Directive, persuasive, delegative or participative management: what is your style?

What type of manager are you?

A manager is responsible for the management and distribution of tasks and people for the realization of projects. His role is to lead, encourage and support his team in order to achieve the objectives set. The missions and functions of a manager vary according to the sector of activity.

Today, being a good manager is subjective: some will say that you have to be authoritarian, while others will think that a good manager must support his team.

Reactive Executive details the different types of leadership to let you know what type of manager you are .

The 5 management styles to know

There are four main ways of managing in our society. Each brings added value but also has limits

1) Directive management

This type of management gives great power to the manager. Many bosses use this method. The directive manager:

• gives instructions and wants them to be carried out on time
• is at the initiative of the procedures
• control
• is determined to achieve its goals

If this management method is effective for the success of the objectives, it nevertheless has limits because it does not involve much team participation and can cause stress and discomfort for the latter, for fear of failing.

In addition, directive management leaves little room for autonomy and does not allow employees to flourish in their work environment, which can result in frustration, reduced motivation and can be a source of conflict.

2) Persuasive management

The manager can be persuasive, ie he will play the role of “coach”. He will motivate his teams and push them to surpass themselves. He influences more than he imposes: he pushes his team to question and question themselves in order to opt for the best final solution. He offers his collaborators and employees more autonomy than a directive manager; which allows you to be motivated and to surpass yourself . The persuasive manager:

• leads to team cohesion
• highlights the positive aspects
• talks a lot with his team

Persuasive management is very effective when the team lacks experience and needs to learn more. This style of management involves being charismatic and having a certain presence. Unfortunately, persuasive management is limiting in the final decisions because the manager remains in control, which once again leaves little room for employee participation.

3) Delegative management

Another mode of management is delegative management. As its name suggests, it aims to delegate a certain number of tasks to its employees. He thus attributes a large autonomy to his subordinates. Everything is based on trust with its employees . Very open-minded, he leaves carte blanche to his collaborators when it comes to decision-making.

The delegated manager:

• gives the results and objectives to be achieved by leaving free choice as to the action plans
• set up meetings
• listens and accepts the proposals of its collaborators
• is in favor of the creativity of his team

This type of management gives employees the feeling of being real decision-makers and reinforces their sense of belonging . However, the delegating manager may be considered lax to some due to withdrawal, lack of authority and productivity. Employees bear all the responsibility and can then feel disoriented and neglected, which could alienate the hierarchy and reduce the quality of work.

4) Participative management

The so-called “participatory” manager encourages his teams to contribute. He listens and likes to share. He involves his entire team at each decision-making stage, consulting them and informing them beforehand. For the participative manager, everything is built together. He is a manager focused on relationships and people. This approach helps to detect talent, boost motivation and encourage innovation.

A good participative manager must demonstrate leadership, pedagogy and diplomacy to create a work environment conducive to collaboration. He must also be able to let go and trust his teams.

The problem with this type of management is that there can be disorganization within the team and in particular a slowdown in the execution of tasks. Indeed, when each member of the team is involved in the decision-making process, this can lead to longer delays in reaching a consensus. In addition, too much involvement of each person can sometimes lead to conflicts of interest or confusion about responsibilities. This approach can also be ineffective when decisions must be made quickly.

5) CARING MANAGEMENT

This management style is opposed to traditional authoritarian and hierarchical management, based on a human and positive approach to leadership. The caring manager encourages the autonomy and decision-making of employees, and is committed to developing their skills and potential. Not only does he value everyone’s ideas, but he also knows how to show empathy and understanding towards the difficulties encountered by his employees.

The results are obvious: caring management promotes team motivation, commitment and performance. Employees feel less stressed and the social climate is pleasant.

Be careful, benevolent management can create a feeling of complacency in some employees, encouraging them to relax in their efforts and not seek to surpass themselves. Also, too much focus on well-being can sometimes lead to overly sentimental decisions, to the detriment of the company’s efficiency and objectives.

A new way of managing: situational management

The rapid evolution of our society pushes for ever more novelties. Situational management has recently been adopted by managers within their companies.

Situational management involves managing in one way or another depending on the situations that arise. This management style also allows you to adapt to each person. For example :

• In an emergency situation, the manager will adopt a directive behavior.
• If a person wishes to be accompanied, it will be necessary to privilege the persuasive behavior.
• If a person wishes to be accompanied, it will be necessary to privilege the persuasive behavior. On the contrary, if you want more autonomy, delegating management will be more suitable.

A situational manager can therefore adopt several types of management: he can be both directive and persuasive.

How to know and understand your management type?

The type of management that suits us is sometimes difficult to describe since a manager can be both participative and persuasive.

Fortunately, there are many tools and exercises that allow you to self-assess in order to identify your management style. Two principles stand out in order to target this approach:

• Achievement of goals
• Relationships between humans

By exploring these two dimensions, you can begin to identify the management style that best suits you.

Tools to help you:

• Self-assessment questionnaires help to identify your management style. Some will take into account different criteria such as: your personality, your strengths and weaknesses, as well as the context of your team and your activity.

• Typical scenarios can also be useful. For example, in a rush or crisis period, directive management may be necessary for rapid and effective decision-making. On the other hand, a period of change requires a more attentive and inclusive approach, based on persuasive or participatory management.

Advice to improve your management style according to your limits

There are several ways to improve your management style.

• The DISC method (dominant, stable, influential, conformist) aims to effectively develop communication by adapting to its employees. He takes into account the emotions of others in order to find adequate solutions.
• The Maslow method involves the issue of employee motivation, it is a pyramid that understands everyone’s needs. Thus, to progress in your management, it is a tool that managers can use.
• Active listening makes it possible to improve several areas of imperfections by treating the problem at the root and thus avoiding conflicts, particularly in the case of directive management.

Finally, using a transitional management firm can be a solution to overcome the limits of your type of management. Reactive Executive specializes in management assistance and advice and finds solutions adapted to your situations and your needs.