Providing motivation is one of the most important responsibilities of any IT manager. If you hope to get the most out of your team, motivating your employees will lead to better production and in the long run, make you a better manager. Below, we’ve outlined four motivational strategies that coordinate to different managerial styles. Find the one that works best for you, and make motivation a priority throughout the coming year.
Autocratic
Managers with an autocratic leadership style make all of the important decisions and rarely seek input from subordinates. In fast-paced or high-pressure environments, this kind of decisiveness and focus is an asset. These types of managers motivate their IT teams by establishing their leadership qualities and decision-making skills, and generate confidence in their ability to carry the team to success. When an IT manager provides guidelines or rules to be followed in carrying out a project, it should not be construed as micro-managing, but rather to ensure the success of the team and company.
Democratic
Democratic leaders are just the opposite. They seek out a multitude of insights and tend to make decisions based on a majority or consensus opinion. These types of leaders inspire their team by making them feel like their input is important, valid, and central to the completion of a project. When given a new project to implement across the company, a democratic leader will seek the input of employees to create a plan they collectively think will work best. Employees become personally invested in their work and feel like they are directly responsible for any success.
Quiet
Quite leaders hang back, stay silent, and largely leave day-to-day decisions up to staff. Instead of serving as a supervisor or leader, they act as a steward, liaison, mitigator, and strategist. This managerial style is prevalent on long-running or highly-trained teams that are largely self functioning. These types of managers motivate their team by supplying information, facilitating projects, and offering subtle corrections. The manager trusts his or her employees to complete their tasks since the employees know what success is at the end of the day. Essentially, they provide the team with the tools they need to succeed, and leave it up to each individual to excel.
Transformational
Transformational managers guide teams through periods of change by using charisma, vision, and a bold agenda. And if the transition isn’t supported by the team, it is usually doomed to fail. That means motivation is central to their mission. They motivate team members by getting them to buy into their vision for the future, and then use the promise of new heights to encourage more productivity. Each team member feels like he has an essential role to play in the next phase of the company. The manager has inspired them to feel important and that each employee is vital to success.
None of these strategies are better or worse than any other. The fit is what’s most important. Consider your managerial style, your goals, and your team makeup to determine what will work best. Find more resources designed to help you maximize the efficiency and productivity of your IT team by consulting with Resolute Technologies.