What Is Your Management Skill, and Does It Matter?

Understanding management styles can help

There are many different management styles out there, and understanding them before you create your answer can help you do it more effectively. Here are a few common management style terms:

• Democratic management style. In this management style, you typically let the team members have at least an equal say in how you manage. This can be helpful in situations where team members all have a lot of say and need to work together.
• Laissez-faire management style. In this management style, you’re extremely hands-off. This can be a good management style if your team already has a clear direction and doesn’t need a lot of input from the manager.
• Autocratic management style. This is a very strong management style where you’re in complete control of the decision-making process. Taken to an extreme, this style could be considered negative, especially when it comes to “steamrolling” team members.
• Transformational management style, also called a visionary management style. This management style focuses on creating an environment where your team members can focus on their professional development. It can be helpful if you’re trying to coach your team members in becoming successful managers themselves.

There are also many other management styles, but these can help you create your sample answer.

Any answer is better than no answer

When a hiring manager asks, “What is your management style?”, you shouldn’t say, “I don’t have one” or “I have a lot of different styles.” Having a specific statement about what makes you a good leader makes more impact, and can help you move forward in your job search.

Be specific, not vague

Specificity is the name of the game here. The hiring manager wants to know specifically what makes you an effective leader. You need to show that you’ll be beneficial to the company culture and that typically starts with a specific example that tells the hiring manager what they need to know.