This can be done through group meetings, town hall meetings, or by empowering each employee to make decisions on their own. This management style is often used in organisations where employees are encouraged to work collaboratively and develop a sense of ownership over their work.
Consultative management
A consultative management style is a leadership style that encourages employees to feel like they are part of the decision-making process. Leaders use this style when they want their employees to feel valued and respected.
The consultative management style is about empowering the workers and treating them as equal partners in the decision-making process. This style also encourages better communication between managers and employees, which in turn leads to better productivity. In consultative management, managers can easily identify employee problems and create solutions.
Participative management
A participative management style is a type of management where the employees are involved in decision-making. There are two types of participative management styles:
1) Bottom-up strategy
2) Top-down strategy
A bottom-up approach is where the employees are involved in decision-making from the bottom up. This means that they are given some power to make decisions and they have a say in what happens at work.
A top-down approach is where the managers make all decisions and give orders to their subordinates. Subordinates have no authority or say in what happens at work.
This style of management is more effective than the autocratic one because it enhances employee participation and brings fresh ideas to the forefront. Due to the freedom of expression, employees strive to contribute more to the company in their ways. As a result, company loyalty is earned and cultivated, which is one of the most important assets for any business.
Collaborative management
A collaborative management style is a way of managing that is focused on teamwork. It is a style of management that has been used for many years and usually focuses on the collective needs of the team.
A collaborative management style has many benefits, such as improved productivity, increased creativity, and better communication.
Transformational management
A transformational management style is a style of leadership that is based on the belief that people are inherently good and they will try their best if they are put in a position where they feel appreciated and valued. Transformational leadership is also about getting employees to think outside the box, which means that managers need to be creative with how they get their employees engaged in their work. Transformational management styles can be effective when employees are given the opportunity to self-manage or when there is a strong focus on employee engagement.
3. Laissez faire management style
In this type of management, employees are trusted with the tasks of their roles, and micromanagement is severely restricted. This works based on the trust placed in the employee. Employees here are highly experienced or creative, and the freedom provided by laissez-faire management allows them to perform better with innovative approaches to their jobs.
Delegative management
Here, managers assign work to their employees and, in some cases, brief them on the process and rules to be followed. After that, managers withdraw from their employees unless specifically asked for support by the employees. Employees are free to innovate and apply their ideas and make progress in their own way. After the completion of the task, managers give their feedback and advise on how to improve the input.
This style is suitable for highly experienced employees working in creative industries like programming, research, and design. Due to the autonomy and the teamwork, such teams can produce out-of-the-box solutions. It can be a great asset for innovative companies, start-ups, and scale-ups in the highly competitive business world.
Visionary management
Here, managers inspire their team members by giving them a vision of the company. It works highly effectively in companies with an engaged and loyal workforce. In companies with a social cause mission, such as medical drug or vaccine development, education, food chains, space research, defence products, and so on. The vision of the company aligns with the employees at the basic level and drives them to perform better for the welfare of their society, country, humanity, or planet.
Related Blog - The Five Managerial Mindsets
Which is better for you?
In general, autocratic management is suitable for factories and manual working teams. Here, the tasks and tools are predefined by the management or the research team and analysed for productivity in the scientific management methods. As a result, in these jobs, there is little need to change to gain the desired level of productivity. Autocratic leadership can be easier to manage in these teams.
Democratic management can be useful in corporate settings and most management teams. As this provides a gateway for employees to input their ideas and inform their struggles, it makes an ideal management system for companies. It boosts employee engagement with the company, especially with management-employee relationships.
Laissez-faire management is giving most of the autonomy to the employees. It is good for teams that are highly experienced in their fields and need little outside management to tackle their everyday tasks. Gere management works in assigning tasks, measuring the team's output and giving valuable feedback when necessary.
Choosing which one works for your team is entirely dependent on your team and management. Performing some trial and error is productive as it will explore the possibilities beyond the set standards.
Related Blog - 5 Signs Your Management Style Needs a Change
Conclusion
As we can see, there are multiple management styles from all around the world. Choosing which one will work for you is a matter of personal opinion and trial and error. While some management styles bring the best out of manual workers, others are fit only for highly experienced self-managing teams. You can choose from autocratic, democratic, or laissez-faire management types. Or you can experiment with other styles while informing your higher authority and your subordinates.
This way, you can easily find out what works for your team without headaches. In some cases, you can even change management styles between individual employees as well. It can boost employee performance and gain their loyalty and respect for you if the management style matches their preference and the company values. In today's modern world, even if you are not into democratic or laissez-faire management styles, it is good to have conversations and idea/knowledge-sharing sessions from time to time. This way, you can keep your team motivated and engaged. At the very least, these two management styles can help in employee retention and boost employee productivity.
If you are an experienced manager who needs a higher education to climb the corporate ladder in your career, check out SNATIKA. We provide highly prestigious UK Masters Degree programs in management through our online platform. You will earn a UK Masters and a Level 7 Diploma within just 12 months with little effort. The reason our program is fast-paced and of shortest duration is our learners and their experience in the respective industry. Check out our prestigious UK Masters Degree programs here to learn more about the benefits and syllabus.
Related Blog - Importance of Agility for Strategic Management
Related Blog - How an MBA will Boost Your Entrepreneurial Skills