Leadership and Management Styles

Leadership and management styles

Manager and leader are two completely different roles, although we often use the terms interchangeably. Managers are facilitators of their team members’ success. They ensure that their staff have everything they need to be productive and successful; that they’re well trained, that they’re being groomed for the next level; that they are recognized for great performance and coached through their challenges.
A leader can be anyone on the team who has a particular talent, who is creatively thinking out of the box and has a great idea, who has experience in a certain aspect of the business or project that can prove useful to the manager and the team. A leader leads based on strengths, not titles.
Management leadership is about finding ways to meet the needs of your employees and of your organization. There is no single correct management leadership style -- the best leadership style is the one that meets the challenges you are facing and the needs of the people you are leading. Effective leaders are often flexible and are able to change their style of leadership to suit changing circumstances.
The DIRECTIVE leader orders the team around, sets high standards and disciplines those who don’t meet the standard.
Effective when:
  * There is a crisis
  * When deviations are risky
Not effective when:
  * Employees are underdeveloped – little learning happens with this style
  * Employees are highly skilled – they become frustrated and resentful at the micromanaging.

The AUTHORITATIVE leader sets the vision for the team, clearly and compellingly, then steps back and allows the team to work. The leader steps in from time to time to reiterate the vision if required, but that is all he / she does.
Effective when:
  * Clear directions and standards needed
  * The leader is credible
Ineffective when:
  * Employees are underdeveloped – they need guidance on what to do
  * The leader is not credible – people won’t follow...