The big danger with management by exception is that it can quickly degenerate into management by neglect. It's not unusual for managers to put the systems in place and they focus elsewhere, when the inevitable exception arises they are not around to troubleshoot the problem. What's worse, because they don't delegate enough responsibility, junior workers are not empowered or skilled to deal with the exceptions. In the worst cases things can actually grind to a halt.

A more modern leadership style that is appropriate for knowledge workers and other more creative workplaces is known as management by enablement. This is where managers effectively spend their time metaphorically clearing a path for their subordinates. It may be that they ensure subordinates have the right skills and tools to perform tasks, it may be that they spend time building up people's confidence.

The management by enablement style is less about leading and directing and more about encouraging, teaching and supporting. The key philosophy behind this style is to help people develop and grow as workers. The good thing about management by enablement is that it can empower, motivate and enrich employees. However, there is a downside, management by enablement only works if the individual workers want to develop and grow.

Management by participation, also known as team management is extremely popular these days. It involves group participation and decision-making by consensus. Employees are encouraged to provide input and help with problem solving. Some critics regard this style as no management at all, in fact, what we generally understand as management is diffused throughout the entire team - in other words it somewhat resembles the Internet. As a rule management by participation works best with highly motivated people operating in uncharted territory and who need to react quickly.

It's important to recognise that while individual companies often lean heavily towards one of these management styles, they generally employ elements of each style. Few organisations or individuals operate pure management styles. What's more, different styles suit different circumstances and most workplaces need to operate different styles at different points in their lifecycle.

Difficulties arise when a manager who operates in one style is put in a role demanding a different style of management. Although it is possible to emulate a non-native style for a short period of time, over the long haul this creates all kinds of stresses and other problems. It generally ends in tears. You would do well to think hard about your personal style preferences before accepting a management position."

So what can I do?

Here are some ideas:

Ten Tips for Creative Team Leadership

1. Have a strategic vision and communicate what can be achieved
2. Choose team members with complimentary skills
3. See problems as challenges and foster a team spirit of risk analysis
4. Help team members to know and understand each other quickly
5. Support others
6. Develop the business entrepreneurially
7. Stimulate the team creatively and be open to strategic ideas
8. Delegate and lead, but remain in touch
9. Limit disabling organisational influences
10. Be empathetic, warm and approachable

Review your leadership against these ten ideas and identify areas to work on.

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