Assignment #9: Management Styles

My worst boss had a completely hands-off management style, which meant I received very little guidance or feedback on my work . He only checked in with me twice a year, at evaluation time, and then it was simply a formality; there was no constructive guidance on how I could improve. When I contacted him with a question, he would typically get back to me but it would often take a while, and on a couple of occasions there was no response at all to my queries. Working for this kind of manager made me unmotivated to actually do the work, and disappointed that I was not getting more out of what could have been a great learning opportunity.

My best boss was able to find the right balance, for my particular work style, between offering guidance and allowing me autonomy. She was clear in her instructions for me, was always available for questions, but let me work on my own as much as possible. She encouraged problem solving and creative thinking. She provided useful feedback, letting me know in a clear, concise, and friendly way what I need to do over again and what I was doing well. She gave me responsibilities beyond my job description when it was clear I was ready for more challenging work. She served as a mentor to me, encouraging me to pursue my current career path.

I would like to model my own management style on that of my “best boss.” I think that working with my employees to find the right balance between guiding them and providing them with autonomy is critical. I want to be available for questions and generally maintain an atmosphere of openness – I don't want my staff to be nervous about coming to ask me for help . I want to be able to provide detailed, constructive feedback to them on a regular basis, and encourage them to do the same for me. I would also like to incorporate some of the creative problem solving tactics outlined in “Creativity and Problem Solving in Negotiations.” I believe that creativity and divergent thinking are crucial to conservation work, so as a manager of a conservation lab I would want to work to cultivate this kind of thinking among my colleagues and employees.