If you want your team to be successful (which you undoubtedly do), first and foremost you must be an excellent manager. There are various management styles you can choose from, depending on your own nature as well as the goals of both your team and the organisation as a whole. This article describes the five most common management styles, including their pros and cons.
Autocratic managers make decisions on their own and expect their team members to follow orders. As the HubSpot blog states, this style can lead to quick results and is therefore very effective in crisis situations. However, especially under non-critical, everyday circumstances, it can lead to a lack of employee engagement and motivation.
Democratic managers involve their team members in the decision-making process and encourage participation. This management style is best suited for situations where creativity and innovation are needed. But it often tends to result in slow decision-making and reduced flexibility of the team.
Within the "laissez-faire" style, team managers provide subordinates with very little direction and allow them to work on their own. Thus employees are quite independent and have space for their own creativity. However, the disadvantage of this style may be a lack of accountability and direction.
Transactional managers focus on rewarding and punishing team members based on performance. This style works best in teams where there is a clear set of rules and procedures that need to be followed. It does promote discipline and clarity, but also often leads to a lack of creativity and employee engagement.
Transformational managers inspire and motivate team members to achieve their full potential. If long-term growth and development are your priority, then the transformational style might be just what you are looking for. Just beware of spending all your time dreaming and envisioning instead of working also on everyday, practical tasks.
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