What's the Preferred Management Style for Handling Professionals?

Preferred Style for Managing Professionals
Jaap de Jonge, Management Consultant, Netherlands
According to the situational leadership model, we should adapt our management style to the situation, in particular to the development level of the employees. This development level of the employees depends on 2 main variables: competence in the task and commitment to the task.

1. We start by examining their competence. The team is composed of professionals. Assuming they are operating inside their domain of expertise, they have a moderate or even high level of competence in their task areas. So they fall in category D3 or D4 in the picture of the summary and the matching managementstyle is either S3 or S4..

2. Now we'll condeir their commitment to the task area:
If their task commitment/motivation is high, then they are seen as D4 and the preferred leadership style would be S4: Delegating. Then both the directive and the supportive behavior of the manager can be and should be low.
- If their task commitment/motivation is variable or moderate, they are seen as D3 and the preferred management style would be S3: Participating/Supporting. then the directive behavior of the manager should be low, and the manager should focus on the relationship, supporting such professionals.

Note: you can find another angle to how you should manage professionals in the discussion "How can you motivate knowledge workers?" which focuses on giving knowledge professionals a sense of making progress in meaningful work. Ultimately this approach arrives at the same conclusion as the above: task autonomy and personal support.

Consider also the Context when Managing Professionals
Dil Prasad Shrestha, PhD, Management Consultant, Nepal, Member
(...)

Preferred Management Styles for Professionals
Erik van geel, Management Consultant, Netherlands, Member
(...)

Managing Professionals: First Expectations and Responsibilities
Alan Kennedy
(...)

Managing Professionals by MBPO
Javier Elenes, Business Consultant, Mexico, Member
(...)

Preferred Management Styles for Professionals
Karel V , CEO, South Africa, Member
(...)

Use Situational Leadership Style for Professionals
OSHUN, GRACE OKAIMA , Lecturer, Nigeria, Member
(...)

Managing Professionals
Briolett, Manager, Canada, Member
(...)

Preferred Style of Managing Professionals
Dammike Kobbekaduwe, HR Consultant, Sri Lanka, Member
(...)

The Role of Culture in Managing Professionals
Graham, Teacher, Thailand, Member
(...)

Required Management Skills
Abdullah Sultan, HR Consultant, Saudi Arabia, Member
(...)

Managing Professionals from Multiple Cultures
Finn, Qatar, Member
(...)

More of the Same
Andrew Blaine, Business Consultant, South Africa, Member
(...)

Managing Professional
Gandhi Heryanto, Management Consultant, Indonesia, Premium Member
(...)

It Depends on Culture
Seelig
(...)

Don't Ignore the Advice of Professionals
Joseph L Mbolota, HR Consultant, Zambia, Member
(...)

Managing Professionals Requires Giving Freedom
Willie Odemwingie, Lecturer, Nigeria, Member
(...)

Freedom to Professionals
jacinta wamwaki, Kenya, Member
(...)

Management Style in an R&D Organization
s c narang, HR Consultant, India, Member
(...)

Management of Professionals
Nzyoka, Student (University), Kenya, Member
(...)

Preferred Management Style for Professionals: Management by Invitation
Wismayer
(...)

Management of Professionals that are Low on Knowldege and Commitment, but they're not to Blame
Pigeot
(...)

5 Conditions for Successful Management of Professionals
Jose A. De las Rivas, Management Consultant, Spain, Member
(...)

Visionary Management is Required
Goran Skoog, Management Consultant, Sweden, Member
(...)

What is the Preferred Management Style for Handling a Team of Professionals? Why?
ANTONIO BARRANCO RUIZ, Director, Spain, Premium Member
(...)

The Style of Managers that Professionals Hate
Tyrell Clifford, Manager, Sri Lanka, Member
(...)

Management of Groups
Andrew Blaine, Business Consultant, South Africa, Member
(...)

Vuxen Level
Seelig
(...)

Swedish Management
Goran Skoog, Management Consultant, Sweden, Member
(...)

Required Leadership Style for Handling Professionals
Qazi Ata, Consultant, Pakistan, Member
(...)

Preferred Management Style for Professionals
Tyrell Clifford, Manager, Sri Lanka, Member
(...)

Visionary Management
Andrew Blaine, Business Consultant, South Africa, Member
(...)

Jazz Style Management
Seelig
(...)

Metaphor for Managing Professionals
Sibusiso Mngomezulu
(...)

Visionary Management, Always
Goran Skoog, Management Consultant, Sweden, Member
(...)

Managing the Human Resources
Karel V , CEO, South Africa, Member
(...)

Managing Professionals: Sharing the Vision
Vijay Bhatia, Consultant, India, Member
(...)

Preferred Management Style
Randy StPierre, Student (University), United States, Member
(...)

Managing Professional Staff & Teams
Maurice Grasso, Business Consultant, Australia, Member
(...)

How to Manage Professionals: Observe, Analyze and Learn
chaovalit, Director, Thailand, Member
(...)

Managing Professionals: Give Freedom and Direction
Phionah Atuhaire, Project Manager, Member
(...)

Preferred Style for Managing Professionals Depends on the Task
Vladimir Kuryakov, Consultant, United States, Member
(...)

Analyze Professionals in their Inner-self
jorge anibal hoyos hoyos, Manager, Colombia, Member
(...)

Professionals are Performing Easily but are Difficult to be Managed
Eyad, Manager, Jordan, Member
(...)