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Managerial Work
Famous French administrator and writer Henri Fayol explained managerial
work in terms of the functions of planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating,
and controlling. Koontz and O'Donnel developed a very popular textbook on
management around these functions. Recently this classical view of managers been
challenged by the landmark work of Henry Mintzberg. On the basis of his
observations of five CEOs and their mail, Mintzberg concluded that the manager's
job consisted of many brief and disjointed episodes with people inside and outside
the organization. He discounted notions such as reflective planning. Instead of the
five Fayolian functions of management, Mintzberg portrayed managers in terms of a
typology of roles. He formulated three interpersonal roles (figurehead, leader, and
liaison); three informational roles (monitor or nerve center, disseminator, and
spokesman), and four decision-making roles (entrepreneur, disturbance handler,
resource allocator, and negotiator). Even though according to me this typology does
not replace functions of management framework, many do consider it that way.
John Kotter also provided his description of managers based on his study of 15
successful general managers. Kotter also challenged the traditional view by
concluding that managers do not so simply perform the Fayolian functions by
spending time in collecting and analyzing data, but rather spend most of their time
interacting with others. In particular, he found his general managers spent
considerable time in meetings getting and giving information. Kotter refers to these
get-togethers as "network building." Networking accomplishes what Kotter calls a
manager's "agenda" - the loosely connected goals and plans addressing the manager's
responsibilities. By obtaining relevant and needed information from his or her
networks, rather than from the formal information systems, the effective general
manager is able to implement his or her agenda.
Fred Luthans and his coresearchers, Richard M. Hodgetts, and Stuart Rosenkrantz
used trained observers to freely observe and record in detail the behaviors and
activities of 44 "real" managers. From this study they concluded that the activities
done by real managers are as follows:
1. Communication. This activity consists of observed behaviors that include
answering procedural questions, receiving and disseminating requested information,
conveying the results of meetings, giving or receiving routine information over the
phone, processing mail, reading reports, writing reports/memos/letters, routine
financial reporting (expense accounts etc.) and record keeping, and general desk
work.
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2. Traditional Management. This activity consists of planning, decision making, and

controlling. Its observed behaviors include setting goals and objectives, defining
tasks needed to accomplish goals, scheduling employees, assigning tasks, providing
routine instructions, defining problems, handling day-to-day operational crises,
deciding what to do, developing new procedures, inspecting work, walking around
inspecting the work, monitoring performance data, and doing preventive
maintenance of management systems.
3. Human Resource Management. This activity contains: motivating/reinforcing,
disciplining/punishing, managing conflict, staffing, and training/developing.
4. Networking. This activity consists of socializing/politicking and interacting with
outsiders. The observed behaviors associated with this activity include non-workrelated "chit chat"; informal joking around; discussing rumors, hearsay and the
grapevine; complaining, griping, and putting others down; politicking and
gamesmanship; dealing with customers, suppliers, and vendors; attending external
meetings; and doing/attending community service events (Networking is different
from communication by the way it is defined or conceptualized).
According to Luthan et al. these four activities are what real managers do.
They include some of the classic notions of Fayol (the traditional management
activities) as well as the more recent views of Mintzberg (the communication
activities) and Kotter (the networking activities). This view which includes human
resource management activities explicitly, is more comprehensive than previous sets
of managerial work.
SUCCESSFUL AND EFFECTIVE MANAGERS
In their researchs study, Luthans et al. defined success operationally in terms
of the speed of promotion within an organization. A success index was calculated by
dividing a manager's level in his or her organization by his or her tenure (length of
service) there.
Effective managers were determined on the basis of two criteria. (1) getting
the job done through high quantity and quality standards of performance, and (2)
getting the job done through people, which requires their satisfaction and
commitment.
Suprising Finding
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Many managers who are the upper third of effective managers are not in the upper
third of successul managers. This means effective managers are not progressing
rapidly in their organizations.
The managerial implication is that senior managers need to be careful at the
promotion time. The subordinates who spend time in networking activities are
getting undue preference in promotions. This will be detrimental to the organization
in the long run.
Job performance is considered ineffective when productivity is below a standard
considered acceptable at a given time. Most instances of poor job performance are
attributable to a small proportion of the work force. Ineffective performers consume
considerable managerial time and drive the overall company performance backwards.
The causes of ineffective performance can be rooted in the person, the job, the
manager, or the company. Usually ineffective performance is caused by a
combination of several factors as Durbin states. He discusses the model of control, in
order to improve ineffective performance. It is divided into seven steps that could be
followed in sequence and are to define effective or acceptable performance, to detect
deviation from acceptable performance, to confront the substandard performer, to set
improvement goals, to select and implement an action plan for improvement, to
reevaluate performance after a time interval and to continue or discontinue the action
plan.
Corrective actions for ineffective performers are divided into managerial actions and
techniques, and organizational programs. Managerial actions include close
supervision and corrective discipline. Organizational programs include career
counseling, outplacement, and job redesign (previously discussed). Businesses today
may use counseling and constructive criticism to deal with poor performers. As a
formal discussion, counseling includes criticism, in order for the low-performer to
understand the problem, and strive towards its solution, by developing his or her
potential. The challenge from the company''s side is to use a skillful manager to
perform this kind of help, and to balance the situation of the unsatisfied company and
the stressed employee.
Avoiding termination procedures, operations may seek to redesign the job or replace
the employee, in a different area that suits him/her better. Job satisfaction is then
enhanced, as the employer is knowledgeable of the company''s actions regarding
his/her well-being and has the opportunity of successfully develop.
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Finally, empowerment can increase employees'' performance levels. This is

explained in terms of allowing employees greater freedom, autonomy and selfcontrol over their work, and responsibility for decision-making. Empowerment takes
a variety of forms and managers frequently have different intentions and
organizations differ in the degree of discretion with which they can empower
employees and its popularity has been driven by the need to respond quickly to
customer needs, to develop cross-functional links to take advantage of opportunities
that are too local or too fleeting to be determined centrally. Better morale and
compensation for limited career paths are other advantages. Potential difficulties
include the scope for chaos and conflict, the breakdown of hierarchical control, a lack
of clarity about where responsibility stops and demoralization on the part of those
who do not want additional authority. Successful empowerment will require
feedback on performance from a variety of sources, rewards with some group
component, an environment tolerant to mistakes and a widely distributed information
system.

HOW TO BE AN EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE MANAGER

Being an efficient, effective manager takes the same amount of time as being an
inefficient, ineffective manager. Use your time, skills and abilities in a positive way
to be a great manager.
Step 1
Manage your time well before you manage anyone or anything else. Manage time,
don't let time manage you.Take care of yourself so you can take of those who depend
on you.
Step 2
Team Work is Critical
Be a results-oriented manager. Describe what you want as an end product and ask
your employees how they can best accomplish it. What do you expect to happen and
how?
Step 3
Focus on the things you and your employees CAN do instead of trying to do what
you CANNOT do. Work to and build on your strengths before trying to stregnthen
your weaknesses.
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Step 4
Set priorities, make sound decisions and focus on doing the best you can do with
what you have. Work hard, work harder then work your hardest.

AN INEFFECTIVE MANAGER
When you are an ineffective manager, you are incapable of performing the
managerial duties that your title and position requires. The result of your
ineffectiveness causes low employee morale, high rate of absences, and loss of
respect.
STEP ONE - YOU ARE EASILY STRESSED
We all have our bouts with stress in our jobs every now and then. But, if you are
regularly stressed in your position as a leader, and you are causing most of your own
stress - maybe it's time to take a break or vacation; or maybe an entire career change
is in order!
STEP TWO - YOU TIMIDLY DELEGATE
If you are fearful of having to assign tasks to your subordinates, a management job is
not for you. Being afraid to lead is not in your job description. Being a Leader and a
Timid Person can not exist in the same mind! Others are observing you as their
example. If you are a leader who fears delegation and can't communicate effectively,
the example you are setting is a poor one. This is definitely ineffective managing!

STEP THREE - YOU ARE FRIENDS WITH THOSE YOU MANAGE

This one should be simple. However, some managers actually think that they can
manage their friends in the workplace. It just will not work! They'll never take you
serious. When you assign tasks and deadlines, you friends will automatically think
that the deadlines don't apply to them. And as their manager, if you are allowing this
behavior, you are an ineffective manager. When you lose your job for lack of
supervision, your friends will still be employed in their same jobs with a new
manager as their friend!

STEP FOUR - YOU MICRO-MANAGE

No one likes their manager assigning a task, and then proceeding to stand over them
while they are working. This makes your employees feel incompetent and as a
manager, you are exhibiting insecure behavior that is indeed ineffective managing.
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Assign the tasks and give your employees the benefit, that they are competent
enough to complete the assignment. You are stressing yourself out with the micromanaging!

STEP FIVE - REPRIMANDING EMPLOYEES IN THE PRESENCE OF OTHERS

If you think that as a manager, it makes you look good in the eyes of others when
you treat your employees less than professional...you are sadly mistaken! I'm quite
certain that everyone working for you, are adults. So, when you treat them otherwise,
they lose all respect for you. Most of your employees accept the poor treatment out
of fear of losing their jobs..not because they are afraid of you. If you are operating
this way....you are undoubtedly contributing to your own demise!

SEVEN HABITS OF INEFFECTIVE MANAGERS

Whether employees love coming to work or dread it depends largely on the managers
in that organization. Here's what managers could do to make their organization a
better place to work...
Often managers joining new organizations carry along with them their previous
managerial style of working. In most cases what worked in their previous workplace
does not work in a new one. However, they continue with those practices as a matter
of habit. Often, managers are unaware of how their managerial habits adversely
affect their associates.
Apart from giving managers information about the company and their job
responsibilities, induction programmes must also educate them to overcome these
ineffective habits.

Seven Ineffective Habits of Managers

1. Motivation by intimidation. The most common mismanagement approach is
motivating employees by instilling fear in them, fear of getting shouted at, public
humiliation, getting fired etc. Motivating by intimidating works only in some
situations and with certain groups of employees. There are also some limitations to
this method of management. Firstly, the managers have to be present to impose it.
Most employees stop working as soon as managers are out of sight. The manager
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will need to delegate the job of monitoring to others to ensure the work is done.
Effective managers use their people skills to get things done.
2. Not knowing associates. Many managers pride themselves in not knowing much
about their employees, their personal lives, fears, hopes etc. Everybody has a
personal life. Whatever happens in the personal life of an employee affects his work
life as well. An effective manager knows enough about his associates so he
understands what motivates them.
3. Not being open. Such managers believe that there is just one-way of doing things
right and that one-way is their way. Not being open to employee suggestions and
ideas stifles their creativity. This closed attitude of a manager stops new and better
methods from being implemented.
4. Negative expectations. Most managers (especially those belonging to the old
economy) are convinced that most employees are untrustworthy, sneaky and lazy.
This belief makes them constantly monitor employees and also treat them like
children. All this in turn affects the employees adversely and they come to work
forcibly, not willingly. Managers of course, get what they expect.
5. Punishing everybody for the fault of a few. Organizational policies and procedures
are based on the past behaviour of a small group of mischievous employees. Many
employees end up paying the price for the fault of a few. Policies and procedures
sometimes hinder employee work and their behaviour. Writing policies and
procedures for all employees is the easy way out. An effective manager, on the other
hand, would confront the miscreants and counsel them.
6. Not communicating. At the time of yearly performance appraisals, many
employees are shocked to learn about some performance standards that they never
knew or were counselled about. Ineffective managers withhold a lot of important
information from employees and then use employee non-compliance to those
standards against them in their performance appraisals. These managers conveniently
disown the responsibility of not communicating and blame the associates for not
knowing 'basic facts'.
7. Viewing the management and employees as separate entities. Ineffective managers
also strongly believe that they alone constitute the management, and therefore are
always right. Employees, according to them, are a separate class of no concern to the
organization where decisions are involved. Most of the ineffective behaviour of
managers stems from this belief. Managers are humans too and are therefore as prone
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to making errors as anyone else, and only organizations that admit their management
errors stand a chance of survival because they correct them. Ineffective managers fail
to see the synergistic relationship between the management and employees. This
synergistic relationship is required for the success of any organization.
Managers are instrumental in shaping the future of an organization through the kind
of culture they propagate. This in turn helps to decide how other employees view
coming to work, whether they look forward to it or they dread it.

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN

LEADERSHIP SKILLS

EFFECTIVE

AND

INEFFECTIVE

There are many differences between being an ineffective and effective leader. A
really good leader leads by example. A leader does not follow another person's lead.
They are considered role models. An effective leader is always on time for every
appointment and obligation. An effective leader takes his or her responsibilities in
life very seriously. An ineffective leader shys away from responsibilities and
obligations.
Someone with good leadership skills is not afraid to do the right thing even when it is
not popular. A person with good leaderhip skills tries to find ways to improve
productivity on the job and in their personal lives. They do not procrastinate and
make excuses to put off projects that have to be done. A person without leadership
skills will wait to be told when and what to do. Good leaders make their own
decisions and admit to their wrongs.
People with leadership skills take an active role in their communities. They
participate in things like community clean-ups and volunteer their time to differnt
charities. They encourage friends and family members to do the same. People
without leadership skills only care about themselves. They only care about their own
financial situations.
People with leadership skills are the primary figures in their households. They take
care of their children and do the best they can to raise them. People who lack
leadership skills run from the responsibility of raising their own children. People
with leadership skills are more likely to lend a hand to a friend in need. For
instance,a minister who is the leader in a church,should help those in need. A
minister is depended on for guidance and direction.
A person with leadership skills will see opportunity in every situation. A person
without leadership skills will complain at every opportunity. A person with
leadership skills will help his or her co-worker. Someone wthout leadership skills
would only worry about his or her own job.
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A person with leadership skills has the desire to become an entreprenuer. A person
who lacks leadership skills will settle for working for someone else. There is nothing
wrong with working for someone else in my opinion. Being your own boss has its
advantages and disadvantages. If I had a choice I would rather have my own business
than work for someone else.
People with good leadership qualities often make good supervisors and managers.
They usually are knowledgeable and have the desire to teach others a task or job. A
person with poor leadership qualities would fail in a managerial position. They
would'nt know how to deal with certain situations.

HOW TO MANAGE TIME EFFICIENTLY

If you have a lot to do or you simply want to use your time with better efficiency you
will need to learn about managing.
Step 1
Write down any tasks that you need to complete. It can be anything from small
errands, homework assignments or paying a bill.
Step 2
Now organize the list in which task is due. For example, Math homework: Due
Tuesday, Water Bill: Due the 20th, Groceries: This Week.
Step 3
You can also figure out what may take you longer to do than others. This is
especially good if it has anything to do with a class or job assignment.
Step 4
Now start working on what you have to do one task at a time. You should not try to
multi-task or it could make your work less efficient and can stress you out.
Step 5
You can also try giving yourself a time limit. Say you want to just take one hour to
complete your math homework and two hours to complete your paper.
Step 6
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Do not forget to take a few short breaks in between assignments or you could tire out
to fast.
HOW TO IMPROVE EMPLOYEE TIME MANAGEMENT
Employers have found that one of the hardest aspects of running a productive
business is the time management skills of their employees. No matter the business
type or model ineffective employees cost your company big money. There are
several things you can do to help your employees become more effective, one part of
having a more productive employee is to improving their time management skills.
Here are some steps to follow to help improve the time managing skills of your
employees.
Instructions
Step 1
Help your staff understand time management
Start will a class or seminar on time management skills that you can teach to your
employees, many of them may not even know what effective time management is. So
rather than you spending all your effort motivating your staff to become better at
managing time, you first may need to teach them what effective time management is.
Step 2
Increase productivity with expectations
Find time to go over job responsibilities, expectations and goals. This can be done
once a month or once every three months. If you don't remind employees of their job
duties and expectations the start to develop unproductive habits because their
expectations are never on their mind and they have no goals at work.
Step 3
Give rewards for accomplishments
Help them establish goals for themselves, along with the goals I would suggest
coming to an agreement of rewards for reaching the newly defined goals. I don't care
how old or silly it may sound but everyone like to be rewarded for accomplishing a
goal.
Step 4
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Help the employees understand that you chose them because you have confidence
that they can make your company better, help them understand the important part
they play in everyones success. You might need to remind them that you had options
other than them on the day you hired them. This tends to help bring out a little
humility and motivation in your work force when they are reminded that you could
have hired someone else.
We have been using the term 'manager' it mean anyone who is responsible for
carrying out the four main activities of management in relationships over time. One
way to grasp the complexity of management is to see that managers can practice at
different levels in an organization and with different ranges of organizational
activities. After looking at the level and scope of various kinds of managers we will
go on to see how different skills and roles are emphasized in different types of
management.
MANAGEMENT LEVELS:
First line managers: The lowest level in an organization at which individuals are
responsible for the work of others is called first line or first level management. First
line managers direct non-management employees; they do to supervise other
managers. Examples of first line managers are the foreman or production supervisor
in a manufacturing plant, the technical supervisor in a research department, and the
clerical supervisor in a large office. First level managers are often called supervisors.
A school principal is also a first level manager, as is the manager of a major league
baseball team.
Middle Managers: The term middle management can include more than one level in
an organization Middle managers direct the activities of lower level managers and
sometimes those of operating employees as well. Middle managers' responsibilities
are to direct the activities that implement their organizations policies and to balance
the demands of their managers with the capacities of their employers.
Top Managers: Composed of a comparatively small group of people, top
management is responsible for the overall management of an organization. These
people are called executives. They establish operating policies and guide the
organization's interactions with its environment. Typical titles of top managers are
Chief Executive Officer, President and Vice president.
Functional and General Managers:
Another major classification of managers depends on the scope of activities they
manage. Organizations are often described as a set of functions. A function, in this
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sense, is a collection of similar activities. The marketing function, for example

commonly consists of sales, promotion, distribution and market research activities.
At Coca Cola, the marketing function is responsible for TV ads and the research and
development function is responsible for Coke's special formula. On college
campuses, the athletic department is a function because the activities of its members
differ from what, say, the members of the philosophy department do.
Functional Managers; The functional manager is responsible for only one functional
area, such as production marketing or finance.
General Managers: The General Managers, on the other hand oversee a complex
unit, such as a company, a subsidiary or an independent operating division. He or she
is responsible for all the activities of that unit, such as its production, marketing and
finance. A small company may have only one general manager - its president or
executive vice president - but large organizations may have several each heading a
relatively independent division. In a large food company, for example, there may be
a grocery products division, a refrigerated-product division, and a frozen food
products division, with a different general manager responsible for each. Like the
chief executive of a small company each of these divisional heads is responsible for
all the activities of the unit. In some special cases authorized by top management
even if one doesn't have the designation they perform the tasks of general managers
as they may oversee and links several different functions. It is important to remember
that functional and general managers alike plan, organize, lead, and control
relationships over time. The difference again is in the scope of activities that they
oversee.

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