Are Your Managers Effective?

“Authoritarian” (bossy) managers have been shown by research to be less effective than collaborative managers, particularly over time. This actually makes sense when one thinks about it. Look at personal preferences: would people rather be ordered (or worse, yelled at) to perform a task, or would they prefer to have a superior discuss with them what is needed for the organization and seek their input regarding the best way to fulfill that need? The reality is that people “tend to manage as they have been managed, – whether or not that was completely desirable, because that is the example they have had – their reference point. Repeated studies have shown that a collaborative, supportive management or supervisory style consistently produces better results, both in actual performance and in overall team cohesion. When managers employ a style of guiding, supporting and encouraging, as opposed to directing, controlling, and even coercing, employees feel more supported and valued. That, in turn, leads to employees who are more engaged and accountable, who perform better, think more dynamically—and will stay with the company longer, reducing the cost of turnover.