There Are 4 Types of Managers. Take This Quiz to Find Out Which You Are, and If You're In the Right Line of Work. Knowing your leadership style, and whether it suits the work you're doing and the team you have, is the first step in living up to your leadership potential.
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I'm constantly asked by managers, "How can I get my employees to ___?"
Fill in the blank: "work as a team," "step up their performance," "care about their work," etc. The question always focuses on fixing the employee. Rarely am I asked, "How can I improve as a leader?"
In most cases, the answer to the second question will also resolve the first. It starts with more self-awareness. Managers can be so focused on everything that needs to get done that they don't take time to reflect on how their leadership style affects their team's work. Or maybe they don't believe they're the problem at all. It always feels better to point the finger than to look in the mirror.
Related: This Leadership Style Is Redefining Success in the Modern Business World
Please don't feel defensive. I don't know you or your employees. But I've generally found that managers can do more to boost their team's performance. And the truth is, you want employee underperformance to be partially your fault — because then you can do something about it. Taking responsibility is more empowering than laying blame, and it's easier to change yourself than it is to change other people.
Your management technique also doesn't have to be problematic to be limiting. You may have built a functional team that gets the job done. But who wants to be functional when you can be exceptional?
So let's evaluate your current management methods.
HOW TO TAKE THIS QUIZ
Below, you'll see a list of beliefs. For each one, decide how much you agree and what number corresponds. At the end you'll add up your totals to get your results.
Use this scale for each belief:
- Strongly Disagree: 1
- Disagree: 2
- Neutral: 3
- Agree: 4
- Strongly Agree: 5
Belief: 1 — Employees should follow orders without questioning them.
Belief: 2 — Employees should have a say in the decisions that impact their work.
Belief: 3 — Employees should have the freedom to work in the way that suits them best.
Belief: 4 — Leaders should inspire and motivate employees to do their best work.
Belief: 5 — The manager's role is to oversee and direct employees at all times.
Belief: 6 — The manager's role is to promote open communication and cooperation among employees.
Belief: 7 — The manager's role is to provide resources and support, but otherwise let employees manage their own work.
Belief: 8 — The manager's role is to empower employees to take ownership of their work and contribute to the organization's goals.
Belief: 9 — Employees should be closely monitored to ensure they're meeting expectations.
Belief: 10 — Employees should be trusted to make good decisions and contribute to the success of the organization.
Belief: 11 — Employees should be given the flexibility to work in their own way and manage their own schedules.
Belief: 12 — Employees should be given opportunities to grow and develop their skills and abilities.
Belief: 13 — The manager's authority should be respected without question.
Belief: 14 — The manager should be open to feedback and willing to adjust their approach based on input from their team.
Belief: 15 — The manager should provide guidance, but otherwise let employees manage themselves.
Belief: 16 — The manager should lead by example and inspire employees to excel.
Belief: 17 — Discipline is necessary to maintain order and productivity in the workplace.
Belief: 18 — Collaboration and teamwork are essential for achieving success in the workplace.
Belief: 19 — Autonomy and self-direction are important for employee satisfaction and productivity.
Belief: 20 — A clear vision and sense of purpose are important for motivating employees to achieve their goals.
Belief: 21 — The manager is ultimately responsible for the success or failure of the team.
Belief: 22 — The success of the team is the result of everyone's contributions and collaboration.
Belief: 23 — The success of the team is largely dependent on each individual's ability to manage their own work.
Belief: 24 — The success of the team is driven by a shared sense of purpose and commitment to excellence.
OK, now let's add up your scores to determine your dominant management styles:
MANAGEMENT STYLE 1 → Add up the responses for beliefs 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, and 21:
MANAGEMENT STYLE 2 → Add up the responses for beliefs 2, 6, 10, 14, 18, and 22:
MANAGEMENT STYLE 3 → Add up the responses for beliefs 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, and 23:
MANAGEMENT STYLE 4 → Add up the responses for beliefs 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24:
The style with the highest score best represents your primary management method. You may lean heavily toward one, or have a balance of multiple styles.
Related: The 5 Key Characteristics and Qualities of a Good Leader
Management Style 1: The Top Dog
This manager prefers to be in control. Communication tends to be one-way. They say what to do and expect team members to do it. It's an autocratic approach to leadership.
When there's a crisis, or when things need to get done quickly, a take-charge approach to leadership can be very efficient. Sometimes we need a strong general to get us through the battle, or a decisive coach to dictate the next play.
But this can come at the cost of team morale or employee welfare. Often these leaders speak in an urgent tone that doesn't feel good to hear. They give feedback without considering the impact of their words. And they may miss others' good ideas by failing to listen.
My friends' 16-year-old son left his first job at McDonald's, which he loved, because he felt one of the managers was way too critical. Workers no longer accept treatment that they perceive as extreme, so for this style of leadership to work, managers need to know how far they can push for results without breaking employees' spirit.
Top Dog management is best for urgent, high-stakes situations where a quick result is the biggest priority, provided the manager actually knows what's best and can keep their severity in check.
Related: How Your Leadership Style Impacts Your Business Goals
Management Style 2: The Collaborator
This manager enjoys give-and-take with team members. Communication is two-way, and all ideas are welcome. This yields more perspectives, information, and choices. Decisions are made collectively, which empowers everyone. People like to have a say, and when they do, they have more ownership in the outcome.
Giving employees a voice will make them happy, but consensus takes time. When things need to be dealt with fast, this approach won't work. And not all work is suited for groups. On the occasions that I've tried to help groups write a mission statement, the result is a long, wordy sentence that everyone has altered and no one likes. And when the stakes are high and work is stressful, personalities need to be managed.
Collaborator management is best for brainstorming and making plans for work that's not time-sensitive or urgent, with employees who have lots of experience.
Related: Why Situational Leadership Is More Relevant Than Ever
Management Style: The Chillaxer
Sometimes referred to as a "laissez-faire leader," this manager prefers to hang back ("chill") and let the team do its thing. That doesn't mean they don't care. They just don't want to get in the way. They see their team as smart and capable and want to empower them to take risks and be creative. They are willing to let employees make mistakes.
They also know skilled employees dislike being micromanaged. Steve Jobs was this kind of manager (when he wasn't Top Dogging!), famously saying, "It doesn't make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do."
But this style of management doesn't work well with unmotivated employees or those lacking proper training, ability, or confidence. I remember at one of my son's basketball games, his coach got so fed up with players pushing back on his directions that he sat on the bench and let them play without coaching. Once they fell 26 points behind, the team realized they didn't want a Chillaxer; they needed a Top Dog! The coach called for a time out, reengaged in the game, and got the team back within four points. They lost the game but learned some respect.
Chillaxer management is best for proven, skilled employees who have earned their independence with proven results.
Related: What Is Laissez-Faire Leadership? What Are Its Benefits and Drawbacks?
Management Style 4: The Visionary
Visionary managers are all about the big picture. Everything they do is about the organization's mission. They inspire their teams by speaking in broader terms, giving purpose to their work. Every Valentine's Day at Edible Arrangements, I started the day with a pep talk, reminding my employees that each fruit basket they were about to create was an expression of someone's love. They liked having that strong sense of "why." Visionaries also focus a lot on employee growth and learning.
Visionaries have a wonderful larger perspective but often miss the important details of day-to-day work. Fulfilling a mission is important, but sometimes you just need to get the pizza sliced, boxed, and out the door.
Visionary management is best when team members need inspiration, purpose, and personal growth.
Related: 4 Ways to Harness Your Leadership Brand and Transform Your Workplace Culture
WHAT TO DO NEXT: Don't get too hung up on the quiz results. There's a lot of nuance to who we are and how we behave. The point of the exercise is to get you thinking about your style and how it affects your team. It's easier to adjust when you know which way you lean. It's also important to understand the difference between how you're inclined to manage and how your employees need you to manage, so you can become the best of all styles.
WANT MORE? This was excerpted from the book Stop the Shift Show: Turn Your Struggling Hourly Workers Into a Top-Performing Team by Scott Greenberg, available now.
