Paternalistic Management style- need of care

Paternalistic Management style- need of care

First published on 4 January 2012


The paternalistic management style contains some autocratic dynamism, when implemented honestly and professionally, it brings a warmth in work atmosphere and should be a bit fuzzy within the precincts of its approach. In its paternal aspect, it works like a father being firm though has good intentions in the life, in the business area, the employees. The typical paternalistic manager most of the times explains the specific reason as to why he has taken certain actions in management and for his employees.  He is very far from being autocratic and looks after the harmony within his or her team. A manager of this style provides the environment that is perfectly well rounded for all within his management wing, even including a prior consideration of their personal and social aspects in their lives. In this respect, there seems to occur some kind of upward communication all the way from the tip to the  high ranks, in terms of provision of feedback which could be well used for the transformation of some aspects within the organisation for the achievement of employee satisfaction and avid motivation.
Those in support of paternalistic management style have related to it as providing a huge movement towards the motivation of employees more than an autocratic style, since the employees tends to fill the leadership as considering their welfare and thus do care for them more as people and not just like robots. Since the objective that comes with keeping the motivation of the employees is highly included in this leadership style, there tends to be an overt probability that is laid towards an increased loyalty of employee and also a minimal turnover.
However, if the manager starts behaving like an autocratic parent, seeking to extract information from all levels, planting moles, criticizing employees publicly always, "I told you", and " why you are not like me", then the manager might still feel that he is following a paternalistic style, but he is actually transcends to autocratic style. Such manager has to understand that even within the precincts of household, he is not what his father was and his son is not going to be what he is.