What's your management style?

[BoberFett]

I interviewed a Project Manager recently for a position that will work closely with my team. During the interview, the interviewee (who was very good, I hope we hire him) asked me what my management style is.

I hate that question, I never know quite how to answer. Sometimes it's amazing I get hired as a manager. I must get hired based solely on my winning personality.

The other PM who was on the interview panel with me that I've worked with quote often jumped in to save my bacon when I started sweating and answered "Individualistic", which I thought was a good answer that I'll continue use in the future. I do tend to manage each employee a little differently depending on need. Some need to be managed a bit more, others need less supervision.

So how do YOU answer that question?

 

[waffleironhead]

It depends on who I'm supervising and what kind of "help" they need.

 

[Ns1]

hands off, goal oriented, don't like to micromanage but i understand it's a necessity so will adapt if staff demands it.

I treat people under the assumption that they want to do good work, they just need the tools/support to do so

 

[skyking]

Open dialogue. If I know something to move things along I will put it out there, and if the (hopefully) competent people I am managing know some cool tricks to do the same, I cultivate that as much as possible. Learn and teach each other, and get better/faster.
Last thing I'd want is to stifle good help.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Give everyone enough rope to hang themselves. Those who do get replaced, those who don't get more responsibility.

One of my old bosses summed it up thusly:

The first time one of my employees fucks up it's my fault. I obviously didn't teach him the proper way to do things. But I'm human and I'm entitled to make a mistake. I'll go over it with him carefully so he understands.

The second time that employee fucks up it's his fault. He obviously didn't learn from the last time it happened. But he's human and he's entitled to make a mistake. We'll go over it again until we're both sure that he understands how things need to be done.

The third time he fucks up he's out the door.

 

[waggy]

hands off, goal oriented, don't like to micromanage but i understand it's a necessity so will adapt if staff demands it.

I treat people under the assumption that they want to do good work, they just need the tools/support to do so

/this

I hire someone for a job I expect they can do the job without me around. IF they are having issues We train them. IF they flat out lied to get hired they are let go.

 

[Humpy]

I'm biased, so I asked around about my management style. The consensus is that I roll in about 10:30, ask if we're all good, wave my arms around a little, make a couple unreasonable suggestions, and head to lunch for the rest of the day.

So I guess that's hands off and goal oriented. :|

 

[Newell Steamer]

I like to knock things out of people's hands as I chew on a big stinky smoky cigar and stomp around the office mumbling; 'Rizza, frazza, rizza,... frazza, rizza,...'

I then sit in my office chair, arms folded, smoking away, occasionally drinking black coffee and slam my fists onto my desk, mumbling; 'Rizza, frazza, rizza,... frazza, rizza,...'. No computer on my desk. But, I do have piles of yellow paper all over my desk. There is also a big box of golf balls in the corner. And a stuffed moose head next to my coat stand.

I also corner random females in the office, squint my eyes, lean in and tell them how pretty they look today.

I call the mail room worker "Boy" - and she is a 59 year old woman.

I also refer to all the corporate executives as overpaid college boys, behind their backs. Never to their faces, because they hate freedom of speech.

Oh, and I constantly mention how I carry this:

 

[TheGardener]

I interviewed a Project Manager recently for a position that will work closely with my team. During the interview, the interviewee (who was very good, I hope we hire him) asked me what my management style is.

I hate that question, I never know quite how to answer. Sometimes it's amazing I get hired as a manager. I must get hired based solely on my winning personality.

The other PM who was on the interview panel with me that I've worked with quote often jumped in to save my bacon when I started sweating and answered "Individualistic", which I thought was a good answer that I'll continue use in the future. I do tend to manage each employee a little differently depending on need. Some need to be managed a bit more, others need less supervision.

So how do YOU answer that question?

First thing that struck me, was that your PM answered the question for you. On some subjects that would be okay, when the PM knows more about it or can elaborate. But you were asked a very personal question, and my take is that the PM acted inappropriately by answering this question during this interview. You weren't saved, because the interviewee should have noticed this.

When I interviewed people, I took a limited amount of time to think of questions to ask prior to the interview. But I never took enough time to prepare how to answer questions. I would suggest that you keep a list of questions like this one that you find difficult to answer. Then think about how to answer them. At some point you'll get asked this and other questions during your own job seeking interview.

When sitting on the other side of the fence, preparation is crucial to getting a job and getting the right job. You prepare by being ready to answer a multitude of questions and have a list of questions to ask. On the former you better practice. Over and over. The key is preparation. For those of us who find bullshitting difficult, there are no shortcuts to preparation.

Another suggestion is training classes. I've taken many training classes on management, and I've taken personality tests. Aside from learning techniques, you can also get independent feedback on how others perceive you. If the observations are consistent, it is probably spot on.

 

[Ns1]

I gotta say, if I were interviewing and you answered that question "individualistic", I would have no idea wtf you would be trying to say with that.

 

[Sonikku]

I interviewed a Project Manager recently for a position that will work closely with my team. During the interview, the interviewee (who was very good, I hope we hire him) asked me what my management style is.

I hate that question, I never know quite how to answer.

I would have figured "Darth Vader" style.

 

[TheGardener]

I gotta say, if I were interviewing and you answered that question "individualistic", I would have no idea wtf you would be trying to say with that.

That's the time to ask, "can you elaborate on that"?

But that is why I said he needs to write down these questions that are difficult for him. Not being able to answer a question like this, means that he doesn't have a management style or more likely isn't aware of it. Kind of like golf for me, before I took lessons. Also, giving out an answer like that is a very negative signal to the interviewee. He could lose a very good PM he'd like to hire.

 

[Vapid Cabal]

Tell him/her that you size up the workload and do your best to distribute it to the staff.

 

[Ns1]

Tell him/her that you size up the workload and do your best to distribute it to the staff.

not sure if srs.

 

[Printer Bandit]

how dare the interviewee ask you question.

better bitch slap him for it on his first day.

 

[lxskllr]

Laissez faire. I expect people to know what they're doing, and do it. Idiots and the lazy need to be "managed", and I prefer not to work with either.

 

[brianmanahan]

agile, all the way

you should see me sprint away from doing any actual work :awe:

 

[K7SN]

I would have said "I lead by example" and mentor where needed. I won't interview for a job all I got to do was manage people. I'll take a pay raise to be a working leader.

 

[ImpulsE69]

"I'll be up in your ass daily and if I ever catch even a whiff of stink I'll be giving a colossal enema. We don't like turds around here."

 

[SlitheryDee]

On my first day I pick a random person and fire them. That way everyone else knows they are expendable.

 

[BoberFett]

First thing that struck me, was that your PM answered the question for you. On some subjects that would be okay, when the PM knows more about it or can elaborate. But you were asked a very personal question, and my take is that the PM acted inappropriately by answering this question during this interview. You weren't saved, because the interviewee should have noticed this.

I wasn't offended by her answering for me, because I didn't have a better answer. However yes, I was concerned about what the interviewee would take from that.

When I interviewed people, I took a limited amount of time to think of questions to ask prior to the interview. But I never took enough time to prepare how to answer questions. I would suggest that you keep a list of questions like this one that you find difficult to answer. Then think about how to answer them. At some point you'll get asked this and other questions during your own job seeking interview.

When sitting on the other side of the fence, preparation is crucial to getting a job and getting the right job. You prepare by being ready to answer a multitude of questions and have a list of questions to ask. On the former you better practice. Over and over. The key is preparation. For those of us who find bullshitting difficult, there are no shortcuts to preparation.

Another suggestion is training classes. I've taken many training classes on management, and I've taken personality tests. Aside from learning techniques, you can also get independent feedback on how others perceive you. If the observations are consistent, it is probably spot on.

We did have a list of questions that we asked each interviewee. They weren't set in stone, we tried to tailor each interview to the particular candidate as the interview progressed based on perceived strengths and weaknesses. But not having interviewed myself in a number of years, I wasn't prepared to be interviewed back. Frankly, I liked that about the guy. You always hear that you should interview the company as much as the company interviews you, but most people are too timid for that and are just trying to survive the interview. I'm actually a very good interviewer, once I get into an interview I generally get the job. Generally I'm prepared, either for my own interview or one I'm conducting, I just wasn't ready for that particular question and I should have been.

 

[DigDog]

1) delegate
2) fire the incompetent

and a very distant 3)i take advice from subordinates

 

[Platypus]

It depends on who I'm supervising and what kind of "help" they need.

this is how I am.

Luckily the kind of people I manage are usually self starting and require very little help. I typically act as a conduit when they have a problem they can't solve without higher up intervention. Those people who need a bit of extra help I tend to be more one on one with, setting and expecting them to reach certain milestones. You don't last long in this industry if you can't figure out the flow.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Facilitator.

 

[Attic]

hands off, goal oriented, don't like to micromanage but i understand it's a necessity so will adapt if staff demands it.

I treat people under the assumption that they want to do good work, they just need the tools/support to do so

Yes, and I expect good work which I make known in a complimentary manner. I have to adapt for the ones who know everything.