A Field Guide to Some of the Most Common Managerial Types

IN THE TRENCHES

The more employees know about how their boss ticks, the more successful they will be in their efforts to manage up.

Below are a few of the most common personality types and management styles embodied by leaders at nonprofit organizations, and some advice from Francie Dalton, a management consultant in Columbia, Md., about how a subordinate should handle each one:

The Drifter. Drifters are easy-going, disorganized, impulsive, and scatterbrained, says Ms. Dalton. They have difficulty adhering to rules, but only because they don’t know what they are. They have short attention spans, often miss details, and fail to follow up. They don’t remember what they’ve said from one day to the next. Because these managers rarely provide any structure to their employees, their workers will need to provide their own — which may include writing their own job descriptions and performance reviews, for example. The good news is that drifters offer a great deal of autonomy, and will sign nearly anything.

The Commander. Commanders are demanding, bossy, domineering, abrupt, and direct, says Ms. Dalton. They are uncomfortable with phrases like “I feel.” They are control freaks who tend to believe that their way is the only way. To get desirable assignments, employees need to earn the Commander’s trust. Do this, Ms. Dalton suggests, by seizing opportunities to demonstrate initiative and, when taking that initiative, think, “How would my boss approach this task?”

The Performer. These managers are witty, mentally quick, and charming, says Ms. Dalton. But they can create a false impression of their productivity by claiming ownership of high-profile projects, and try to inflate their status by always seeming to be in a hurry to get to something important. Because the world revolves around them, Performers rarely remember, much less acknowledge, their subordinates’ contributions. To ensure they receive proper credit, Ms. Dalton says, employees should keep a file on their accomplishments during the year and prepare to share it at review time. Since Performers tend to pay little attention to the details and deadlines of administrative tasks, pay attention to anything they are letting fall through the cracks. Such support will earn their loyalty.

The Pleaser. Pleasers are thoughtful, pleasant, and helpful, says Ms. Dalton. They view their colleagues as family members. However, they have trouble saying “no,” run from conflict, and rarely give critical feedback to their employees. Workers who require an unvarnished assessment of their performance should seek it from someone else they respect and trust at their organizations.

The Analytical. These bosses are cautious, precise, and diligent, says Ms. Dalton. They proofread everything three times. They have an obsession with detail that can sometimes paralyze them when under deadline pressure. No matter what new idea anyone has, Analyticals have scores of reasons why it won’t work and shouldn’t be done. To succeed with these bosses, employees should double-check their work to be sure it is error-free. Since Analyticals tend to use the same formats and templates for their work — all their spreadsheets and memos look the same, for example — try to mimic those formats. These managers appreciate new organizational strategies that enhance record-keeping and attention to detail. — Rebecca Gardyn