Review the management styles and characteristics of these managers
After reviewing the profiles of the managers, answer the following questions:
- Which manager would you personally prefer to work for and why?
- What would be one of the most rewarding and challenging aspects of working for this manager?
- If you were placed in a management position, which of the personal characteristics discussed in the manager's profiles would you most need to work on to be effective?
1) Ryan Wagner
Management Style: Laissez Faire
Personal Characteristics: motivational, good decision maker, understands culture of organization and accountable, very hard worker, employee focused
Business Information: Everyone likes Ryan personally; he is easy going and always has a positive thing to say to everyone on his team. Because of this, he has a very low turnover rate and almost everyone would say they like their job a lot more because of Ryan. However, he is not as focused on pushing people for results. He is one of the most trusted leaders in the company and he values freedom and creativity for his staff. As a result, he's willing to let others take the lead sometimes. While turnover is low, absenteeism is high in his department; Ryan often will cover shifts for employees when they are absent. Productivity is among the lowest in the organization
Quote from Ryan, "I really do care about the people that I work with. I want you to feel as if this department is an extension of your family; we're all in this together."
2) Victoria Buchtan
Management Style: Consultative
Personal Characteristics: empowers employees, rewards effort and has a very positive attitude. Can be combative when results are not forthcoming. Does not like to look bad in front of others. She has received the 'Manager of the Year' Award 2 of the last 3 years
Business Information: Victoria really likes to get input from her staff and has an open door policy with her staff and welcomes everyone to contribute their ideas. She will often allow lively debate in meetings over topics and try to get everyone to give their opinions. She also will sometimes allow her employees to take on leadership roles with projects; however she expects results when she does. If people do not meet her expectations she will often confront them, sometimes publicly. She is well liked by upper management and seen as someone who will one day run the organization.
Quote from Victoria, "I think everyone needs to eventually see what they are capable of becoming. They need to take risks and not be afraid to fail. Sometimes that means I have to push you harder than you're comfortable with. I don't care, in the end it's good for you.
3) Vanessa Bailey
Management Style: Democratic
Personal Characteristics: Personable, empathetic, warm and compassionate. Interacts with employees and talkative. She also enjoys socializing with her team after hours and feels that she is like a 'mother' to her staff. Vanessa is one of the most well liked people in the company
Business Information: Her department is one of the 'average' results groups, but her focus is really on developing her staff and she feels that in the long run she will get better results if everyone feels safe and secure in their jobs and knows that she is there to help them get better at their jobs. She consistently receives among the highest evaluations from her staff, who really appreciate her caring attitude. Some people find her style very warm and easy to work with while a few have complained that 'if we worked even harder we might get better results'
Quote from Vanessa, "I think a business is really about the people that work there. If you make employees happy and secure you'll get great results from them. That's what it's all really about"