European managers adopt 'coercive' style after crisis

The new research, by global management consultancy Hay Group, shows that the coercive style of leadership – in which the leader instructs and manages employees mainly by criticizing them – is now a dominant approach for 31% of European leaders, rising from just 18% in 2005.

In North America, the coercive style is the preferred approach for 23% of leaders of organizations, while in the Pacific region, for 24%.

In emerging markets, though, "the coercive style remains the approach of choice, with around half of Asian and South American leaders (48% and 60% respectively) citing it as their dominant style," Hay Group said in a statement.

According to the group's statement, "coercive leaders tell staff what to do, and expect them to do it; they then check over employees' shoulders, and are more likely to criticize what they are getting wrong rather than praise what they are doing right."

The consultancy firm's study is based on analyzing data covering 95,000 leaders in more than 2,200 organizations across the world.

More than half – or 56% - of European leaders generate "de-motivating" working environments, the study found. 

The percentages are higher in Asia and Latin America, where 66% and 59% of leaders respectively produce de-motivating working climates.

In the US, the percentage of leaders who create de-motivating working environments was 49% while in the Pacific region it was 52%.

North American organizations are the best at creating "an energizing or high performance climate," with 37% of their leaders doing so.

By contrast, only 17% of leaders in Europe are able to do the same.

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