KK5: Management Styles

Management Style Definition

The behaviour and attitude of the manager when making decisions, directing, motivating staff, and implementing plans to achieve business objectives.

Autocratic Management Style

• Autocratic refers to a management style characterised by direct control over employees with little to no input from employees and centralised decision making

• Managers place a great importance on achieving tasks and following the established process

• Policies and procedures are maintained in detail and enforced by frequent checks (i.e micromanagement)

• There is a high regard for efficiency

• Centralised decision making

• Communication is downward

• Worker participation in decision-making is minimal

advantages & disadvantages of autocratic

Persuasive Management Style

• Characterised by centralised decision making with attempts to persuade workers of the benefits of decisions

• Managers place great importance on achieving the task and following the established process

• Policies are maintained in detail and enforced by frequent checks as there is a high regard for efficiency

• Communication is centralised with a hierarchical chain of command approach

advantages & disadvantages of persuasive

Consultative Management Style

• Consultative management is a management style characterized by
  decision-making that involves managers seeking input and feedback
  from employees

• Still centralised decision making but based on the suggestions and
  input received after consultation with employees

• More employee-based and less centralised than the autocratic and
  persuasive styles (employees provide ideas and concepts)

• Managers believe task achievement is important, but places value on the
  importance of employee contribution to overall performance of the
  business.

• Two-way communication – communication that is open and
  encourages feedback and discussion (i.e., both top down and bottom-up)

advantages & disadvantages of consultative

Participative Management Style

• Participative Management is a management style characterized by
  shared and collective decision-making with the manager retaining
  accountability.

• Decentralised decision-making workers are given responsibility
  (empowerment) for decision-making in their own areas.

• Decentralisation of power: power/authority is delegated from
  higher levels to lower levels in the hierarchy.

• Objectives are still determined by senior management

• Focus on people

• Two-way communication

advantages & disadvantages of participative

Laissez-faire Management Style

• Laissez-faire management is a management style characterized
  by complete freedom being provided to employees to make
  decisions (completely decentralized – manager has very little role)

• Employees empowered to solve their own problems and make
  their own decisions.

• Commonly found where employees are highly educated, skilled
  and experienced. This group of employees need little direction
  and has their own motivation to accomplish tasks.

• Suitable for industries where creative freedom is important e.g.
  advertising, product design, social media, specialised engineering/
  architecture

advantages & disadvantages of laissez-faire