Managerial Style refers to the more or less consistent patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that characterize the way in which you deal with people and situations in a management context. Your style is one of the strongest tools you have in your repertory as a manager. Although it would be convenient if we just had a single, unchanging style under all circumstances, it is probably the opposite: managers have an average of three styles, style and how it is applied varies over time with maturity and personal development, and style may be applied differently across different contingencies or situations.

In addition, the manner in which you reflect on your experience, modify your style, and apply your skills in different situations role-models for others your expectations of how they can develop as employees. Finally, it is difficult to modify and refine your managerial style until you can clearly articulate it to yourself and others. The advantage of understanding your style in particular, is that knowledge enables scrutiny, discussion, understanding, and change.This assignment focuses on the constituents of managerial style and should enable you to fluently and thoroughly describe your style, its strengths and weaknesses, and how you intend to develop it further. This activity culminates in a term paper that describes your style in detail.

There are wide variations in management style. In a study of 124 mid- and first -level managers, only 14% were seen as using the same style acvross four situations (Hall, 1973). In another sample of 124 managers (Bass & Valenzi, 1974): 2.4% has a single style approach, .8% hasd a dual approach, 94.4% were multistyle (3 or more of 6 styles), and 2.4 % were unclassified. The most variance in leader style was accounted for by situations requiring quality solution and/or subordinate acceptance in decision making (Vroom & Yetton, 1973). While it is important to "know your style(s), it is equally important to know what situations or contingencies are the triggers for switching your styles.
 

Some of the more common aspects of style include:

decision making problem solving learning style tolerance of undertainty, ambiguity, & risk leadership

conflict preferred team roles primary motivators how you deal with change creativity etc...

Objectives: As a result of this task you should be able to--

• understand the role of personality/style in work performance and organizational behavior
• describe your managerial/leadership style in detail, including identifying situations in which your characteristics are a strength or weakness, and how you can further develop your style

discuss the characteristics of a "good test" for assessing style, including the strengths and weaknesses of current measures

In addition, the skills you develop in describing your managerial style can be carried over into other situations as well that can be of use to you:

• reading and understanding technical research and writing on leadership and management
• knowing what to look for and assess in managerial applicants
• able to describe and discuss the behavior of others and how it affects performacne and relationships
• mentoring and guiding others
• optimizing your time and efforts to more clearly decide which characteristics to further develop
• which tasks and battles are a best fit for your style critically evaluate and use tests, surveys, and inventories that assess style characteristics.

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Questions for study:

• If you were asked in a job interview, promotional interview, or assessment center "What is your managerial style?" what would you say? How would you describe how you might lead others--your leadership style?
• What are the key work-related aspects of one's (not just your) personality, specifically, those related to managerial effectiveness?
• In your supervision of others, what personal qualities should you attend to? How would you use this information to help you work more effectively with them (and help them work more effectively with others)?

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Online Resources

To help you in this task you will have several online readings as well as a wide variety of self-tests to assess and consider your style. Most are self scoring, although you will need to read some of the appended articles for their interpretation or ask the instructor.
• Personality, the key to job success. Brief article with emphasis on 5-factor model.
• Online Assessments . This is an extensive collection of self assessments on important dimensions of managerial style.
• Personality and individual differences-- discussion of the levels and facets of personality

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Suggestions for Writing

For each aspect considered and test scored you should discuss the results with others in the class and instructor. When you write your report describing your style, use the following format: 

• title at top and on the cover page
• brief paragraph introducing and overviewing the purpose of the paper and how you have structured the report.
• use clear headers to cover important dimensions of your style. While there is not limit, you should consider at least five and probably no more than ten aspects of style.
• When discussing the strengths and limitations of your style on each dimension, be sure to bring in evidence (from tests) and examples (from experience) that highlight your observations. You should draw from several sources of information whenever possible. For example, when discussing your interpersonal style you could note a strong extraversion (Jungian Type) in which you are energizes by contact with many people, assertiveness in which you take initiative to meet and influence others, and a willingness to use power, influence, and even manipulation in some situations such as labor negotiations (Mach test).
• Consider how the strengths and limits of your present style fit your present position and responsibilities.
• Conclude the paper with a summary of your overall style and how you might continue your efforts to develop and refine your managerial style.
• Be sure to use APA style for the paper. Style summaries and other suggestions for writing can be found at The Manager's Library.

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last updated 9-2-00
dswenson@css.edu