How to answer ‘What is Your Management Style?’

Introduction

In this article, we will see How to answer ‘What is Your Management Style?’.

The need to have a sense of your management style is so important in this career world. When you know what makes you a good manager, you can be confident in your work style. Once you have identified it, you can work on even making it better. Fashion may go out of style but good management techniques will only get better with more hands-on experience.

You may have to answer this question even when you may be applying just for an entry-level job. Why? Because there is a leader in every person and the interviewer just wants to know what type of leader you are and hence they can have a sense of what type of management you mostly lean on. Interviewers ask this question to also discover how well you will fit into their company culture and if you can comply with the way they manage a team or the office in general.

Every company has a different way of managing their employees and if your style doesn’t match theirs then there will be a big adjustment issue with the management later on. Therefore, this question is a remedy to such issues arising shortly. If you want to avoid failing the interview, here are some tips on how to prepare for this question before you face the interview.

• Have a thorough background check on the company’s culture and their way of managing their staff. If possible, have first-hand information through your trusted sources. Or else you can rely on the website and their social media handles to get a little insight into their company culture and ethos.

• Secondly, prepare for the answer in a way that fits their requirements. This will help them to decide in favor of you. But be true to yourself and answer it genuinely. Meaning you need to have a real honest opinion about the company’s culture. And if you don’t feel any connection why would you fake it to them just for the heck of getting the job. Plus if you fake it, they will eventually know.

• Have a story to back it up. Do you have a real-life incident to support your tall claims? If yes, gather such success stories to shoot at the interviewer. This will give more credibility to your claims and convince the interviewer more.

• The last point is not to shy away from telling stories about your achievements. Yes, it may feel like a bit too much when you are talking about your achievements but the question demands it, and the interviewer is expecting some creative, inspirational stories about your management style. So, go ahead and tell it without any hesitation.

Some points to take note of

The question of your management style can be rephrased to how do you handle your managerial task or how are you as a manager? Does your team value and admire your management style? Will your managerial style adapt to our company’s values and culture? Can we trust you with the management of our team/office? Therefore, sit in with yourself and contemplate all the work you have done so far. Make a mental note of the failures and what you learned out of them. Has your team thrived under your care or got frustrated and left the company as a result of your management style. 

Know the difference between a leader and a manager

• Managerial skills and leadership skills are different. Yes, they have so many things in common but again there are vast differences between the two.

• Managers are hired by the business owners to aid them in their business and mostly their work is looking after the business and its execution.

• Managers manage people and leaders lead, one has to let his/her team complete a task and the other does the task of leading people.

• The manager does not have to coach or mentor a team but leadership skills require mentoring, coaching, and inspirational activities to keep the ball rolling.

• Leaders make the rules and managers follow them. Managers make sure that the people working for the company are doing their part and taking the company to new heights.

• Managers are there to ease a load of a particular department or a business whereas leadership roles take on the broader role of setting visions and goals of the company.

• Managers make sure that the team is working effectively without any delay but Leadership persuades and encourages when there is a delay or lack in the work schedule.

• The best management style is how well you balance between the two which are leadership roles and managerial roles.

• Find out first are you a manager or both and work your answer around it.

Every management style differs according to the situation and company culture

But the ideal answer should work around your flexibility and adaptability as well as your convincing power to get the job done. Your influence matters in the company before you can delegate work to your team if you are a leader but a manager doesn’t require to influence anyone. Due to the nature of their job, they are there to manage the task and it is accepted by all so it is expected to automatically comply with the instructions given by a manager. But while answering, it is good to show your democratic and transformational style of management or any other good management style you may have up your sleeves. However, use each type of management according to the company you are applying for. 

• Some companies have a tight schedule and a stricter deadline, some are more laid back and relaxed.

•  Your management style will also depend on your personality and attitude.

•  Some managerial roles require a more commanding figure, others not so. The type of management differs according to the industry. The company decides who fits in or who doesn’t. 

• But one thing to remember is that there is no one type of management or a perfect type of management.

• The interviewer just wants to see that you are a well-rounded sensible person who will bring laurels to the company.

Some management styles

1. Visionary management style directs a team to follow an objective or a vision and make the teamwork towards achieving it.

2. Democratic style of management makes the team have no issues getting the team involved in the decision-making process.

3. The coaching style of management mentors and encourages the team to strive for the best. 

4. The transformational style of management decides to make certain changes if needed. It’s all about adopting changes for the better of the company.

5. Laissez-Faire Management Style is a participatory style of management. This requires complete trust in the employees to handle the task and not spend your time micromanaging them.

6. Autocratic style of management:- This is a top to the down type of management. As the name suggests there is no liberty to be creative. The rule here is to do as I say when I say it. You only follow orders and complete the task required.

How to prepare for the best answer?

• You may want to work on your self-awareness to know your style of working.

• If unsure, talk to a confidant or a close colleague and take their feedback. At such a moment, an outside perspective will hold great weightage.Listen to their feedback with an open mind. 

• After that, critically analyze yourself and chart out those weaknesses and work on them. Sharpen your strengths too.

• Watch out for your behavior and how it impacts the team.

• Improve your body language and tone of voice. This will help a lot in achieving half of the work already. 

• Dress for the part. Groom yourself. Look at the part and smell the part. 

• Have confidence and smile while you answer. This is your best opportunity to tell you are a significant impact on the people you have worked with So this is a joyful moment. Express that in your whole demeanor.

Some answers for the question

This answer is for those who are applying as a new manager. 

Answer 1

I am glad you asked that question. Although I don’t have any experience in a managerial role, I have learned while working under many good and not-so-great managers. I learned what to do and what not to do from all those experiences. That exposure has led me to examine my management style and what I found out was that I am more inclined towards laissez-faire and coaching style of management.

I like to give freedom and responsibilities to people without checking on them every second. Even at my job, though I don’t hold any managerial title, my colleagues testify to my mentoring skills and how it has helped them to achieve more and become more. So, if allowed to work here, those two styles will be manifested more as I lean more towards it.

Answer no 2

I love to adapt to new things. That’s why completing a task excites me as I know that it’s leading me to my next assignment. I also love to set an environment for excellence and set priorities straight, so I believe in sharing workload equally as a team. If someone is getting free rides, I don’t hesitate to call that person out.

Managing a business is what I love to do and my passion is to follow the vision of the founders of the owners and I delight in managing the task for them. It satisfies me to see a business flourish. My task to manage the team and lead the company to the top is my goal. Therefore, you can be sure of the work targets and execution of tasks to be completed on time. I have a reputation for completion of targets in my previous company. I have been awarded the best performer several times.

Answer no 3

In my previous job, I got the opportunity to manage a business because of a sudden change in management. The management was all wrecked due to an internal issue, I had to deal with the change in management positions and lack of staff made it difficult to do everyday tasks smoothly. But I and my team collaborated and worked towards achieving what needs to be achieved by the end of the year.

This turned out to be a great experience and my team also acknowledged that had it not been for me, they would have resigned and left the company. Things started to look good after some months and it got better. I am glad I decided not to quit and take the challenge to move forward with the company during those uncertain times.

Answer no 4

In my previous job, I was the manager of a renowned company that deals with lifestyle products. I love to inspire people to do things instead of persuading them. It is one of my styles of management. It is not an easy one because everyone will not like you but it does not matter at all. As long as I am inspiring the team to strive for the better by working passionately towards a task, I know I have done my part. This practice holds for me because I and my team have never missed a deadline.

Answer No 5

I have a knack for getting results and if it’s not available, I will find one with the help of the team. I don’t shy away from asking for help because my only goal is to know how to complete the task with efficiency. I am more inclined towards an action-oriented management style. My previous boss tells my team that I am humble, hardworking, and smart. This was the best compliment I ever received so far. 

Answer no 6

My management style is more towards working to find a solution together. I delegate tasks to my team but I also enjoy helping them to achieve that. My team has a great sense of comfort in knowing that I am there for them in their growth journey. I love to lead by example and adding value to people plus completion of task-oriented goals are two things that motivated me to pursue this career. 

Conclusion

There is no right or wrong way to answer this question but make sure to do your research on your management style before you answer it. If you don’t have one, work towards recognizing your style of working and you will find your style of management in the process. This is a very important question and companies who ask this question are looking for a sincere answer that oozes capability in your answer.

A company prefers answers that suit its needs and aspirations. Some companies may need a firmer and stern attitude and some may be satisfied with a more democratic style. So do your research and study the ins and outs of the company, you may end up liking their management style or may take the exit and not waste your precious time preparing for the interview. Therefore, to take that course of action, knowing your management style is the key to unlocking your decision. All the best.