The Relationship Between Management Styles and Management Skills

Introduction

Management styles and management skills are intrinsically linked. The chosen management style dictates the skills a manager will need to effectively implement that style. Different styles require different skill sets and emphasize different aspects of the same skills.

KEY TAKEAWAY: A manager’s choice of style directly influences the skills they need to utilize.

Management Styles and Required Skills

1. Autocratic Style

• Description: Centralized decision-making; manager makes decisions unilaterally with little or no employee input.
• Key Skills Required:
  • Decision-making: Crucial for making quick and decisive judgments.
  • Planning: Essential for organizing tasks and directing employees.
  • Communication: Used to clearly convey instructions and expectations (one-way communication).
  • Leadership: Needed to enforce decisions and maintain control.
• Skills Less Emphasized:
  • Delegation: Rarely used, as the manager retains control.
  • Interpersonal skills: Less important, as employee input is minimal.

EXAM TIP: Autocratic styles are best suited for situations requiring quick decisions or when dealing with inexperienced staff.

2. Persuasive Style

• Description: Manager makes decisions, but attempts to convince employees that the decisions are in their best interest.
• Key Skills Required:
  • Communication: Vital for explaining decisions and persuading employees (one-way communication).
  • Decision-making: Manager still responsible for final decisions.
  • Leadership: To motivate employees to accept decisions.
• Skills Less Emphasized:
  • Delegation: Limited, as decision-making remains centralized.
  • Interpersonal skills: Less emphasis than participative styles, but more than autocratic.

REMEMBER: Persuasive style involves selling the decision, not necessarily collaboration.

3. Consultative Style

• Description: Manager seeks input from employees before making a decision.
• Key Skills Required:
  • Communication: Both one-way (explaining the issue) and two-way (listening to feedback).
  • Decision-making: Analyzing input and making informed choices.
  • Interpersonal skills: Building relationships and trust to encourage participation.
  • Planning: Organizing the consultation process.
• Skills Less Emphasized:
  • Delegation: Can be used to gather information but final decision remains with management.

COMMON MISTAKE: Confusing consultative with participative; in consultative, the manager still makes the final decision.

4. Participative Style

• Description: Decision-making is shared between the manager and employees.
• Key Skills Required:
  • Communication: Crucial for open dialogue and feedback (two-way communication).
  • Delegation: Assigning responsibilities to employees.
  • Interpersonal skills: Building strong relationships and fostering teamwork.
  • Decision-making: Facilitating group decision-making.
  • Leadership: Guiding and motivating the team.
  • Planning: Collaboratively setting goals and strategies.

STUDY HINT: Create a table comparing the level of importance for each skill under each management style.

5. Laissez-faire Style

• Description: Employees have a high degree of autonomy in decision-making.
• Key Skills Required:
  • Delegation: Essential for entrusting responsibilities to employees.
  • Communication: For providing guidance and feedback when needed.
  • Interpersonal skills: Building trust and rapport with employees.
• Skills Less Emphasized:
  • Decision-making: Employees primarily make decisions.
  • Planning: Employees often responsible for their own planning.
  • Leadership: Less direct leadership is required.

APPLICATION: Laissez-faire is often used with highly skilled and motivated teams.

Table: Management Styles vs. Skills

VCAA FOCUS: Be prepared to analyze scenarios and justify which management style and skills would be most appropriate.