The way you deal with your employees, with the work your group is doing, and with various situations that arise will often be dictated by the broader needs of the organization. If times are lean and you are cutting back, you will not have the same leeway in dealing with your employees as you would in better times. If the organization has a specific business objective or an important client to please, your management style will need to reflect these targets.

It will be essential for you to adapt your interactions to the changing needs of your organization. While your superiors will want to see that you have a good relationship with your staff, their priority will of course be that you advance the interests of the organization. At the same time, employees who are not comfortable working for you will not do their best work and may leave altogether. As noted above, you will always be caught in this conflict to some extent. You'll need to be flexible and...