The Four Me Managers

In working with retail managers I've observed four different styles of management.

The first is the "Like Me" approach. This person manages by being one of the gang. They try to get everyone on the team to like them so the employees will want to achieve their goals for the manager.  They dislike any type of conflict and work hard to have team harmony.

The upside to the Like Me management style is that it makes for a fun place to work since the team usually enjoys each other's company. The downside is that Like Me managers often don't hold their employees accountable to the appropriate standards because they don't want to risk people disliking them. They are also less likely to confront unacceptable behavior or deal with internal conflict.  It's peace at any cost.

Another style is the "Fear Me" approach.  Under the disguise of high standards, these autocratic managers rule with an iron hand. While the advantage of this management style is a high and consistent level of execution, the price is high. The staff is rarely happy and has zero loyalty to the manager.  Why should they?  They usually feel underappreciated and are shown little respect.

While the Fear Me manager offers some short-term success, in the long-term they will fail not just because the staff will not continue to respond to the Fear Me manager's threat but also because they don't especially want the manager to succeed. The sad part is that the majority of Fear Me managers don't even know they manage this way. They see themselves as tough or demanding but unfortunately the only way they know how to show toughness is through fear and intimidation.

The third style is the "Skate with Me" manager. This person often has some of the same traits of the Like Me or Fear Me manager but they lack motivation. Their only goal is to do enough to get by. They live to stay below the radar and not create any waves.

Skate with Me managers are usually well-liked because they're so easy to work for. They only demand enough of their employees to meet the minimum standard. The problem is that Skate with Me managers bring the other employees down with them. I have met some very talented employees who never rose to their potential until we moved them away from a Skate with Me manager.

The last managerial style is the "Follow Me" manager. These folks lead as much as they manage. They understand that while it's nice to be it's more important to be respected. Follow Mes lead by example because they have extremely high standards for the store and for themselves.

Their staff doesn't fear the Follow Me but they also know that the manager has no problem calling out them out when they under-perform.  They also know that this is balanced with recognition and encouragement.  People grow and develop under the Follow Me manager and often go on to become Follow Me managers themselves.

Looking back, I see that I have been all of these mangers at one time or another. When I was a young manager I was a Like Me.  When I took over an under-performing store I tried to be a Fear Me manager but failed miserably. The staff needed to be held to a higher standard but they needed to be lead, not driven.

At one time I was burned out on retail and was slowly becoming a Skate with Me manager.  It was only after I left retail for a while that I fully recognized this and realized how that harmed not only me but my staff the most.

I'm also proud to say I can look back and see that I was successful because I evolved into a Follow Me manager.  I grew into being a manager that led with respect, humor, and a positive attitude.  Most of all, I'm happy to say I created other Follow Me managers, and that is the best legacy that any manager can leave.

So let me ask, which Me Manager style have you been lately?