How to Answer “What Is Your Management Style?” (Examples)

If you’re applying for a managerial or supervisory position, taking the time to prepare for an upcoming job interview can significantly improve your chances of impressing the hiring manager — and getting one step closer to receiving an offer for, potentially, your dream job.

This begins with studying and rehearsing common interview questions, with a focus on management positions specifically, including “What is your management style?”.

In this guide, we’ll explore why hiring managers like to ask this question, how to craft a compelling response, and examples to inspire you when doing so. Let’s dig right in!

Why hiring managers ask about your management style

There’s a very specific purpose behind every interview question the hiring manager asks you — and “What is your management style?” is no different.

Here are just some of the reasons they might ask you this question in particular:

• To understand your leadership approach: Hiring managers want to know how you lead and manage a team. As different companies and roles require different management styles, your answer helps them determine if your approach aligns with their needs.
• To assess your fit with their company culture: Your management style can indicate whether you’ll fit with the company’s culture and values. For example, a collaborative style might be more suited to a team-oriented company, while a more directive approach might fit a highly structured environment.
• To evaluate your flexibility and adaptability: Hiring managers are looking to see if you can adapt your management style to different situations and team dynamics. Flexibility is crucial in management, after all, and your ability to adjust can be a significant asset.
• To identify your experience and skills: Your answer can highlight your experience and skills in managing people. By describing your management style, you can showcase your leadership qualities, conflict resolution skills, and ability to motivate and guide your team.
• To predict future performance: Employers also want to predict how you’ll perform as a manager in their organization. Your past experiences and described management style can give insights into your potential future performance and impact on the team and company.

Variations of “What is your management style?”

You might not be asked “What is your management style?” word for word. Indeed, interviewers may word it a little differently, but they’re still looking for the same information from you.

Some common variations of this question include:

• “Can you give me an example of how you’ve managed a team effectively?”
• “Describe your approach to leadership.”
• “How do you handle managing a team?”
• “How do you motivate your team?”
• “What do you think makes a good manager?”
• “What strategies do you use to ensure your team meets its goals?”

How to answer “What’s your management style?”

The prospect of being asked about your management style in a job interview may be a little daunting (as it is with all other interview questions), but the trick lies in thorough preparation, which will help you provide a response that is both descriptive and impressive.

Here’s how to do just that:

Step 1: Understand the different management styles

The very first thing you need to do is take the time to understand the different types of management styles, as this will help you form the basis of your answer.

There are three main types:

• Autocratic management, which takes a directive and control-oriented approach, and includes the authoritative, persuasive and paternalistic sub-types.
• Democratic management, which encourages team involvement in decision making, and includes the collaborative, consultative and participative sub-types.
• Laissez-faire management, which takes a hands-off approach to leadership and gives team members the freedom to make decisions; it includes the delegative and visionary sub-types.

Step 2: Figure out which style you have

Now that you’ve got an idea about the different management styles, you’ll need to do some self-reflection to determine your own style.

To do this, think about how you typically approach your team — are you more hands-on, or do you prefer to delegate tasks and let your team handle them independently? Likewise, think about how you prefer to work and interact with others — do you like detailed planning, or are you more adaptable and flexible?

It’s also a good idea to ask your team for feedback on your management style, as they can provide valuable, first-hand insights into how you’re perceived and how effective your approach is.

Step 3: Think about what makes you a good manager

Take a step back, and try to define “good management”.

This begins by compiling a list of skills and qualities that make you an effective manager. These might include:

• Communication skills — your ability to maintain clear and open lines of communication
• Empathy — understanding and addressing team members’ needs and concerns
• Decision making — your ability to make informed and timely decisions
• Adaptability — possessing the flexibility to change strategies when necessary
• Leadership — inspiring and motivating your team towards common goals

Identify which of these skills you excel in and how they reflect your management style.

Step 4: Tell a story around your management style

Like all other interview questions, answering “What is your management style?” requires some storytelling. To do this, use a specific example from your past experience to illustrate your style, and structure your story to cover:

• Context: Describe the situation or challenge
• Action: Explain what you did and why
• Result: Share the outcome and how it benefited the team or project

For example, if you’re a democratic manager, you might recount a time when you led a team through a major project, involving them in the decision-making process, which led to increased buy-in and a successful outcome.

Step 5: Align your answer with the company culture

One of the biggest interview mistakes that many jobseekers — often unwittingly — make is failing to tailor their responses to align with the culture and values of the company they’re interviewing with.

A great start here is to research the company, specifically its preferred management style and workplace environment, to ensure your answer resonates with their expectations.

For example, if the company values innovation and autonomy, emphasize your laissez-faire style. Alternatively, if they prioritize teamwork and collaborative solutions, highlight your democratic approach. Or if they require strong, decisive leadership, showcase your autocratic traits if appropriate.

By aligning your management style with the company’s culture, you demonstrate that you’re not only self-aware but also a good fit for their organizational environment.

Example answers

If you need some inspiration for answering “What is your management style?”, these examples might prove useful.

Collaborative and empowering management style

Results-oriented and flexible management style

Transformational and mentorship-focused management style

What not to say

We’ve talked about how to answer “What is your management style?”, and given you some examples to take inspiration from. But now let’s look at what you should avoid saying so you don’t blow your chances of acing the interview:

• “I don’t really have a management style.” This suggests a lack of self-awareness and understanding of your own leadership approach, which can be perceived as unpreparedness or inexperience.
• “I prefer to micromanage people.” Even if you word this a little more diplomatically, admitting your tendency to micromanaging implies a lack of trust in your team’s abilities, which can potentially lead to decreased morale and productivity.
• “I’m a laidback manager and don’t like to enforce rules.” This can indicate a lack of structure and accountability, which might raise concerns about your ability to effectively lead and achieve team goals.

FAQs about this interview question

Still got questions? We’ve got answers!

Q: What are management styles?

Management styles are the various approaches and strategies that managers use to lead and supervise their teams. These styles can significantly impact team dynamics, productivity and overall workplace culture.

They include autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire, situational, transactional and transformational management styles.

Q: How likely will this question come up in my interview?

It’s impossible to predict which questions exactly you’ll be asked in an upcoming interview, as it depends on the specific job role, the company’s unique needs and processes, and interviewer’s personal style.

That said, it’s advisable to prepare for as many management-focused interview questions as possible, including “What is your management style?”, so you can minimize the risk of being caught off guard.

Q: Is it okay to say I use multiple management styles?

Yes, most certainly! In fact, it’s extremely beneficial to mention that you adapt your style based on the situation and the needs of your team, highlighting your versatility and responsiveness as a leader.

Key takeaways

Like all interview questions, being asked about your management style can be daunting. But through thorough preparation, and employing the tips we shared in this article, you’ll hopefully be able to impress hiring managers with a careful and compelling response.

To sum up what we covered in this guide:

• Hiring managers ask this question to ascertain, among other things, your approach to leadership and your culture fit.
• There are three main types of management styles: autocratic, democratic and laissez-faire management.
• Assess your strengths, preferences and approaches to determine your own style.
• When answering “What is your management style?”, make sure to use storytelling and provide an example that demonstrates your approach to leadership.

Still got questions or want to share your own experiences of being asked about your management style in a job interview? Let us know in the comments section below.

This article is a complete update of an earlier version originally published in October 2014.