Understanding your management style and its ramifications is critical. For instance, if you are an autocratic manager, you might make decisions without the input of others. That style can be effective during emergencies and when quick actions are necessary, but it can cause employees to think their voices aren’t heard and hamper the development of an effective practice team.
PLUSES
Here are common management styles and the benefits (and later, the negative consequences) of each:
- Autocratic: A single authority figure, such as a practice manager, hospital owner or lead doctor, makes the decisions. As I noted, the style can be effective in urgent situations.
- Democratic: The team, whether all employees or just key leaders, provides input and makes decisions. The style works well when establishing practice policies, procedures and treatment protocols.
- Laissez faire: Employees have a high degree of autonomy and responsibility. The style can benefit experienced and self-motivated veterinary professionals, fostering innovation and creativity.
- Transformational: These leaders inspire and motivate their teams to achieve shared goals. The style can create a positive practice culture, promote ongoing learning and encourage employee engagement.
- Transactional: Leaders manage employees through rewards and consequences. The style helps ensure compliance with protocols and standards.
- Servant: Managers prioritize team member well-being and focus on serving employees’ needs. The style promotes a supportive, caring work environment, which is vitally important in a veterinary practice.
- Situational: Leaders adapt their style to the situation and the needs of the practice and team. The approach works well in a dynamic setting where different challenges require diverse leadership approaches.
Do you possess one of the styles above? Many owner-veterinarians and managers have more than one. Most of us are mutts rather than purebreds, and our approach might utilize elements of some or all management styles. An effective manager knows when to use a specific style to get the best results from the team and might use a distinctive type with different employees.
MINUSES
Just as a particular management style can have beneficial outcomes, negative consequences are possible. Managers should recognize those ill effects on the team and practice.
- Autocratic: An autocratic manager makes decisions unilaterally and exercises tight control over a team. Such a person often doesn’t seek input or feedback, which can lead to employee frustration, low morale and high turnover. Team members might feel undervalued and disengaged, leading to reduced job satisfaction. Autocratic managers can stifle creativity and innovation because employees aren’t encouraged to share ideas or take ownership of their work. Teams can resist change.
- Democratic: In a democratic setting, decisions often require group discussions, which can delay crucial rulings, especially in time-sensitive situations. Encouraging open dialogue can lead to conflict among team members. In collective decision-making, assigning accountability for outcomes to specific individuals is challenging.
- Laissez faire: It’s characterized by a hands-off approach because managers give employees a high degree of autonomy. Unfortunately, team members might not receive clear guidance, so they are uncertain about management’s expectations. Performance can vary in a laissez-faire environment, so some employees excel while others struggle or become less productive. Managers utilizing a laissez-faire style sometimes step in only when a problem becomes significant.
- Transformational: These managers are often charismatic and inspiring, but employees might overrely on the boss for direction and motivation. Transformational managers set high expectations for employees, aiming for ambitious goals and continuous improvement. The high expectations can lead to stress and burnout if team members feel pressured to excel constantly. Transformational leaders focus on the big picture and long-term goals but sometimes overlook the importance of day-to-day details and processes.
- Transactional: It’s characterized by a focus on rewards and consequences to motivate and manage employees. Team members might become disengaged when their primary motivation is based on extrinsic factors (incentives and punishments) rather than intrinsic job satisfaction. Transactional managers prioritize short-term goals and immediate results, often at the expense of long-term growth and innovation. Too much focus on strict adherence to rules and protocols can stifle creativity and discourage employees from proposing ideas. Team members might become risk-averse when they fear negative consequences. Transactional management often involves micromanagement and close supervision, eroding employee trust and morale. Team members might not see the value of going beyond the minimum requirements.
- Servant: In some cases, employees take advantage of this approach by expecting excessive support and not taking responsibility for their work. Servant leaders often seek input and consensus from team members, which can slow the decision-making process. Servant leaders might be hesitant to enforce consequences or discipline, and they prioritize support and empathy. A servant approach might be perceived as inadequate during a crisis demanding strong, decisive leadership.
- Situational: Adapting a leadership style to the situation or individual can be complex and time-consuming. Situational leaders might have difficulty consistently assessing and adjusting their approach. Frequent changes in leadership style also may lead to inconsistency in how decisions are made and expectations communicated. Effective situational leadership requires strong interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, and the ability to assess and respond to varying conditions. Not all leaders possess such skills and might struggle to implement a situational approach effectively.
The bottom line is that leaders exhibit different management styles or multiple ones. You should understand how your style ultimately affects your personal and business success. As they say, every action has a reaction.
What are some of the outcomes associated with your leadership style? Is the time right to change yours to achieve more positive results?
CLASSIC STYLES
According to interobservers.com, here are the leadership styles of four famous people.
- Autocratic: Businesswoman Martha Stewart
- Transactional: Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates
- Servant: South African activist and president Nelson Mandela
- Situational: World War II general and U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower