Management Fundamentals Assignment Help
Executive Summary
The following is an essay based on the management fundamentals which define the core elements of being a manager. The essay defines who a manager is and what his roles are in an organization. The five core elements of being a manager are highlighted and discussed in detail. Moreover the fact is emphasized in the essay that a manager has to be skillful and also that he should have expert knowledge in order to be effective. Qualities and traits of being a good manager are underlined. Furthermore, light is thrown upon the influence of a good manager on the organization and his subordinates. The paper thus describes the attributes of and influential and effective manager. The essay is backed up by authentic sources and references.
Introduction
The larger and ever growing organizations of today’s world have to survive in a competitive market environment and thus they need to have expertise over one another to do so. This is also termed as competitive advantage. To have an edge over the competitors, an organization needs to consider some core factors. One of the core factors of gaining a competitive advantage is the effective management of resources of an organization. The resources of an organization need a proper system of management with the help of which these resources can be used efficiently and rationally. Thus organizations hire specialists called the managers.
Managers are employees that are responsible to organize, coordinate, plan, control and lead their subordinates in any organization (Sunday and Somoye, 2011). He should have the qualities such as effective communicator, influential leader and a strategic planner. The manager should fulfill his duties with utter sense of responsibility. He is the supervisor who needs to be alert and conscious about the issues the organization for which he works (Jandaghi and Matin, Khanifar and Kiaei, 2009). Bad management could hamper the productivity of the firm and incur loses because of his inefficiency. There are a lot of theories about how a leader and manager acts and behaves in an organization. Some of the theories are great man theories, trait theories, contingency theories, situational theories, behaviorist theories, transactional theories, and transformational theories (Bolden et al., 2003).
Skills required for being a manager
A manager needs to make sure that he is able to supervise his subordinates well. The most important characteristics of a good manager are active problem solver, having great decision making power and ability, being fair to all the subordinates, being able to motivate and encourage the subordinates, providing clear goals and directions to the employees, practicing respect and integrity, and having a vibrant mission and vision etc. Also a good manager tends to be clear in giving instructions to his subordinates while delegating a task (Partington, Pellegrinelli and Young, 2005). Effective managerial skills fall under the following categories (Jandaghi et al., 2009).
- Technical Skills: These skills require job-specific knowledge and understanding which enables a manager to carry out particular tasks strategically.
- Human Skills: A manager should be capable of working well with the individuals as well as the groups of an organization.
- Conceptual Skills: A manager should have the ability of thinking critically and conceptually in abstract and complicated situations.
The five core elements of an effective Manager
Managers work at every level of the organization. There are basically three types of managers i.e. line managers, middle managers and the top level managers. These managers have different levels of responsibilities but more or less they have same roles to play. The level of knowledge and expertise required at these levels differ but they need to have certain elements which qualify them as good managers (Safi and Burrell, 2007).
Decision making skills
Managers are one of the core elements of an organization that are responsible to make critical and strategic decisions in many different situations that a business faces. The ability of being conscious and effectual when it comes to making proper decisions is a prerequisite for an effective manager (Brill, Bishop and Walk, 2006). Moreover, Safi and Burrell (2007) add that the managers should be quick to respond to the issues of the company. This will make him good at decision making because being responsive means that an individual has enough of knowledge and expertise that he takes the least time to act in response to any issue. In a critical situation, the manager should have the proficiency to handle the situation accordingly. For critical situations, the manager should already be prepared to deal with the matter and problem through the implementation of contingency plans and other relevant strategies (Safi and Burrell, 2007). The trait theory applies of a manager and leader applies here; the traits and qualities of an individual make him a leader. Bolden et al., (2003) argue that not everybody has the potential to become a leader and manager because it needs a lot of skills and traits to lead and direct other individuals or a team towards the firm’s strategic goals.
Being a source of motivation and encouragement for the employees
Employees are the most critical assets of an organization. The employees need to be managed and supervised by effective authorities who not only make the employees more productive but also make them satisfied by their job. Here the role of a manager is to look after the employee issues. The management theories of transactional leadership can be applied to this situation (Bolden et al., 2003). This theory surrounds the idea of a chain of command and the motivation of employees through rewards. Moreover, punishments are also there to prevent any lack of seriousness at work (Fry and Cohen, 2009). The human resource has to be managed by an expert who has the potential of getting the employees on work in the most effective way possible. According to (Ward, 2001), an influential leader and manager will qualify for this purpose because he will be able to encourage and motivate the employees to work hard and devotedly for the betterment of the organization. The manager has to be convincing enough that the employees listen to what he says and orders. To motivate the employees, a manager should adopt various ways of encouraging them i.e. motivation through the practice of equality and fairness among workers and forming a healthy relationship with the subordinates. Once the employees begin to trust and respect their manager, the company experiences a healthy organizational milieu. Moreover Brill et al., (2006) add that the managers can motivate the employees by giving perks, financial and non-financial rewards, satisfying their needs and practicing equality at work etc.
Providing clear goals and directions
One of the qualities of a good manager is to lead his subordinates in the best way possible. He is the one who sets goals and targets for the betterment of the organization and help the firm attain its strategic goals. A manager should know how to lead; he should have the skills to give proper directions to the subordinates for the execution of the goals and objectives of the company (Murale and Preetha, 2011). The great man theory can best fit with the idea of being clear about the directions when one has to lead and manage (Bolden et al., 2003). The great man theory implies that a great leader is born with the special qualities of leading and managing people. He knows how to give directions and instructions; he tends to be clear and plain in describing the targets and goals to his subordinates (Bowen and Ostroff, 2004). Moreover, the manager needs to provide clear directives to the subordinates because without clear and relevant information the subordinates are most likely to carry out their tasks incorrectly. Thus, the effort and hard work of the subordinates and the manager can go in vain if comprehensible and understandable directions are not provided by the manager as the theory indicates (Boh and Wong, 2013).
Creating vibrant mission and vision for the organization
A manager is there to deal with the resources of an organization including the human resources or the capital resources i.e. project management etc. Thus he needs to be able to create a vibrant vision for the organization. By introducing an appropriate vision, the manager will be able to set targets for the employees to accomplish effectively. The great man theory can be referred to understand the quality of ‘creating’ a mission and a vision for the organization. Having innate leadership skills, the manager is expected to have the capability of imagining the best things and preparing them to realize through a mutual effort of his subordinates (Bowen and Ostroff, 2004). Moreover, Boh and Wong, (2013) agree with the theory stating that a manager should also be able to set a mission for his subordinates in order to motivate them towards the accomplishment of the strategic plans of the company. The creation of a vibrant mission and vision will lead the managers to attain the organization’s core aims and objectives rationally and with utter level of efficiency (Iqbal, 2005).
Being able to plan and attain the best success stories for the organization
An effective manager is the one who is capable of developing the best strategies and plans for the betterment of the organization. He is able to think of the most innovative ideas which will help the organization achieve its goals. A good manager will prove to be worthwhile by thinking ahead of time about the success of the organization. When he tends to do so, he is already working in the favor of the business i.e. a positive attitude and commitment of the manager will yield the best result foe an organization. Moreover the manager needs to have expertise over the planning processes (Young, Charns and Shortell, 2001). Behavioral theory suggests that a great leader is made, not born. The behavior of a manager will make him a successful leader; his hard work and effort will yield him the best outcomes which will ultimately provide him a tag of great leader and manager. Thus it is very important to note that the work of a manager is very important than his skills and qualities after all, his work reflects his attributes in the end (Bolden et al., 2003).
Conclusion
The five elements of being a manager, discussed above, put forward the idea that the characteristics of a manager required to become effective are very important. The managers should know their responsibilities and should be able to fulfill them with sincerity and utter seriousness. The manager should be able to realize the immense value and importance of his position and be able to take his employees along where they deliver their best towards achieving the organizational goals. These above discussed elements of a manager make him an influential and prominent leader and a supervisor who not only manages the resources of a business but also looks for the betterment of the organization for which it works.
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References
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