MANAGEMENT STYLES AND

TECHNIQUES
A management style is an overall
approach to leading and motivating
employees. While a number of
management styles exist, you can
generally categorize them into a
few basic approaches. Within each
style, managers use their own
techniques and methods to put their
ideas into practice.
Effective managers use different management styles to support their needs and goals at any
given time. When deciding which management style to use, they might consider some of the
following factors:

 The volume of work to complete and how

quickly it must be done

 Their industry and company culture

 Their personality and management qualities

 Their team and company goals

 The attitudes and personalities of the people

they’re managing
Authoritative

In this style, managers make decisions almost

entirely alone.
Advantages: This style is useful when efficiency
is important and in crisis situations when it’s
necessary to make effective decisions quickly.
Disadvantages: New and innovative ideas rarely
emerge in an authoritative management style,
and when applied in the wrong circumstances it
can also lead to higher turnover.
 Democratic or participative
A democratic or participative manager’s decision-making
process is heavily influenced by their employees.
Advantages: This style typically leaves employees feeling
valued and empowered to contribute in meaningful ways.
It also encourages them to tap into their full potential at
work.
Disadvantages: Like the consultative management style,
it’s also not as efficient. Decision-making often involves
debates and consulting multiple parties, which can take
time.
 Laissez-faire
In the laissez-faire management style, managers are more
like mentors than leaders.
Advantages: The laissez-faire style can be effective
because it gives self-motivated employees the autonomy
and space they need to be productive. This could be
particularly useful in a creative environment.
Disadvantages: Because this management style is hands-
off, it can leave some employees feeling neglected or in
need of guidance and direction.
 Commanding
Collaborative leaders work closely with their team
members.
Advantages: Collaborative leaders have the
capacity to boost employee loyalty and
productivity, improve employee development and
decision-making, cultivate trust and create future
leaders.
Disadvantages: Collaborative leaders can become
burnt out as they attempt to boost collaboration
with and between their team members. They might
also find it difficult to create time and space for
high-level, strategic planning.
 Coaching Style

A manager with a coaching style believes

her primary responsibility is to train and
develop workers to an optimum
performance level. This style is favored in
organizations where people development
is a cultural emphasis. Techniques used
include regular informal conversations
with employees, immediate praise and
feedback, frequent reviews and consistent
mentoring.
 Results-Based Management Style

The results-based management style is a leadership

approach that emphasizes the importance of setting
clear goals and metrics for success and holding
employees accountable for achieving those results.
This style is founded on the belief that success is
the result of setting and achieving clear,
measurable goals.

Results-based leaders focus on creating an

environment that encourages performance and
accountability. This style is suitable for
organizations where a performance-driven culture
is important.
 Directive leadership

Directive leadership is most common in a military

setting. It is not recommended in the corporate world,
because it follows a strict style that is often perceived as
negative. That is not to say that it can't be modified for
certain situations. In general, today's business leaders
have become more receptive to employee feedback, often
requesting new ideas to improve their organization and
culture. That type of feedback is discouraged in directive
leadership.
 Affiliative

Affiliative leadership is a type of

leadership that promotes positivity, a
harmonious workplace and team-
building. This leadership style focuses
on using conflict resolution and creating
personal connections between
employees and their managers to build a
sense of community and trust.
Affiliative refers to behavior that
promotes social or emotional cohesion
and problem-solving.
 Pacesetting
Pacesetting leadership requires direct
involvement on the part of the manager.
Pacesetting managers aren’t dropping
assignments on their employees and walking
away. Instead, they’re actively involved in the
process, working alongside their team
members. The goal is for those managers to “set
the pace,” which means that they must perform
at a high level in order to encourage the same
level of performance from their team members.
Your management style will depend on
your specific goals, your organization
and the people involved. Each style has
its own benefits and drawbacks—you
won’t find a one-size-fits-all style that
will suit every situation. Instead, you
need to identify your character traits,
your temperament, the types of
employees you have and your business
needs to choose the right approach.
 Sources:

https://smallbusiness.chron.com/management-styles-techniques-78335.html

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/management-styles

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/results-based-management-driving-success-through-lee-nalla
lingham#:~:text=The%20results%2Dbased%20management%20style%20is%20a%20leaders
hip%20approach%20that,and%20achieving%20clear%2C%20measurable%20goals.

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/directive-leadership

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/affiliative-leadership#:~:text=Affi
liative%20leadership%20is%20a%20type,sense%20of%20community%20and%20trust.

https://vistatec.com/pacesetting-leadership/#:~:text=The%20goal%20is%20for%20those,mor
e%20on%20the%20goals%20accomplished.