Exploring the 5 Most Popular Management Styles in Australia

1 of December, 2022

When it comes to working as a manager, there isn’t just one way to achieve success. Every manager has their own strengths, weaknesses and personal preferences. That is why there are so many different management styles out there.

The different management styles we’re going to explore might not seem like they have much in common. Each of them has a very specific set of principles that managers can follow to guide their team members effectively.

But, regardless of how diverse and nuanced these management styles are, they all have the same end result. Get happy employees who are more productive and effective at work.

So, read on to discover the most popular styles in Australia. And which management style is best for you and your teammates.

Command-and-Control Management

First up, we have command-and-control management. This style focuses on the bottom line. It’s all about results. In contrast, it’s not very concerned with how those results are achieved.

This management style relies on managers giving very specific instructions on what they want them to do. The instructions are often very explicit, using precise language and metrics.

To achieve success with this management style, managers need to be able to create a culture of fear and control within the team. They need to be very direct with their instructions, setting very specific goals and timelines for each project.

To thrive in this approach, team members must be completely results-focused. And also be able to handle a high level of pressure.

Butler Leadership

The butler leadership focuses on creating an exceptional customer experience throughout the entire organization.

If you’ve ever watched the movie “Up in the Air”, this is the management style that George Clooney’s character used when managing his team.

This management style is all about empowering each team member to get their job done to the best of their ability. It focuses on each team member being able to achieve the best results possible. The goal is to make the organization as a whole much more effective and productive.

This approach thrives in a very customer-focused work dynamic. The creation of a culture of excellence is crucial for each team member to feel empowered and can do their best job possible.

Within your team, you need to be very supportive of your employees and recognize what they’re able to achieve.

Coaching Leadership

Next up, we have coaching leadership. Coaching is a bit of a hybrid between butler leadership and command-and-control management.

In this management style, managers focus on creating the culture of excellence within the team. They want their employees to be able to reach their full potential, so they’re very supportive and motivating. But they also set very clear and specific expectations on what they want the team to achieve.

Coaching leaders have very high standards and expectations for their team members. They also help them reach those goals by giving them lots of positive feedback, encouragement and support along the way.

If you’re a manager who prefers the coaching leadership approach, you need to be able to strike a balance between being very specific and having high expectations for your team. And being very supportive and compassionate with your employees, of course.

Delegation-based Management

The delegation-based management is a very systematic and very focused management style. It has very clear rules, procedures and guidelines for how managers should delegate tasks and projects to their team members.

If you’ve ever watched the TV series “The Office”, Michael Scott’s management style is a great example of this style in action.

Now, this management style works very well in certain situations. If you want to scale up your business, you will need to delegate a lot of the work that needs to be done, for example. Or if you have a team member who is very new to the job and needs some extra guidance and support from you.

But this style might bring some trouble managing employees who are more experienced or who have different skill sets from you.

Empowerment-Based Management

This management style focuses on the strengths of the team and supports each member to get the best out of them.

Empowerment-based managers believe that all team members have the ability to be very successful and productive. They celebrate and encourage each employee to be the best version of themselves.

The goal with this management style is to create an environment where team members feel safe and supported. Where they can be challenged and learn new things, but never feel pressured or overwhelmed.

Empowerment-based managers are focused on empowering their team members to make the best decisions on their own. They have high expectations, but they’re very focused on helping their team members reach their full potential.

Flat Organization Management

Finally, we have flat organization management. This is a very collaborative management style that focuses on creating a very open, transparent and inclusive work environment where everyone has an equal say.

In the TV series “Silicon Valley”, this is the management style that Richard Hendricks used when managing his team.

This management style is particularly useful for creative and dynamic teams. Especially for departments that need to make a lot of creative decisions and solve problems together.

Flat organization management is all about removing any barriers that could prevent team members from achieving their best work. It’s about removing hierarchy. Making the organization as a whole feel like a more friendly and welcoming place to work.

If you’re a manager who prefers the flat organization approach, you need to make sure that your team members can thrive in a healthy and open environment. Everyone must feel heard and have an opportunity to contribute to the organization in a meaningful way.

Final Words: Which of these 5 popular management styles is best for you?

Now, we’ve explored five different management styles in this blog post. If you’re new to the role of management, it can be a little overwhelming to try to pick the best management style for your team.

In reality, there isn’t one best management style. Instead, many different management styles can be valuable for different types of businesses and situations. And when you’re first starting out, it can be helpful to try out a few different management styles to see which one fits you best.

Now, if you’ve read this far, you’re probably wondering which of these five most popular management styles in Australia is best for you. Well, to be honest, there isn’t a clear answer. Every manager has their own strengths, weaknesses and personal preferences. The important thing is that you find a management style that works best for you and your team.

And most importantly, that you have the right tools to help you manage your team. To keep track of how your team work and feel, the best software is definitely Sesame HR.