Management styles

Being an effective manager means knowing when to use the right management style. Some styles are more people-oriented, while others tend to focus on a project or product. The management style you select will depend on your people’s skills and knowledge, available resources (like time and money), desired results, and the task before you. Managing without a specific style can slow you down and even lead to costly mistakes.

Participatory Style
Here, you give each employee an entire task to complete. If that's not possible, make sure the individual knows and understands his or her part as it relates to the project or task. When people on your team know where they fit in the big picture, they're more likely to be motivated to complete the task. Reward not only jobs well done, but motivation as well. This will maintain the momentum and let people know that you have faith in their efforts. This style of leadership often leads to more effective and accurate decisions, since no leader can be an expert in all areas.

Directing Style
Sometimes a direct style of management is needed. A tight deadline looms, or the project involves numerous employees and requires a top-down management approach. This style may seem cold and impersonal, but you still have an opportunity to be a motivating and accessible manager. Your communication must be detail-oriented, unambiguous, and free of jargon. You need to set clear, short-term goals like, “Your goal is to complete one report each day". This style is best used in situations where the leader needs to rely on qualified employees. The leader cannot be an expert in all situations, which is why it is important to delegate certain tasks out to knowledgeable and trustworthy employees.