Management Clinic - Management style: Under the cosh

There is always a difficulty when tinkering with something that is working well because it is possible that what you alter is the reason why the success is being achieved. Though there is no morale problem at the moment, one could develop. It might be that a cultural change within the department was needed to tackle the issues that were affecting performance. Once the department is working as it should and this has become a natural method of working, he can then adopt a more relaxed management style.

Different departments and different people are suited to different forms of management: while you might prefer and respond better to consensus style, this does not mean that the same holds true for the department. His style of management is obviously a change from that in place previously, otherwise it would not be causing you concern; it could be what is needed, at least in the short term.

You should be keeping in touch with a new manager anyway. Set up a meeting to discuss how he is finding the role and a general discussion on where the department stands and the options for developing it. During this meeting, tell him that you are extremely pleased with the results he is achieving; you might find that he identifies that he has to take a much more autocratic role at this stage than he would like, yet believes it is necessary in the short term to make the department work properly to produce the desired results.

Raise with him your observations that his style is coming across as autocratic and your concerns that, while this is being effective in the short term, you are worried that in the long term it could affect staff morale and potentially hamper innovation and the development of individuals within the department.

Early days
The likelihood is that he is taking his responsibility for the performance of the department very seriously. He might say that, becasue he is new, he is still learning the capabilities of the members of his department and so has not yet identified the ways in which he can confidently delegate responsibility. He will be aware that you chose not to promote someone from the department into the management role he has taken on, so he might be reluctant to delegate responsibility to staff that he feels you do not have confidence in.

Discuss with him what resources are available to assist him in the department. One way you can approach this is to talk to him about what support he needs to help ensure that everything runs smoothly when he is out of the office, given that he will be planning on taking leave at some time.

Peter Done, managing director, Peninsula

Source: Professional Broking – September 2010