âEach broom sweeps in its own wayâ - the idea of ââa variety of personality types of leaders and their management styles is hidden in this popular saying. Carefully observing the work of several managers in the team, you can notice the difference in the formation of working relations. The management style of the leader directly affects the performance of the company. This fact can explain why some companies close, while others live and prosper even in times of crisis.
The personality of the leader, management styles and results of the company - these things are closely related. Combining several methods of leadership, you can get closer to the perfect result. Indeed, the style of the leader and management efficiency are inseparable things. If you are a boss, then itâs important for you to understand what kind of person you really are. So you understand your strengths and weaknesses, and can achieve better results.
Brief description of leadership styles
Management style is a complex of relations between management and subordinates and methods of influence of these two groups on each other. The performance of subordinates, the atmosphere in the team and its ability to achieve goals and objectives depend on the quality of these relations. Styles of the head in the management of the team can be of five types.
The famous American-German psychologist and writer Kurt Levin in the 30s of the last century published and singled out three leadership styles that later became classics. A little later, an inconsistent and situational one was added to them. Having studied the table with a brief description of the manager, you can find yourself and immediately proceed to reading the desired section. And itâs better to read all the material - in life you have to face different people, and itâs better to be prepared. What are the management styles of the leader?
Brief description of management styles| Manager Type | Positive traits | Negative qualities |
| Authoritarian | Takes responsibility, quickly makes decisions, clearly sets tasks | He does not tolerate criticism, does not like resistance, does not take into account the opinions of others, puts the interests of the cause above people |
| Democratic | He works in a team, is open to new ideas, takes into account the opinion of the team, allows others to take responsibility | He advises a lot, can drag out the decision, can give power to the wrong hands |
| Liberal anarchist | No pressure on employees, good-natured atmosphere in the team, allows a creative approach to solving problems | Condones laziness and moral corruption in the team, looses managerial reins, weak control (provocation of theft and non-performance of duties) |
| Inconsistent | Not found | There is no clear goal, no clear assignments, no understanding, a corrupting atmosphere in the team, poor results, no money |
| Situational | High-quality management of employees, enters into a situation, always knows how and what to do, there are no favorites and anti-heroes, helps to develop, grows leaders, encourages a creative approach to business | Over the years, it becomes liberal and loses its grip, unprincipled workers sit on their necks, cannot rest, and work "to wear and tear" |
Authoritarian
An authoritarian person (from lat. Auctoritas - power, influence) - imperious, not loving to discuss, to be opposed, and even more so resisted. If the boss belongs to this type of people, then the management style of the leader is authoritarian. This view belongs to one of the three classic.
Manager Characteristic
Such a managerial management style - authoritarian - is justified in stressful situations: wars, crises, epidemics, and so on, because such a person acts quickly and takes responsibility. In conversations, tough and implacable. Authoritarian leaders climb to the highest levels of government and successfully maintain their position. This leadership style is more common in Russia than the rest. This can be quite justified in large companies, factories, creative teams and the army. Negotiations on purchases or coordination are carried out in a harsh mode, in an atmosphere that is tense to the limit.
The authoritarian leader collects all the power in his hands and does not even allow anyone to encroach on its part. Subordinates are under tight control and constantly undergo various checks. But the authoritarian style is divided into two more models: exploitative and benevolent.
"Exploiter" fully justifies its name, it is directly "Pablo Escobar" in the company. Such a manager squeezes all the juices from his subordinates, does not consider the interests of people, the opinion of someone does not interest him at all. It can stimulate workers with threats, blackmail, fines and other persecutions.
He never allows even the slightest independence in making decisions or completing tasks. Everything must be done exactly as the "exploiter" said. Any authoritarian leader constantly issues orders, decrees and other decrees. Everything is certified by seals, murals and dates. In the matter of accomplishing tasks, he is extremely demanding and impatient, although he is able to make concessions if he is not under emotions. If the leader is not in the spirit, then he can say and do anything, and then you can not wait for an apology. At the same time, this behavior should not be confused with manipulative techniques, when all emotions are just a âtheaterâ - authoritarian leaders like to use it. Subordinates are deprived of the opportunity to take the initiative.
The âbenevolentâ management style of the leader creates a more benevolent atmosphere, if I may call it that. Such a leader is already interested in the opinion of subordinates, but can act in his own way, even if the opinion was expressed correctly. In general, such a boss communicates with his subordinates indulgently, "fatherly", can sympathize, but dryly and literally for a second, and then immediately reminds him that the subordinate is now at work, and his experiences are of no interest to anyone. Do not think that the second model is very different from the first - for all its benevolence, it is still an authoritarian leader: tough, powerful and demanding.
Any of these types adores letters, signboards, stamps, murals, abbreviations and abbreviations. All this should be large, sweeping, imperial. Such leaders are people with a paranoid personality pattern - power-hungry, distrustful and unprincipled. As a rule, workaholics who do not know how to relax, who love and are able to impose their opinions and will on others.
Relations with subordinates
If in relations with subordinates a âbenevolentâ leader builds a distance that cannot be crossed by anyone, then with the âexploiterâ this distance becomes intergalactic. The conversation is built in a rude order form. Employees are depressed and lacking motivation, while the risk of developing conflicts in the company is high. Criticism, even constructive, is absent as a concept.
Not everyone has the courage to ask such a leader about personal things and it is justified - Pablo Escobar does not want to know anything about subordinates, and all the more so to think about the difficulties of their employees. The opportunity to get something even for an enterprise is almost zero if the autocrat himself did not speak about it. And if he said earlier, then he will decide when, to whom and what to receive. It is useless to argue with such a type - he has an excellent tempering in tough negotiations, and his subordinate can not talk. If the subordinate continues to insist, then he will quickly receive a fine or reprimand, and still have to follow the instructions. It is useless to show emotions to such a leader - he will look at a person as if on a carpet. Empathy is zero.
A âbenevolentâ type may listen to a subordinate, but he will have to go straight to the heart of the matter and not pull the rubber, otherwise everything is âyour time is up,â and you can get to your question only in the next life. It happens that the leader may even give advice. âBenevolentâ can provide leave, departure for urgent matters, or getting over the mark â but for this you need to âprotectâ your plan before him, as if to sell him the idea of ââwhy he should do this for you. But even if everything is done brilliantly, there is a big risk that the manager will do in his own way, and it is impossible to find out the reasons for the decision.
Problem solving
Everything is simple for the âexploiterâ and âbenevolentâ - everyone should work without rest and interruption and lay down their lives for the good of the enterprise. Those who disagree with this are declared âenemies of the peopleâ and must leave the company.
Subordinates are required to comply with decrees implicitly. The faster and better the responsibilities are fulfilled, the greater the success of the enterprise. And the more new tasks autocrat will entrust to the shoulders of subordinates. In solving problems, authoritarian leaders have no principles - the end justifies the means. This should be remembered, because the greater the level of influence of an autocrat, the harder it will act.
Way of communication
With such managers, you shouldnât fool around and show duplicity - he will figure it out in two ways. Let not today, but tomorrow, and even then not say hello. Autocrat can weave intrigue cleaner than any Cardinal Richelieu, so you should not compete in this direction either. By the way, about competition - this is the hobby of an authoritarian (and paranoid too) person, it is better not to get in his way. Why? Because there are no principles, and to achieve the goal, autocrat justifies any means. Attempts at suggestion fail - autocrats have zero suggestion. The best approach is collaboration. So working days will be easier, and career opportunities will appear on the horizon. Examples of leaders: Donald Trump, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler.
Democratic
The style of work and management of a democratic leader is mirror-like from authoritarian. This style of work implies an even distribution of duties and responsibilities between company employees. The Democratic leader gathers a team of subordinates around him that you can rely on. A team that solves problems and runs even complex projects, and for this you do not need to force or intimidate employees. At the same time, there will still be responsibility, because a democrat is not a liberal-minded person, but a leader aimed at a specific result.
Democratic executives also reach great heights in business and politics, as do authoritarian ones. Only they create a more benevolent atmosphere than autocrats.
Manager Characteristic
People with pronounced leadership qualities gravitate towards a democratic style , but at the same time do not put their Ego in the first place. A democratic leader is a peaceful warrior: he does not start a war first, but if he is attacked, he will have to answer in all severity of the law. This management style of the leader creates a friendly atmosphere in the team and helps to concern the staff with problem solving with some creative approach. Such a leader can, without special complaints, consider the issue of time off, help, or the purchase of new equipment for the company. If you provide your ideas or requests with evidence, then the leader can be persuaded to make a positive decision on your issue.
Relations with subordinates
Comradely, business relations are developing that can flow into friendships, although this is rare. Whatever the managerâs management styles, do not forget that this is a leader, and you do not need to cross borders. The leader-democrat uses a humane approach to subordinates, enters into their position to a certain limit, easily arranges motivational contests or gifts for overfulfilling plans.
Best of all, people with such a management style feel in middle-level positions, for example, the head of a department or the head of a city district. Even in companies with an authoritarian management style, in departments with a Democratic leader, âtheir own atmosphereâ develops â the authority of the department head is higher than that of the head of the organization.
Of the minuses, the following can be noted: a democrat can play too much "friend", and then more and more disputes and conflict situations will arise, instead of work. The shift of focus from achieving goals to increased attention to employees does not bring the team closer to achieving goals. The leader-democrat in this case loses credibility and level of influence on the team, but he still has a bonus in his sleeve in the form of a fine or an order, although such bosses rarely use it.
Problem solving
Problem solving is reduced to the fact that first, through collective efforts, an action plan is developed. After that, performers are selected taking into account skills and abilities. Without any resistance, such a leader invites a third-party expert to the team and listens to his opinion. By the way, none of the subordinates is allowed to express their opinion, because the leader is concerned about achieving the result, and realizes that he is at risk of missing something important.
When planning the deadlines for completing tasks, the Democratic leader lays down a reserve of time in the plan, because it takes into account the probability of errors among the staff, and it still takes time to fix them. If difficulties arise during the course of work or there is an opportunity to do things differently, then the leader is quite easily reconstructed according to the situation, although this is not very welcome.
Way of communication
The Democratic leader chooses a generally accepted communication style. You can go to his office and âstealâ a little time. He listens to the opinion of the staff, especially if the words are supported by facts and figures - this is worth using. Do not put pressure on such a leader - although he is soft, he bends like a bamboo, and if you press hard, he will seriously answer. Whatever the leader, his management styles and methods will be very different. The best way to communicate is through collaboration. You need to act within the framework of the task, without breaking the deadlines. If you can improve or redo the work - you need to immediately contact the boss, keep him updated. Examples of personalities: Vladimir Putin, Evgeny Chichvarkin, Lavrenty Beria.
Liberal anarchist
This management style is similar to democratic, but there are differences. It is characteristic that the leader, setting the task clearly and clearly, setting the deadlines and speed of completion, fades into the background. Thus, it allows subordinates to act independently, with almost no limitation in the means and methods of completing tasks.
The liberal style is suitable for managing creative teams. At the same time, it is not necessary that this will be a song and dance team, and the editorial board, the design bureau, and other similar groups will do.
Manager Characteristic
The liberal style can be divided into two areas: anarchist and expert. In the first case, the leader is a weak person by nature, non-conflict, conformist. He defers the decision of important issues until the last moment or tries to completely relieve himself of responsibility by transferring it to the shoulders of deputies or subordinates. Such a leader can sit in the office for days and not go to the workers - let them work for themselves.
The second type is more suitable for the role of an expert or a guest manager for temporary tasks - he gives instructions on how and what to do, how and when. The rest does not go into work, does not pull subordinates, only if the situation has gotten out of control. Authority is held at the level of his expertise, knowledge and skills in the current work.
Relations with subordinates
The liberal expert has a benevolent, informal, and strong relationship. In such collectives, leaders grow up who then either take power from the liberal or leave for new collectives - as practice shows, these are authoritarian leaders.
The liberal leader hardly intervenes in the work of subordinates, providing the greatest possible freedom of action. The subordinates supply information, tools, train and instruct, reserves the right to the final decision.
Problem solving
Do not think that the liberal leader will sit in his âshellâ and not show his nose. This happens, but this does not characterize all liberal leaders. On the contrary, in the current situation, the popularity of this method of managing people is growing. This is especially noticeable in scientific, creative or other groups where the level of knowledge, competence and experience is high - a highly skilled specialist does not tolerate slavish attitude, as well as excessive guardianship.
In the relationship "leader and organization", the management styles of the "liberal" are well known. Soft management, trust, cooperation and cooperation - these are the foundations of a liberal style of company management. There is no bad way to manage people, only misuse of tools in your hands. Determining the managerâs management style should begin as early as possible - it will be easier to adapt to the situation or quickly find a new job.
Way of communication
The liberal leader does not attach much importance to the chosen method of communication, because the influence of this on the result of work is minimal. It is worth communicating with the leader himself, proceeding from the goals of communication and what type of person the leader has. At the same time, management styles can be different - either an anarchist or an expert. Do not worry too much if you suddenly called the boss to âyouâ - he will correct you, but will not punish you with a fine, like an authoritarian one. Examples: Steve Jobs, Roman Abramovich, Robert Kiyosaki.
Inconsistent
The name speaks for itself - there is no consistency and logic in actions. Such a boss moves from one management style to another, but does so out of inexperience, and this is the difference from a situational style.
Manager Characteristic
Today such a manager is an authoritarian leader, and tomorrow - an anarchist with a developed conniving character of work. The results of such a team are extremely low, and there is every chance of spoiling the work of the enterprise or even ruining it. If the leader has experience in such a position, but he adheres to an inconsistent work style, then he can be called an inspired, weak-willed manager who cannot achieve goals.
Relations with subordinates
The staff of the inconsistent leader is dissatisfied with his manager, does not know what to expect from the boss, moreover, everyone is poorly aware of the ultimate goal and their growth opportunities. Relations are very tense, all this causes an increase in the negative atmosphere in the team. High probability of omissions, intrigues and scandals.
Problem solving
It is impossible to achieve goals with such a leader, because he vaguely imagines how the team should work. Problem solving is passed on to deputies and subordinates, and then it is taken over. Then some tasks are canceled, replaced with new ones and so on. This management style of the leader gives rise to confusion and anarchy.
Way of communication
The same ambiguous and depends on the state of affairs in the company and the mood of the boss. Today he can tell stories about how he spent the weekend, and tomorrow play the role of the authoritarian "Pablo Escobar." A subordinate with developed leadership and manipulative skills can permanently unsettle such a leader. And then from my own chair. Examples: such people rarely achieve serious heights, but there is still a vivid example - Mikhail Gorbachev.
Situational
A management style in which a relationship policy adjusts to the current state is called situational. This is the best way to manage people and enterprises - in times of crisis it helps to get together, and in case of a market rise, strengthen competitive advantages.
Do not confuse the situational approach and the duplicity of the leader. In the first case, the boss chooses a communication style based on the behavior of a particular person or group of people, in order to launch the work as qualitatively as possible. In the second case, the boss takes different positions based on his own benefit.
Manager Characteristic
These are experienced managers with many years of experience who have worked at different levels of management in several areas. In some people, management skills are inherent in nature - these are the so-called managers from God. But talent is replaced by diligence and continuous learning. Knowing how to influence a person now comes with experience. This is one of the most acceptable ways to lead a team. With inept attempts to copy the style, there is a danger that the leader will turn into a conjuncturist who says what is profitable at the moment.
Relations with subordinates
It develops trustingly, openly and easily - the team constantly has a feeling that their work is literally burning in their hands, and the leader always knows what needs to be done, how to punish and cheer up the team. In view of the great practical experience, such leaders really seem to see subordinates through and through and have the gift of foresight. Such bosses enjoy authority in the team.
A situational leader knows how best to communicate with a given group of subordinates or a single employee. In which case you can keep silent or even condone something, but it only seems to an inexperienced look that the leader has given slack.
Problem solving
Settlement of disputes, problems and tasks is fast and professional. An experienced leader is able to quickly debug most of the work processes, and if force majeure happens, people are appointed to correct the situation, based on the abilities and experience of the employees, rather than personal preferences.
In general, the manager himself is more like a shadow - he hides his personal and is engaged only in work. He doesnât have any pets, and if he does, then one can wonder for a long time who won such a role. It does not show an obvious negative, on the contrary, such a manager tries to find a common language with every problem worker. Thanks to experience, this is often a success. It seems that such a person does not think about himself at all: where are all the âWishlistâ and other complexes? To this question, the situational manager only smiles and shrugs.
Itâs rare when such a manager is not a workaholic.
Way of communication
Like a liberal expert, a situational manager chooses a simple communication style. Despite the high rank, such people are simple and open, and often optimistic and endowed with a sense of humor. Often enter the position of the employee and can help, going beyond the scope of the working relationship. With age, managers become too kind and resourceful, sometimes they can lose their grip, which is used by unprincipled workers. But the team usually stands up for the leader, and if they see meanness in relation to their patron, then they immediately take measures.
Examples: most of the military, directors and managers of factories of the war and post-war period, such as Konstantin Rokossovsky, Ivan Romazan, Avraamy Zavenyagin and others.
What style leader are you?
No matter how the manager behaves, it is worth remembering that the individual management style of the leader consists of the characteristics of the upbringing and character of the person, therefore it is not worth hanging labels.
Management as the implementation of an individual leaderâs style is a complex and multifaceted process, accompanied by a high level of stress, psychological and physical loads. Becoming a leader takes a lot of time, takes a lot of time and effort, and carries a high risk. Therefore, support from higher level managers, and ongoing training are needed.
What if you find yourself on this list? Take your strengths and concentrate on strengthening and developing them. Weaknesses should be given considerable attention - problems are points of growth. The faster you reconsider your attitude to your negative traits, the faster and more qualitatively you will become a leader.
What if you find your manager on the list? Now you know how to build a relationship with him, and what points should be avoided.