MANAGEMENT ROLES and SKILLS

Define role
A role is a set of behaviours associated with a particular job

Mintzbergs Managerial Roles

Henry Mintzberg studied CEOs at work and created a scheme to define what managers do on the job. These are commonly referred to as Mintzbergs managerial roles.
These can be grouped into three primary headings: interpersonal, informational and decisional

INTERPERSONAL
Role Description

Identifiable Activity

Figurehead

Manager serves as an official representative of the organization or unit

Manager guides and motivates staff and acts as a positive influence in the workplace Manager interacts with peers and with people outside the organization to gain information

Greeting visitors; signing legal documents

Staffing, training

Leader

Liaison

Acknowledging mail/email; serving on boards; performing activities that involve outsiders

INFORMATIONAL
Role
Monitor

Description
Manager receives and collects information

Identifiable Activity
Reading magazines and reports; maintaining personal contacts Holding meetings; making phone calls to relay information; email/memos Holding board meetings; giving information to the media

Communication (Disseminator)

Manager distributes information within the organization Manager distributes information outside the organization

Spokesperson

DECISIONAL
Role Entrepreneur Description Manager initiates change

Identifiable Activity Organizing sessions to develop new programs; supervises design of projects Steps in when an employee suddenly leaves or an important customer is lost Scheduling; requesting authorization; budgeting Participating in union contract negotiations or in those with suppliers

Disturbance Handler

Manager decides how conflicts between subordinates should be resolved Manager decides how the organization will use its resources Manager decides to negotiate major contracts with other organizations or individuals

Resource Allocator

Negotiator

Review ~
Processes or tasks (activities: planning, organizing, leading, controlling)
Roles (behaviours: interpersonal, informational and decisional) Skills are abilities crucial to success in a managerial position.

MANAGEMENT SKILLS
What are the critical skills that are related to managerial competence?
Generally speaking, effective managers must be proficient in four general skill areas:
Conceptual

Interpersonal
Technical Political

Conceptual skills
The mental ability to analyze and diagnose situations.
The skills that help managers understand how different parts of a business relate to one another and to the business as a whole.

Decision making, planning, and organizing require these skills.

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Interpersonal skills
The ability to work with, understand, mentor, and motivate other people.
Interviewing job applicants, forming partnerships with other businesses, and resolving conflicts all require these skills.

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Technical skills
The ability to apply specialized knowledge or expertise.
Specific abilities that people use to perform their jobs. Operating a word processing program, designing a brochure, training people to use a budgeting system, understanding manufacturing systems, etc. are examples of technical skills.

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Political skills
The ability to enhance ones position, build a power base, establish connections, acquire resources for the business.