The Technocrat is a manager who thrives on rolling up their sleeves and doing tactical work alongside their employees. When an individual contributor works their way to the management track, they often become The Technocrat.

Somewhere between a formal behavioral diagnostic and a Facebook "Which Disney Princess are you?" quiz, this is pop psychology and management drivel at its best. But you should take it anyway.

The Analyst tends to be risk-averse. They favor insight over impulse. Their team is not subject to the daily whims or whiplash of a chaotic agenda. But when the team is lost in the woods without a map sometimes the only thing to do is start hiking in a new direction. That is anathema to the Analyst.

The Chill Boss shines at company retreats and happy hours, and their employees often follow them from company to company because they build a comfort and rapport that makes work feel like play.

For those who are anxious about change, there's a comfort in knowing that someone is looking into the future and preparing for the changes to come. For those who embrace change, there's a natural tendency to project oneself into the role of visionary.

This series is about management and entrepreneurial failures at small companies. I’ve worked mostly at software tech startups, but I’m hoping the lessons here are a bit more universal than that.

By 2020 half of the workforce will be made up of Millennials. Every recent study of workplace dynamics describes a generation that seeks intrinsic motivation, autonomy, freedom, and respect. The Authoritarian is a dinosaur that will be rendered extinct by this seismic shift.