Management styles can vary depending on the philosophies of those in charge, but whose approach is correct? That's not an easy question to answer, and it likely is contingent upon a myriad of factors, including the company's industry and number of employees. But while there's no right answer as to which approach is the best, a recent Poynter article sought to answer what makes for a successful managerial style.
The article starts by stressing that there is no such thing as a perfect manager. Each individual, even the most effective leader, has flaws. There is no be-all and end-all as it relates to the right way to lead a team. That's because those who move up their respective ranks and take over as a manager aren't necessarily trained on managerial style, but rather the specifics of their given department. For example, someone with strong promotional and external communication skills may start with a company as an ad copy writer and eventually move to VP of Marketing because they know what it takes to run an effective marketing campaign. It's their job knowledge that helps attain the promotion, not an understanding of what constitutes an effective leader of professionals.
As a result, newly appointed managers design their own style. They make up their own rules. When it comes time to take over a department, division or organization, they have already developed what they believe is the right way to manage and lead. A number of approaches have been successful, but is there a common thread between the business realm's most effective leaders?
Jill Geisler, the article's author, posted a series of reviews for the best leaders in today's business realm. They all presented a common theme in regards to leadership and managerial style.
"So what do these managers do better than others?" Geisler asked. "They look at their relationships with employees as a series of transactions. Produce enough good outcomes from each of those transactions and you build social capital. Social capital is a bank of trust and good will that gets you through the rough times, when your role as a manager requires you to disappoint someone, or when you simply make a mistake."
If one's business prowess is what propels them to the top of their organization, it makes sense that their managerial style would mirror what led to their success. Hiring executives and senior managers who subscribe to this philosophy will ensure that decisions made within your company are done in the organization's best interests. Working with a search firm can find the right individuals to fill your executive and management positions.
