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Management by Styles

The success of a company largely depends on its finances, manpower, human resource, products, and services. All these factors are correlated and must be co-existential. For this reason, the skills of the managers putting all these factors in one big cohesive system is vital to a company's success.

And because there are different kinds of companies, there are also numerous management styles that can be used. The nature, size, needs, and structure of a company dictate what kind of management style should exist within it, along with other factors. Although there may be several management styles that can be appropriate for one company, the effectiveness of one style can only be proven once it is tried and tested. But, supervisors and group heads can always distinguish management by styles in order to evaluate or find out a setup that works best for them.

The Different Management by Styles

 

  • Autocratic
  • Permissive
  • Directive Democrat
  • Directive Autocrat
  • Permissive Democrat
  • Permissive Autocrat

Autocratic

In this kind of management style, the manager or leader makes all the decision by himself. He does not have to consult with his subordinates because he has the power to make the decision on his own. Autocratic managers make sure that each and every important decision goes through them and is made by them.  In terms of designating tasks, they give orders and expect them to be delivered on specified deadlines.

With the different styles of management, there are also certain advantages and limitations. With an autocratic management style, the employees have the tendency to feel like their managers do not trust them. If these feelings persist, there is a huge chance for the employees to develop a low morale. If the nature of the company requires a constant exchange of ideas, employees will surely be more motivated to work. On the other hand, a company that already has a specific set of tasks for each employee may produce a more productive output using an autocratic style of management. 

Permissive

In a permissive management style, the leader allows his subordinates to have a say in the decision-making process. The leader is still the one designating the tasks and giving orders. However, the workers are given the liberty to work on their own terms as long as they accomplish their tasks properly and on time. This management style will work in setups where the opinions and the feedback of the employees matter. There are times when certain projects can only move along based on the feedback and evaluation of the subordinates. In this kind of situation, it will be useful for the manager to listen and trust the judgment of his employees. This style boosts the morale of employees more because they are able to feel their importance and value to the company. This helps them establish a sense of fulfillment in their job.

Meanwhile, these management styles can be combined with other styles especially if there are a lot of office situations that will benefit from either of the two, at some point. Decision-making and designation of tasks are two different processes within the company and each of these two having their own styles thereby creating a combination of management styles, too.

Directive Democrat and Directive Autocrat

In a set-up where there is directive democracy, the subordinates have a certain level of participation when decisions need to be made. In some situations, their feedback and opinions are needed and acknowledged.  In terms of task fulfillment, the leader or the manager closely monitors his subordinates, which means that every task is accomplished according to his preferred manner, timetable, or set-up. This allows the employees to feel useful and more valuable at the same time even if they can sometimes feel the pressure of their deadlines.

The Directive Autocracy setup does the same kind of supervision. The only the difference is that when it comes to decision-making, the manager can do it alone without the evaluation or feedback of his subordinates. He has the power to make the decision for his entire group even if his subordinates do not agree to it.

Permissive Democrat and Permissive Autocrat

The difference of permissive democrat and permissive autocrat from the last two styles lies on the task designation. While a permissive democrat manager or leader allows his subordinates a certain level of participation for decision-making, he also allows them to carry out their work on their own terms. He does not have to watch them very closely because in a setup like this, it is usually the final output that matters. As long as deadlines are met and expected output is submitted, the manager can do well with this kind of setup.

The permissive autocrat, on the other hand, gives the same kind of leniency towards task fulfillment. He also allows his subordinates to finish their tasks in a time frame that works for them. The only difference is that decision-making using this style of management is still limited to the manager. He has the power to decide for his subordinates without consulting them or taking their feedback into consideration.

All in all, it is up to the manager to decide on which management style he thinks will foster the most productive set-up for the company. Sometimes, it is the culture that dictates that style for there are also policies and traditions that have long been observed even before a manager enters the company. In times like this, the manager can still create his own management style within his group as long as he adheres to the general style during departmental meetings or general assemblies.

The important thing here is to take note of the psychological needs of the subordinates. If they have the responsibility of finishing their tasks, it is also their right to have an appropriate work environment, one that allows them to feel satisfaction for their work. Employees also need to feel important and valued. It may or may not lie on the decision-making process. Categorizing management by styles is effective especially when trying to bring out the kind of culture that you want in the office. Keep in mind that as long as your management style provides them these while producing the required output from them, you can consider your management style effective.