Understanding the Different Types of Managers

There are two kinds of people, introverts and extroverts. In the business world, we may think that great managers are born from the extrovert group because they are outspoken and assertive. Although it may not seem like it, introverts can also be great leaders even though they seem quiet and shy. According to the book ‘The Introvert Advantage’ by Marti Laney, people in this category can use their different eccentricities to be ahead in a world mostly dominated by extroverts.

Aside from introverts and extroverts, managers are still categorized into different types depending on their leadership style. Let’s discuss them one by one.

Directors

These are the typical outspoken extroverts that like to take charge by telling people what to do. Usually, the people around directors react in a positive way by doing what they were told to do. Directors have a clear goal and do everything in his or her power to accomplish it. Directors are focused on numbers and processes and concentrates on goals that he or she thinks can be easily accomplished.

Planners

This falls in the category of an introvert. Planners do a lot of thinking and create, based from their name, plans. They are not the type of people who wants to make quick decisions. A director is focused on the goal, but a planner is more concerned on what direction things are headed at. Planners are mostly friendly and avoid direct confrontations, but they do not tolerate team members who don’t follow plans or produce low quality work.

Invisibles

Invisibles also fall in the introvert category as they don’t like to be put on the spotlight too much. They don’t make rousing speeches that invigorate the whole team but they motivate people one by one. Invisibles make the best decisions because they look at everything from every angle possible. They require great amounts of data from different sources to make excellent choices. The disadvantage from this type of manager is that they need a lot of time to make a decision which means that projects take a little more time to get done.

Energizers

Another extrovert, energizers are managers who are highly enthusiastic with what they’re doing. Their energy is then passed on to other people who are connected with the project. This creates a passion that fuels everyone to get the project done. Energizers are concerned with what the staff members want and the harmony of the team. Even though they may seem that they can be easily ruled by emotion, they know that the top priority is to get the work done.

Understanding the different types of managers will help you in realizing what kind of leader you are. With this information, you can also know more about the existing managers within your martial arts school.