Management Methods and Styles: What Does It Take To Lead a Team?

An important question for anyone in a management or leadership position is, “What makes a leader or manager successful?”

The answer to this question may differ from one person to the other, and it reveals their individual management style. This, in turn, determines how effective they are in leading and inspiring their team to succeed. 

We’ve put together this guide on organizational development through healthy leadership below.

 

What Is Good Leadership?

Before we delve into the different management styles and methods and what works and what doesn’t, it’s important to discuss the fundamentals of good leadership.

Be Available When You’re Needed

Make time for your team and be available to them. A huge part of leadership involves being able to support, assist, and encourage your team through the daily ups and downs.

Get To Know Your Team

An accessible and friendly team leader is more successful and effective than an aloof one. You must understand what makes them tick and what their professional development goals are. And when you build rapport with your team members, you will know their strengths and weaknesses. With this crucial insight, you can lead more effectively.

Encourage Open Communication

Frequent check-ins and open communication will help your team flourish and ensure you’re all on the same page. You must communicate regarding:

• Expectations, long-term and short-term goals, progress reports
• Feedback and suggestions from team members
• Roles and responsibilities for all projects
• Performance reviews, acknowledgments, rewards

Lead by Example and Practice Empathy

An unspoken responsibility that falls on your shoulders is to lead by example. This means you must set expectations or delegate responsibilities that you could handle yourself if you were in their position.

This ties in nicely with practicing empathy, another fundamental characteristic of a good leader.

 

Management Styles

While you may follow the aforementioned tips to be a better leader, your management style could hinder you from reaching your full potential.

Management Styles You Should Adopt

• Visionary Management - communicating the vision, direction, or purpose of a project to motivate team members to bring it to life
• Democratic Management - allowing employees or team members to participate in the decision-making process and influence the final decision by providing feedback and suggestions
• Transformational Management - encouraging workplace learning and development through workplace training to raise the bar and help team members grow in terms of skills and competency
• Coaching Management - improve employees’ long-term development through learning content, or giving them access to digital learning. Talk to an expert to learn more via UPfolx.

Management Styles You Should Avoid

• Autocratic Management - a top-down hierarchy where subordinates do not have power and are expected to follow orders blindly
• Laissez-Faire Management - employees work without guidance or input, yet there are still high expectations for results
• Transactional Management - using minor incentives like stock options or bonuses to motivate employees rather than promoting a healthy working environment
• Servant Management - completion of tasks is prioritized above the people working on them, and employee happiness and satisfaction are not considered

 

Final Thoughts

Knowing what it takes to lead a team is extremely valuable and rewarding for anyone in a management or leadership position. Communication, empathy, and leading by example are important hallmarks of great leaders in any field. Along with productive management styles, you can lead your organization to long-term success.

 

References:

https://www.liquidplanner.com/blog/8-tips-for-new-team-leaders/

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/management-styles

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/02/15/what-makes-a-great-leader-best-practices-when-discovering-your-management-style/