What is your Management Style?
February 18, 2010If you are interviewing a prospective employee, one question they are sure to ask is “What is your Management Style?” It’s a very good question and your answer could determine whether or not they would work best in your department. Which of these styles describes you?
Authoritarian
This management style is known by other names, such as “Top-Down Manager” or “Directing Manager”. As the name implies, an authoritarian manager directs subordinates to do specific tasks with little to no feedback. They make the decisions and tell employees what they need to do, how they need to do it and when it needs to be done. An employee that requires specific direction would work well with Authoritarian style management.
Participatory
This type of manager gives direction, but unlike the Authoritarian, tells employees precisely what their function is and how the task relates to the overall goal. Often, this type of manager is involved and working besides their employees on the same projects.
Democratic
A manager with a democratic management style will seek input from staff on decisions and goals. This type of manager would have more of a focus on team building and rely on employee cooperation to get a job done. An employee that does not need a lot of direction, enjoys working in a team environment and likes to think out of the box would work well under this type of manager.