In recent years, job satisfaction has become a key concern for young talent. And on the management side, managers are always redoubling their efforts to find better solutions to increase employee productivity. So it’s not surprising to see different management styles emerging on the market. Persuasive management is one of them. This approach differs somewhat from the management styles we’ve seen recently. This is because it involves the manager’s participation to a greater extent. It requires a high level of involvement from the management team, especially in the decision-making process.

However, employee input is also an integral part of the process. Their opinion counts just as much, which is what distinguishes it from authoritarian management. The persuasive manager therefore encourages exchange, whether in terms of cross-functional, top-down or bottom-up communication. This is their greatest asset.

What is persuasive management? A few details

First of all, the concept of management refers to the way in which a person manages all aspects of his or her daily life. In a professional context, this may include team management, task planning, project administration or meeting facilitation. In reality, everyone has their own way of organizing their work. Everyone’s different.

What’s more, the contexts in which we evolve are also different. The same applies to our working environment. All this to say that persuasive management is not the only or the best approach to adopt. It all depends on a number of factors (your personality, your values and even your weaknesses). As a general rule, then, we can distinguish four different management styles.

THE 4 MANAGEMENT STYLES
Collaborative management: “I take into account the opinions of my colleagues to make better decisions, but I’m not obliged to follow them”;
Participative management: “The whole team (manager + subordinates) actively participates in the decision-making process”;
Persuasive (or informative) management: “I’m the manager, I make the decisions, but I still take the time to explain my motivations”;
Authoritarian (or directive) management: “I’m the manager, I simply impose my authority”.

This is not an exhaustive list. They’re just the most common. The first two encourage the involvement of all team members. The last two, on the other hand, focus more on the manager’s role. Nevertheless, the persuasive manager generates more interest in employees and job satisfaction. With persuasive management, the risk of being compared to a toxic manager is actually lower, unlike that of an authoritarian manager. Although he or she holds the vast majority of power, this does not prevent him or her from valuing communication and exchange within the team.

He or she simply strives to make employees understand that the decisions taken by management are the best for the company. Often, the team is inclined to accept them, even if they haven’t taken part in them. This is all the more true when we’re talking about a successful organization where performance has increased and persuasive management has proved its worth. Of course, there is a difference. But like authoritarian management, this is a generally one-way communication process. In other words, employees don’t necessarily have the opportunity to make significant changes. They can only give their opinion.

What makes a good persuasive manager?

To identify the qualities you need, we first need to define the manager’s main role. In short, you must encourage your employees to go beyond their limits, using a variety of persuasive techniques. This is why the term “persuasive management” is used. Another variant of this management style is paternalistic management. Here, the management team uses a system of rewards or sanctions to motivate its team. In all cases, these two management styles require a certain degree of persuasiveness. And this is precisely the first characteristic to be developed.

EXCELLENT PERSUASIVENESS
Once again, managers are all different. Some have the ability to impose their ideas naturally. Others find it more difficult to apply persuasive management effectively. If this is also your case, don’t worry. It’s a skill that can be developed with a little hard work.

That’s why formal training in team management can be particularly useful. You’ll certainly discover the keys to strengthening your abilities in this respect. In particular, you can learn how to adjust your body language to assert your presence. And you may also gain access to other useful communication techniques for sharing information. With all this, you’ll be ready to positively influence your team.

STRONG CHARISMA, ESSENTIAL FOR PERSUASIVE MANAGEMENT
To be successful, you also need to develop your charisma. In fact, it’s perhaps one of the most important qualities you need as a manager. After all, it’s the tool you need to reinforce your authority. Your colleagues will identify you as a good leader, a good example to follow. So you’ll have no trouble getting your ideas, opinions and values accepted. In fact, this is probably why charisma is so popular with different management styles. Especially when it comes to paternalistic and persuasive management.

PERFECT MASTERY OF ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATION
Although the persuasive manager has undisputed authority, this does not mean that his or her opinion alone should count. In fact, it’s just as important to take employee satisfaction into consideration, so that they’re always sufficiently motivated in the office. After all, it’s the key to continually improving team performance. So hone your assertive communication skills. As a reminder, this doesn’t mean remaining passive or becoming aggressive. It’s about striking the right balance to get the most out of persuasive management. You’ll be able to defend your decisions without devaluing the opinions of your colleagues.

ACTIVE LISTENING
The benefits of active listening are also numerous. It’s an essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s what will give you the opportunity to get your team to share the various constraints or obstacles preventing them from progressing smoothly. You’ll then be in a better position to identify appropriate solutions to further enhance your employees’ effectiveness. Active listening is also a very useful way of using positive manipulation to good effect.

What are the limits of persuasive management?

There are limits to the persuasive approach. Here are just a few examples.

The increased risk of wasting time. As debates become more frequent, they take up more time.
Slowness in the decision-making process. Although the manager is the sole decision-maker, he or she may need extra time to find a consensus that will suit all team members.
Lack of efficiency. The problem here lies in the fact that persuasive management focuses more on the internal aspect of company life. The external side (relations with customers and partners, quality of offers and services, external communication, etc.) can therefore sometimes be neglected. This is bound to have a negative impact on quality management.
Confusion with authoritarian management. If you don’t get it right, you run the risk of appearing to your employees as an authoritarian manager. That’s why it’s vital to work on your persuasiveness.

What are the advantages of persuasive management?

Fortunately, this management style has many more advantages than disadvantages. They include the following:

Employee remotivation. Indeed, job satisfaction increases. Since your employees know exactly what motivates you, they find it easier to understand your decisions. As a result, they’re more likely to be actively involved in achieving your goals.
Skills enhancement. Since you encourage your team to express themselves, you’re more likely to identify their real needs. This gives you the opportunity to provide solutions that meet everyone’s expectations. With persuasive management, you ensure that your team’s performance is constantly improving.
Fostering a sense of belonging. Although your employees are not involved in the decision-making process, they know that their opinions count. You value them, and they’ll notice. This makes it easier to unite your team around a common goal and vision.
Increasing common interests. When you realize that you have the knowledge required to lead your team to success, your colleagues will follow your lead of their own accord. This, too, is a major asset of persuasive management. You also encourage them to develop their full potential.

What can you do to make the most of the persuasive approach?

Different management styles can be applied to different business situations. You need to take this into account before introducing a new management style. Likewise, you should first analyze the benefits this change can bring to your organization. If you’re just starting out, don’t hesitate to evaluate your objectives or try out several approaches to find what works best for your team. In any case, formal training in persuasive management can prove highly beneficial.

It will give you the tools you need to become an excellent persuasive leader. Above all, you’ll discover the latest trends and techniques for strengthening team cohesion. There are also a few healthy habits that are sure to help you achieve your goal of excellence.

STRENGTHEN YOUR SELF-CONFIDENCE
Self-confidence is a real asset for any manager. It’s simple: you’ll move forward more serenely in your work. You’ll know you have what it takes to move your team forward. And the same goes for your ability to judge. In persuasive management, all this plays a decisive role. When you have high self-esteem, you have no trouble imposing your convictions. And without ever resorting to authoritarianism. You’ll find it easier to arouse the interest of your colleagues, and they’ll recognize in you the qualities of a good leader.

SHOW EMPATHY
Like recognition at work, empathy is also an important asset in positive management. This doesn’t mean letting your team make decisions for you (as would be the case with participative and collaborative management). Instead, persuasive management asks you to realize that some members of your team may need an extra push to reach their full potential. You can then consider offering them the psychological or technical support they need.

ALWAYS ENCOURAGE YOUR STAFF
This is the main objective of this management system. Be careful, however, not to fall into the trap of paternalistic management. In fact, the carrot-and-stick approach is not the only way to encourage your team to excel. There are many persuasive management techniques that can serve you well. These include :

Empowerment by delegating tasks (this will show them that you trust them);
Improving the working environment (this will indirectly boost employee motivation);
Transparency and information sharing (this facilitates and encourages top-down, bottom-up and cross-functional communication);
Reactivity (this value is important to avoid letting problems fester, and is also indispensable in a crisis situation).