What Leadership Style Is Best For Change Management?
Why is it important to change management styles?
Knowing how to adapt your management style is crucial because businesses may run under different circumstances in the future than they did when they first started. For instance, five years after starting with eight employees, a company might have 80. The best practice is to match your management style to the circumstances and people you work with because there is no one management style that fits every situation.
Changing management styles can allow for the following advantages:
How to change your management style
The following steps can help you change your management style:
1. Identify your current management style
Finding out what kind of leader you are at the moment is the first step in changing your management style. You can read about the conventional four management philosophies listed below to ascertain to which group you belong.
Let’s say you regularly need to be in charge of all organizational decisions without soliciting much feedback from your team. If so, you’re probably a manager who is autocratic or authoritarian. The ability to make decisions is a strength of this management style, but autocratic managers may not always take into account how their choices may affect employees.
As a paternalistic manager, you exercise authority but put the interests of the staff and the company first. Paternalistic managers have the advantage of caring about their employees’ needs, but they may have trouble making decisions.
A democratic management approach allows for employee participation in the decision-making process. Because employees can participate in these discussions, the management style frequently increases employee satisfaction. However, it can also impede decision-making and present difficulties if the employees lack the knowledge or experience necessary to reach an informed choice.
The laissez-faire management approach involves little managerial direction and empowers staff to make significant decisions. If your employees are independent, highly skilled, and motivated, your management style is sound. However, if the team does not meet these requirements, it may result in low productivity.
You can exhibit traits from a variety of management styles, but your goal is to determine which style you use the most frequently.
2. Determine if you need to change styles
Once you know your management style, you can take more care in how you influence others. You can reflect on the following questions to see if your workplace would benefit from a different management approach:
You may want to think about changing your management style if the answers to these questions show that there is a need for significant changes. Possibly being an authoritarian, you decide to test your team members’ decision-making abilities by giving them some freedom. If you are being too careless, try giving your team more coaching to see if performance improves.
3. Ask for feedback
Ask for feedback on your management style, employee satisfaction, and overall business performance to continue your conversation. The best course of action is to consult with your leadership team and your workforce. Be open to hearing feedback from others, even if it’s negative, so you can use it to improve the company.
Do not be reluctant to seek the advice of a mentor or a manager with more experience. They could provide you with guidance on how to move forward and assist you in identifying what needs to change.
4. Communicate about your change
Informing your team of the reasons behind the change and how you think taking these actions will help the business and them both Take the time to sincerely answer their inquiries about the change as they have them in order to build trust. Any skepticism your team members may have about your new process can be helped by giving them clear and honest insights about it.
For instance, a lax manager who wants to increase workplace accountability might say, “Starting this week, we’ll have one-on-one meetings to talk about your workload and personal goals. I want to ensure that our team has the best chance of success. “.
5. Communicate with clients
You can use a rebranding strategy to share your new management approach. Create a social media campaign to show that your organization’s management is acting differently now. For instance, more democratic leaders might let customers choose the name of a new product or let them know that a portion of the company’s profits will go to a good cause.
6. Be patient
Before you see the results of your new management style, it might take some time. To ensure that your change is successful, practice being patient with yourself and the team as you all adjust to new procedures or workflows.
For instance, if you were a strict manager and you gave your staff more autonomy, it might take a few team meetings before they feel comfortable participating in discussions. It is crucial that you keep moving forward in the chosen direction and motivating staff members who accept the changes favorably.
7. Adapt if necessary
If your team does not benefit from your approach, you might need to change it. In order to determine whether your new management style is more effective than the one you previously used, it is helpful to track your progress. Ways to measure your success can include:
Understanding the effects of your new management styles will help you determine whether you need to change your approach and how to proceed.
8. Reward the employees
Rewarding employees who perform well under your new management style is advantageous because it can serve as an example for those who need more time or encouragement to adjust. Depending on your organization’s resources and corporate culture, these rewards may take the form of verbal or written compliments, salary bonuses, or gift cards. Regardless of their success or failure, you can also foster a positive and supportive environment by rewarding your team members when they take risks.
9. Believe in your ability to change
Your position as a leader suggests that you are likely regarded by your employer as a responsible individual with a vision who can lead others to success. If changing your management style presents difficulties, keep in mind why you’re doing it and have faith in your ability to succeed.
10. Adopt good practices
Regardless of the new management approach you use, there are some beneficial habits you can develop to lead more skillfully:
FAQ
What are the four change management styles?
- Understand Change.
- Plan Change.
- Implement Change.
- Communicate Change.
What are the 7 R’s of change management?
- Raised. Who raised or suggested the change? …
- Reason. What is the reason for the change? …
- Return. What return is required from the change? …
- Risks. What are the risks involved in the change? …
- Resources. What resources are required to deliver the change? …
- Responsibilty. …
- Relationship.
What are change management techniques?
- Plan Carefully. …
- Be as Transparent as Possible. …
- Tell the Truth. …
- Communicate. …
- Create a Roadmap. …
- Provide Training. …
- Invite Participation. …
- Don’t Expect to Implement Change Overnight.
What are the 5 types of change?
- Organization Wide Change. Organizational change is a significant transformation that impacts the entire business.
- Transformational Change. Transformational change specifically targets a company’s organizational strategy.
- Personnel Change. …
- Unplanned Change. …
- Remedial Change.
