management styles

Question 1

what are management styles?

Answer 1

management style refers to the behaviours and attitudes of the manager when making decisions and communicating with employees.

Question 2

what are the 5 management styles

Answer 2

autocratic
persuasive
consultative
participative
laissez-faire

Question 3

define autocratic management style

Answer 3

where the manager makes decisions themselves and TELLS the employees the decision.

Question 4

autocratic characteristics

Answer 4

centralised decision-making
one-way communication
clear and direct communication

Question 5

when is autocratic best?
task

Answer 5

when there are simple tasks or when there is a crisis and tasks need to be acted upon.

Question 6

when is autocratic best?
time

Answer 6

when the task is urgent and time is limited, the manager can make quick decisions.

Question 7

when is autocratic best?
experience

Answer 7

when employees don’t have the necessary skills or knowledge to make decisions on their own.

Question 8

when is autocratic best?
manager

Answer 8

some managers prefer to maintain control and act upon their ideas quickly

Question 9

autocratic advantages (2)

Answer 9

-decisions are made quickly
-communication is clear, ensuring employees understand their tasks
-can be effective when employees lack motivation

Question 10

autocratic disadvantages (2)

Answer 10

-smaller pool of ideas due to no employee input
-employees may feel undervalued, resulting in poor morale
-can reduce creativity in the business
-difficult to get buy-in from employees on decisions

Question 11

define persuasive management style

Answer 11

where the manager makes decisions themselves and aims to convince the employees that the decision is best.

Question 12

persuasive characteristics

Answer 12

centralised decision-making
one-way communication
more communication to employees than autocratic

Question 13

when is persuasive best?
task

Answer 13

can be used for both simple tasks as well as more complex or challenging.

Question 14

when is persuasive best?
time

Answer 14

best when the task is urgent and time is limited. The manager is still able to make quick decisions.

Question 15

when is persuasive best?
experience

Answer 15

can be used when employees have the skills to complete the task but possibly lack confidence or can be used when employees don’t have the knowledge to make decisions.

Question 16

when is persuasive best?
manager

Answer 16

some managers prefer to maintain control but aim to get employees on board.

Question 17

persuasive advantages (2)

Answer 17

-decisions are made relatively quickly
-communication is clear
-can get employees to buy in to a decision if convinced it is best

Question 18

persuasive disadvantages (2)

Answer 18

-smaller pool of ideas due to no employee input
-communication is one-way, which can harm morale for some employees
-employees may begin to feel manipulated over time if continued to be sold ideas

Question 19

define consultative management style

Answer 19

consultative management is where the manager seeks feedback from employees before they make the final decision.

Question 20

consultative characteristics

Answer 20

centralized decision making
two-way communication
manager uses information gathered from employees to make a final decision

Question 21

when is consultative best?
task

Answer 21

can be effective when the task is more complex and requires multiple perspectives or more in-depth information to make an informed decision.

Question 22

when is consultative best?
time

Answer 22

best when there is more time available to allow the consultation process to occur.

Question 23

when is consultative best?
experience

Answer 23

when the employees have knowledge of the situation or experience in the area.

Question 24

when is consultative best?
manager

Answer 24

some managers value employee input and feel they can get buy-in from employees by including them in the process, yet maintain control over final decisions.

Question 25

consultative advantages

Answer 25

-helps manager make more informed decisions
-larger pool of ideas, using employee knowledge and experience
-employees feel more valued, improving morale
-more likely to get buy-in from employees

Question 26

consultative disadvantages

Answer 26

-more time-consuming to make decisions
-some ideas may be overlooked, causing resentment or conflict
-some employees may not have the knowledge or experience to effectively contribute

Question 27

define participative management style

Answer 27

where the manager collaboratively makes decisions with the employees.

Question 28

participative characteristics

Answer 28

decentralised decision-making
two-way communication
employees are valued and part of the decision-making process

Question 29

when is participative best?
task

Answer 29

often best when tasks are more complex and discussion needs to occur before decisions are made.

Question 30

when is participative best?
time

Answer 30

best when more time is available so solutions can be discussed.

Question 31

when is participative best?
experience

Answer 31

is best when the employees are experienced and have in-depth knowledge of the issue.

Question 32

when is participative best?
manager

Answer 32

some managers have a preference to empower employees and utilise their skills and knowledge.

Question 33

define laissez-faire management style

Answer 33

where the manager gives autonomy and trust to employees to carry out tasks and decisions.

Question 34

laissez-faire characteristics

Answer 34

-decentralized decision-making
-employees work independently with minimal management involvement
-manager may provide necessary support where required but does not interfere with daily operations

Question 35

when is laissez-faire best?
task

Answer 35

can be used for relatively simple tasks where the manager is not required. however, it can be beneficial for specialized tasks where the employee is the expert.

Question 36

when is laissez-faire best?
time

Answer 36

can be used when time is critical so multiple employees can be responsible for their own tasks, sharing the load. or when the employee has time to complete larger projects.

Question 37

when is laissez-faire best?
experience

Answer 37

when employees are highly skilled and experienced and are able to work independently.

Question 38

when is laissez-faire best?
manager

Answer 38

the manager who uses this style has a preference to trust employees with tasks and provide them freedom and autonomy to get the job done.