Management is the art and science of getting things done with limited resources. It is science because it has been studied extensively, and many facets can be learned to make anyone a better manager. It is an art because there are some intangible components that separate the great leaders from the good ones. There are things that are difficult teach- such as initiative, charisma, and inspiring confidence. The resources managed are usually people, technology, time, and capital.
Small business owners occasionally assume that management involves just telling individuals what to do – and in many cases that works fine. However, as the size of the business grows and you start to add on technical professionals, this one-size fits all approach can lead to problems.
One Size Does Not Fit All
In my undergraduate and graduate courses, I had the opportunity to study management both through an academic lense, and through actual case studies. It was fascinating to look at the real world case studies and see what caused Fortune 100 companies to stall, and what could pull them out of a tailspin. For example, IBM completely stood up completely new lines of consulting and IT services independent of their business machines line, just to stay relevant. Boeing managed to develop new revenue streams by completely computerizing, and networking their aircraft. Those lessons have come in handy when I had the opportunity lead teams directly and manage departments with the managers reporting to me. I have learned many things about working with technical teams, the most important of which is to retain top talent, you need to be able to vary your management style to match the employees and the situation. Here are the fundamental management styles and their suggested use. This is not a complete list for every situation (invariably you will come across something that has not been documented, that is what makes management such an interesting challenge.)
Management Styles
Directive – This is what most people think is the sum total of management is. I tell you what to do, you do it. In some limited cases, this works fine. However, will quickly create job dissatisfaction and you will eventually lose staff if this is your sole management style.
Participative – In this style, you solicit input from the employees, and come to a course of action together. It leads to a deeper involvement and “buy in” from the team. Once again, you cannot base your style exclusively on the participative model; there are some situations where it is not appropriate.
Laissez-faire – borrowed from the French, basically meaning “freedom of action, a policy of non-intervention.” A manager trusts the team to get the job done. As you can imagine, this requires an exceptional team and brave manager.
Picking the Correct Style for the Situation At Hand
Choose the Directive Style when:
You are dealing with an employee unfamiliar with a task. Training is a great example.
You have an employee who is very junior, or particularly intimidated with a complex tasking. On the job training can be stressful, and most people learn better by being shown how to do something in detail. Sometimes more than once.
During an emergency. Asking everyone if getting the fire extinguisher would be a good idea while the datacenter is on fire is not good management practice.
In dealing with matters of compliance, such as HIPPA and SOX. Following the proper procedure must be completed, or it generates unacceptable business risk.
Do not use a strictly directive style with completely competent employees, they will see it as micromanagement and you will have negative effect on team morale.
Choose a Participative Style when:
You are dealing with a senior team, who know not only the issues involved, but have a good grasp of possible solutions.
When you are mentoring your staff to lead. The job of every manager is to train themselves out of a job (you would like to get promoted, right?). Your staff should be able to handle the majority of crises without having you available, because no matter how diligent you are, emergencies will arrive when you are not standing right there. You need to help them develop good decision making skills before things are critical.
Be careful with the participative style, depending on the personalities of the team, you may have some team members that dominate the conversation, and in extreme cases, they can erode you authority by assuming that they make all the decisions.
Choose a Laissez-Faire Style when:
Many managers are afraid of this style, and with good reason. For the most part, employees need clear direction, at the tactical, or at least strategic level. However, if you are dealing with a skilled team producing the correct deliverables on time and on budget, you do not need to meet fives times a week to discuss progress. Set specific, measurable, and attainable goals, and trust your people to accomplish them. Rather than monitor every sub task, meet with your employees and track the important milestones. Laissez-faire is not about completely letting go, but knowing when to trust a talented staff to get the job done, and how to verify that completion without becoming a tyrant.
Summing it All Up – The Perfect Style
There is no perfect style of management, an effective manager has a variety of styles to match the situation at hand, taking not only the priorities and deliverables into consideration, but the strengths and weaknesses of the team.