SITUATIONAL MANAGEMENT STYLE

by Lincoln E. Bittner

To be an effective manager, you need to understand the basic styles of management, and when they are or are not appropriate. What follows is one of the most common styles of management, and when it is appropriate to use this style.

What is situational management?

A situational manager adapts his management style to the changing needs of a business or to changing requirements of customers. This style of management can have either a positive or negative impact depending on the skill of the manager involved. A good manager in a normal working environment will be emotionally in control, be very approachable, and will demonstrate good time management skills. This manager will be working within the team atmosphere.

The Scenario

Jan was promoted to the position as special projects manager. This was her first management position.

 One morning she received a telephone call from a customer stating that he had just spoken to a clerk at the warehouse. The warehouse manager was not there to tell him whether he could deliver his inventory and the clerk couldn’t authorize it. Her customer wanted answers. Jan asked the customer how much he had to deliver, and then told the customer she would call him back.

 Just as she hung up she received a call from her boss who also wanted to know what was being done about the situation. She told her boss that she would call back once she had resolved the situation.

Jan called the warehouse and confirmed that there was room for the customer’s delivery. She then called the clerk to find out who could authorize the shipment. The clerk offered to handle it for her, and she appreciatively agreed to the help.

She then called the customer back to authorize the delivery, left a message for the manager detailing what she had done, and called her boss back to say that she had authorized the delivery.

Required Skill Sets

The skills that are demonstrated in this scenario are crucial to keeping a positive atmosphere in the business while you work out the details. These skills are:

Teamwork

Getting input from the clerk as to the current volume of inventory in the warehouse. Also, only accepting a token delivery, allowing the manager to follow on with a more substantial plan, which would also secure her credibility to her customers.

Decisiveness

The ability to assess the situation and determine how much volume to accept.

Restraint

Only accepting enough incoming inventory into the warehouse to keep the customer satisfied, while allowing the manager to arrive and take charge of the situation.

Time Management

Choosing which steps to follow in a logical sequence which allowed Jan to completely investigate the situation without making the customer wait too long for a call back.

Customer Service

Jan responded to the customer in a timely manner as promised, while upholding the company’s reputation of being responsive to his needs.

Interpersonal

Jan did not draw any personal conclusions about the missing manager. She looked at the situation for what it was, and called on the clerk to assist in managing the situation. This went a long way towards helping the clerk realize the respect and esteem Jan had for him. Once she had an action to resolve the problem developed and implemented, she called her boss and gave him a brief overview of her actions and the customer's response. Jan's restraint also showed respect for the manager and his position.

Conclusion

If done properly, the transition from a team management style to a situational style will be a smooth, seamless one.

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