We all have them—managers whose styles differ greatly from yours. If you find yourself getting frustrated because you don’t feel like you are communicating well with your manager, here are some things you can do.

But, don’t expect your manager to change his/her way. You’ll have to change the way you approach your manager, by adjusting to his/her style. Once you can recognize and understand your manager’s style, you just need to know how to respond and act in a complementary way.

Typical characteristics:

The Controller has a direct, authoritarian style. Controllers value efficiency and productivity, and set clear, specific goals. They tend to micromanage their employees for maximum control. They don’t tend to listen or take advice well.

The Open Manager values a democratic and team-oriented system. Open managers have general goals and don’t give specific directions. They value relationships and enjoy chatting and getting together socially with employees.

The Bureaucrat values processes and rules. Bureaucrats resist new and innovative ideas, preferring to base decisions on what’s been done in the past. They have high respect for the chain of command within organizations.

The Entrepreneur has new ideas, is energetic, and can be fun to work for. Entrepreneurs are hard workers and often expect employees to go above and beyond their stated duties. They’re visionaries who don’t always use good business sense.

Watch how your manager acts when under pressure; that’s a good indication of their dominant style. Be aware that a manager’s style may at times overlap between the four.

So how do you deal with each type?

(Excerpt from PBU online course “Maximizing Your Relationship With Your Boss”)