Jan 09
15
Parallel Management Style
There are many different types of management styles; I have seen lots of them in the military and previous jobs over the years. The style I try to use and seems to be the most affective is what I call parallel management. There is an opposite of parallel management and I call it perpendicular management. In perpendicular management, subordinates feel as though their managers never come all the way down to their level; it is very much an elitest style of management. An example of it is a manager that gives out work assignments, but never interacts with workers in their own environment; they never try to experience the workers’ position, even though they have probably been there before.
Parallel management, like I mentioned before, is very much the opposite of perpendicular management. The managers attempt to be as involved with their workers as possible, without intruding in the workers’ need for independence. A manager using parallel management will get involved with varying tasks and he/she will attempt to get to know subordinates on a more personal level, while maintaining professionalism and discipline. The manager will experience first hand what the workers have to go through to complete tasks and will be able to communicate more efficiently with subordinates. Subordinates will feel more comfortable while the manager is present and will be more likely to share ideas to improve the work place.
Using parallel management has many advantages over any other style, although it does have a few draw backs. Luckily, the draw backs can be avoided by maintaining professionalism and discipline, avoiding favoritism, and encouraging team work. One of the best advantages is it allows you to get to know subordinates at a better level and find out what type of worker/person they actually are (instead of how they appear to be). Being a manager should be about managing people, not numbers or positions. Parallel management will help you put the right people in the right places; that will make your job more rewarding and more successful.