Relation between management styles and employees’ performance

It is difficult to draw a line between the bad way and the right way to manage an
organization, since each individual has a different approach when it comes to leading others.
From all the management styles listed above, some are better, in the way that they lead to
great results, and some are worse, in the way that they create tension among employees and,
as a result, the workplace atmosphere is being negatively affected.
For a better understanding which management style works the best, I will pick the
most common ones and highlight the relationship between the managers who use this style
and their subordinates.
An effective management style is the extent to which a manager continually manages
and directs his employees to a predetermined destination, which is agreed upon by the
organization. It is in fact the manner a manager approaches to issues towards achieving the
goals of the organization by transforming the available resources in the organization into
outputs through the functions of management.
Relation between participative management style and employees’ performance
Participation is a process in which influence is shared among individuals who are
otherwise hierarchically unequal.( Okon and Ekaette Ubong Isong, 2016: p.54 ). The
participative management style balances the involvement of the manager and the employees
in the decision-making process, leading to the enhancement of productivity and development
of the human capital. The manager acts like a coach, getting his team of employees to work
together towards the improvement of the organization. This style has become more and more
popular over the years, being considered the most efficient one, as the employees are more
aware of the company’s issues that affect them directly.
Relation between the autocratic management style and employees’ performance
In this particular style, the manager tends to take over the control of the company, by
retaining as much power as possible. The work is simplified, so that the manager can gain
maximum control, without consulting the employees or giving them any input. The
subordinates are seen as objects, and this leads to a significant diminishment in the
contribution they have and their performances.
Relation between paternalistic management style and employees’ performance
The managers who use this style are the ones who decide what is best for both the
employees and the organization. It is a combination between the participative management
style and the autocratic one, since the manager acts like a “father” with his subordinates. The
suggestions and ideas of the employees are always taken into consideration before taking any
decision that affects the company, making them feel attached and loyal towards the
organization and also enhancing their motivation and determination. In my opinion, this is the
most efficient management style, not the participative one, since it combines both the
powerful attitude of the manager, that helps keeping things on the right track, with the
“affectionate” attitude, that helps employees feel valuable and loyal to the manager as well as
the organization.
Relation between democratic management style and employees’ performance
This management style has its definition in its name, being characterized by the
freedom of speaking and expressing ideas. This style best suits the managers leading a
company that is dynamic and in a continuous change. Every option for improvement has to
be taken into consideration to keep the group from falling out of date. The manager is
responsible with facilitating the conversation and with encouraging people to share their
ideas, this leading to a feeling of trust from the employees. They are informed about matters
that affect them and are provided with the opportunity to develop a sense of personal growth
and job satisfaction.( .( Okon and Ekaette Ubong Isong, 2016: p.55 )
Relation between persuasive management style and employees’ performance
This style is perfect when there are complicated tasks which need to be carried out.
Managers using this style take control over every aspect related to the business they are
running, but instead of giving orders, they explain why tasks need to be carried out in a
specific way. It is considered that this style makes the employees feel more involved in the
decision-making process than in all the other management styles. The main difference
between this style and the other ones is that once the manager makes a decision, he will try to
convince his subordinates that the decision was taken for their best interest and that is the
only way the problem can be solved. The manager will try bringing people around his own
view, but he will stick to his decision even if nobody agrees with him. If he knows how to put
his ideas into actions, employees won’t feel left out, even more, they will have the impression
that their ideas count, even if, most of the times, they don’t.
Relation between laissez-faire management style and employees’ performance
The last management style for which I will underline the relation between it and the
employees’ performance is this one, also called “the hands-off style”. The manager gives the
employees as much freedom as possible, without providing any direction. All the power and
authority are given to the subordinates, them being the ones who make decisions and solve
the problems. The manager believes in freedom of choice for the employees, so he leaves
them alone, to do whatever they want. This can be due to two reasons: the first one is that the
manager thinks that his employees know how to do their job, and he trusts them, leaving
them alone to do so, and the second one is that the manager doesn’t want to exert power and
control because he fears that he won’t be re-elected. The manager provides basic but minimal
information and resources and there is virtually no participation, involvement or
communication within the workforce.
Most of the studies revealed that there is a strong relationship between management
styles and employees performance. The participative management style is considered to
encourage better employees’ performance, but the management styles used depends on the
situation at hand.