Where I currently work, I actually have my direct manager, and his manager who also manages the entire team that I am on. Both of my managers have the approach of “whatever works for you” in that as long as you can get your work done in a way that is quality and on a reasonable timeline, then they are fine. They aren’t too particular about the details of how I execute my duties, save for a couple of them that absolutely need to be done a certain way without exception so as to conform to company policies. However, my team manager (who manages my direct manager) operates from a much higher level view than my direct manager. My direct manager will help me directly with tasks if I have trouble or will work with me to identify a plan in order to move around roadblocks at a detail level, while my team manager, due to the wide range of responsibility and subordinates he has, will not do the same. He may create plans like my direct manager, but only at a high level, directing me to the right people that can get me where I need to go. So as it stands, I quite prefer this style of management, in regards to the “whatever works” attitude. It creates a lot of flexibility for myself. In addition, not having a laid out plan in front of me has challenged me to forge my own methods and paths instead of relying on a given way, which has often lead to process improvements and positive consequences for the whole team.