What's Your Management Style?
What's Your Management Style?
Take our quiz to find out what your management style is. It's important to experiment with different styles depending on the situation, so try varying your answers to learn about other approaches you can use as a manager.
Take our quiz to find out what your management style is. It's important to experiment with different styles depending on the situation, so try varying your answers to learn about other approaches you can use as a manager.
How do you motivate your employees?
As a manager, which of the following do you value most?
Which of these statements best describes your management style?
As a manager, when are you most effective?
Concerning your employees, which behavior do you engage in most?
Autocratic
Autocratic
You’re the “do it my way” type who values total control and immediate compliance from your employees. You’re most effective when quick decisions are needed, but generally ineffective otherwise because you’re slow to praise and quick to criticize your employees, which makes them feel frustrated and undervalued.
Visionary
Visionary
You guide employees towards a shared vision. By telling people where the organisation needs to go, but not how to get there, you leave people open to innovation and deviation. You’re most effective when a clear direction and standard is needed.
Affiliative
Affiliative
You recognize the value of teamwork and encourage group harmony by connecting people. Your approach is effective when the organisation needs a morale boost, but generally ineffective when used alone because the emphasis on group praise can allow poor performance to go uncorrected.
Democratic
Democratic
You draw on employees’ collective skills and create a group commitment to the resulting goals. You’re effective when it’s unclear which direction the organisation should take, but less effective when quick decisions are needed.
Pace-setting
Pace-setting
You lead by example, setting high standards for your employees and expecting them to do the same. You’re effective when working with highly skilled employees who need little direction, but can be ineffective by undercutting morale and making people feel as if they’re constantly failing.
Coaching
Coaching
Your one-to-one management style focuses on developing individuals, improving their performance, and linking their goals to those of the organisation as a whole. Your approach is effective when dealing with highly motivated employees who seek professional development, but ineffective when overdone because it can undermine self-confidence if perceived as micromanagement.