EDITOR’S PICK

Recognize Your Style of Management to Succeed 

A manager’s style can make or break an organization. Think of the best (and worst) bosses you ever had. Ultimately, what was it about them that clicked with you, or made you want to run screaming out the door and never come back? And if you are a manager, does your team do better with you there, or are they surprisingly productive when you are away? To move forward in your career, you may have to answer these questions—and may not like the answers. This issue of MCE Quarterly looks at how you can work on your management style. 

Achieving self-awareness of your style is the first step. In its most recent survey of executives, AMA/MCE asked respondents to gauge their own management styles, and found that managers may not be using management styles as effectively as they think. Although nearly every manager said they were adept at knowing when to flex their management style, a significant proportion of staff feel mismanaged, suggesting that managers might be overconfident. 

In her article, Laura Crawshaw says that tackling the management problems posed by abrasive leaders can reduce attrition and anti-management sentiment, while at the same time retaining the formerly abrasive leader’s valuable expertise. Madison Lundquist discusses how managers can ensure that their employees are ready for change and have the skills necessary to be successful with future tools and technologies. And in looking at how to successfully get buy-in from your team on adopting new processes, Renee Fellman says involving the right people at the right time provides optimal outcomes. 

If you want to take a deep look at your own management style—and make changes that can positively affect your team, your company, and your career —AMA/MCE has the expertise to set you on the right path.