Please respond to the following statement: “Which personal style should managers adopt to ensure success? What is the most effective approach to managing the work of subordinates? These questions have been extensively researched and debated over the last century, and while the general consensus has moved away from ‘command and control’ to management and leadership towards more consultative and participative approaches, there is no single ideal, as the best approach may vary according to circumstances and individual characteristics” (CMI 2013).
Part 1: Which personal style should managers adopt to ensure success? What is the most effective approach to managing the work of subordinates? These questions have been extensively researched and debated over the last century, and while the general consensus has moved away from ‘command and control’ management and leadership towards more consultative and participative approaches,
Part 2: there is no single ideal, as the best approach may vary according to circumstances and individual characteristics (CMI 2013).
There is no single personal style that managers must adopt to ensure success simply because no one will follow y
ou if you are not leading for the right reasons. Employees want to work with leaders who are able to utilize their potential and make them better (Schmitt 2013)
Sir Richard Branson is a business entrepreneur that I admire, particularly because of his leadership style. Branson is a serial entrepreneur who operates more than 200-300 business has become proficient at choosing the right people to delegate his businesses to; this character displays a great deal of trust that he places in his workforce. He believes that delegating his business responsibilities allows him to focus on other businesses. Following the leadership continuum m
odel by Tannebaum and Schmidt, we learn that Branson is a democratic leader who joins with his workforce to promote the business. His vision for the Virgin group is to put employees first; and he believes that keeping the
m top priority can bring benefits to other stakeholders (Raymundo 2014)
On the other hand, a similarly likeminded entrepreneur is Steve Jobs, who was the founder of Apple and Pixar. Steve was also a visionary who built his company to lasting excellence. However, his style of leadership was contrary to Richard Branson because of his unconventional leadership methods, he was not a consultative leader but rather was one who demanded continuous excellence from his employees keeping a keen eye on perfection (McInerney 2011). Although he was considered a transformational leader, he followed more of an autocratic style in his leadership (Economist 2011)
Although both examples were world renowned leaders, their leadership styles were clearly on two different extremes of the continuum. This may question our academic knowledge which will make us think then,
Which leadership style is the best to follow?
John Adair introduced the action-centred leadership model in which he described that good managers or leaders need to have 
complete control over three areas (Task, Team & Individual) of the ‘three-circle’ leadership model; he also added that an apt balance between the core duties develops team working which is the mark of a successful leader (Stellar Leadership 2012).
Adair also focuses on the importance of supporting core functions that are vital for leaders following the three circle leadership model such as;
- Defining a task by creating SMART objectives is important in any team planning
- Planning with other members in an open minded and creative manner
- Creating the right atmosphere to promote teamwork by team briefing
- Assessing consequences by evaluating team performances
- Motivating the team and also by being self-motivated
- And finally by setting an example both to the individuals and to the team as a whole (MBS Portal 2011)
In a quick advancing world, where it is important for most companies to focus on employee retention strategies because of the high cost of training and development, it is important to neglect the top down or rather the authoritarian style of leadership particularly because of its demotivating nature and focus more consultative and participative approaches of leadership. It may also be added that there is never a single leadership strategy for managing groups of people, leaders play different roles in different circumstances.
I came across an interesting African proverb which I think may add a touch of humour to this blog, it says this “a log can lie in water for 10 years but it will never become a crocodile” (Stellar Leadership 2012). This simply tells us that being in the shoes of the manager and a leader does not make you one unless you exercise it in a rightly manner.
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References
Economist (2011). A genius departs [online]. Available at: < http://www.economist.com/node/21531530> [accessed on 29th March 2015]
MBS Portal (2011). John Adair [online]. Available at: <http://www.mbsportal.bl.uk/taster/subjareas/busmanhist/mgmtthinkers/adair.aspx> [accessed on 29th March 2015]
McInerney, S. (2011). Steve Jobs: an unconventional leader [online]. Available at: < http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/management/steve-jobs-an-unconventional-leader-20111007-1lcmo.html> [accessed on 29th March 2015]
Raymundo, O. (2014). Richard Branson: Companies should put employees first [online]. Available at: < http://www.inc.com/oscar-raymundo/richard-branson-companies-should-put-employees-first.html> [accessed on 29th March 2015]
Schmitt, J. (2013). 12 Ways to be the leader everyone wants to work for [online]. Available at: < http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffschmitt/2013/02/19/12-ways-to-be-the-leader-everyone-wants-to-work-for/> [accessed on 29th March 2015]
Stellar Leadership (2012). Action Centred leadership [pdf]. Available at: < http://www.stellarleadership.com/docs/Leadership/articles/Action%20Centred%20Leadership.pdf> [accessed on 29th March 2015]
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