Question

How might the barriers / lack of managerial skills relate to / impact on the managerial roles? Discuss

Managerial skills are as follows: Managerial skills In addition to fulfilling numerous roles, managers also need a number of specific skills if they are to succeed.

The most fundamental management skills are :

Technical, interpersonal, conceptual, diagnostic, communication, decision-making, and time-management skills

MANAGERIAL ROLES

Henry Mintzberg offers a number of interesting insights into the nature of managerial roles.12 He closely observed the day-to-day activities of a group of CEOs by literally following them around and taking notes on what they did. From his observations, Mintzberg concluded that managers play ten different roles, as summarized in Table 1.2, and that these roles fall into three basic categories: interpersonal, informational, and decisional.
Interpersonal Roles There are three interpersonal roles inherent in the manager’s job. First, the manager is often expected to serve as a figurehead—taking visitors to dinner, attending ribbon-cutting ceremonies, and the like. These activities are typically more ceremonial and symbolic than substantive. The manager is also expected to serve as a leader—hiring, training, and motivating employees. A manager who formally or informally shows subordinates how to do things and how to perform under pressure is leading. Finally, managers can have a liaison role. This role often involves serving as a coordinator or link among people, groups, or organizations. For example, companies in the computer industry may use liaisons to keep other companies informed about their plans. This enables Microsoft, for example, to create software for interfacing with new Hewlett-Packard printers at the same time those printers are being developed. And, at the same time, managers at Hewlett-Packard can incorporate new Microsoft features into the printers they introduce.
Informational Roles The three informational roles flow naturally from the interpersonal roles just discussed. The process of carrying out the interpersonal roles places the manager at a strategic point to gather and disseminate information. The first informational role is that of monitor, one who actively seeks information that may be of value. The manager questions subordinates, is receptive to unsolicited information, and attempts to be as well informed as possible. The manager is also a disseminator of information, transmitting relevant information back to others in the workplace. When the roles of monitor and disseminator are viewed together, the manager emerges as a vital link in the organization’s chain of communication. The third informational role focuses on external communication. The spokesperson formally relays information to people outside the unit or outside the organization. For example, a plant manager at Union Carbide may transmit information to top-level managers so that they will be better informed about the plant’s activities. The manager may also represent the organization before a chamber of commerce or consumer group. Although the roles of spokesperson and figurehead are similar, there is one basic difference between them. When a manager acts as a figurehead, the manager’s presence as a symbol of the organization is what is of interest. In the spokesperson role, however, the manager carries information and communicates it to others in a formal sense.
Decisional Roles The manager’s informational roles typically lead to the decisional roles. The information acquired by the manager as a result of performing the informational roles has a major bearing on important decisions that he or she makes. Mintzberg identified four decisional roles. First, the manager has the role of entrepreneur, the voluntary initiator of change. A manager at 3M Company developed the idea for the Post-it note pad but had to “sell” it to other skeptical managers inside the company. A second decisional role is initiated not by the manager but by some other individual or group. The manager responds to her role as disturbance handler by handling such problems as strikes, copyright infringements, or problems in public relations or corporate image. The third decisional role is that of resource allocator. As resource allocator, the manager decides how resources are distributed and with whom he or she will work most closely. For example, a manager typically allocates the funds in the unit’s operating budget among the unit’s members and projects. A fourth decisional role is that of negotiator. In this role the manager enters into negotiations with other groups or organizations as a representative of the company. For example, managers may negotiate a union contract, an agreement with a consultant, or a long-term relationship with a supplier. Negotiations may also be internal to the organization. The manager may, for instance, mediate a dispute between two subordinates or negotiate with another department for additional support.

Category Role Sample Activities
Interpersonal Figurehead Attending ribbon-cutting ceremony for new plant

   Leader Encouraging employees to improve productivity
   Liaison Coordinating activities of two project groups

Informational Monitor Scanning industry reports to stay abreast of developments

   Disseminator Sending memos outlining new organizational initiatives
Spokesperson Making a speech to discuss growth plans

Decisional Entrepreneur Developing new ideas for innovation

Disturbance handler Resolving conflict between two subordinates
Resource allocator Reviewing and revising budget requests
Negotiator Reaching agreement with a key supplier or labor union

Answer 1

Question:How might the barriers/lack of managerial skills relate to impact on the managerial roles?Discuss Managerial skills are as follows:Managerial skills in addition to fulfilling numerous roles,managers also need a number of specific skills if they are to succeed .The most fundamental management skills are:Technical,interpersonal,conceptual,diagnostic,communication,decision making and time management skills.

Answer: Managerial skills are of extreme crucial importance for better smooth functioning of the organization and free flow of information throughout the communication network within and outside the organization so that policies are well understood to all the stakeholders and execution of the ascertained decisions are well maintained.It maintains the order in the management of the firm so that the best course of actions are taken prudently in the interest of the company.

The absence or lack of managerial skills would surely hamper the growth of the organization and will lead to decline of the organization on all the forefront .

The lack of managerial skills will impact on the managerial roles in following manner :-

1) It will lead to chaos in the working of the entire organization as lack of managerial skills will make it difficult to understand comprehensively the situation and take judicious decision to tackle the gross wrongs of the organization.

2) Absence of Managerial skills would cause wastage of resources as wrong allotment of tasks,orders,faulty work procedures will only lead to financial and time loss causing in decline of the organization.

3) With the absence of managerial skills public,society and most importantly the stakeholders loose the confidence with the organization thus causing problems in low investment and decline of sales of the organization.

4) Absence of managerial skills provide ground of breeding of inefficiency such as corruption,financial frauds,nepotism which occurs when there is no supervision and accountability in the organization.

5) Absence of managerial skills will cause problem in taking a well affirmed decision for the organization which will lead to disruptions in working in the long run .

6) Lack of managerial skills will lead to disoriented work culture as there could be no work standards and proper accountability thus the work carried out in such manner will be improper and faulty with no contributing factor.

7) Absence of Managerial skills in the manager will often lead him to take ill informed decisions far from the ground reality as his lack of knowledge will often cause him take decisions based on his misconception than actual need of the the organization

Discussion of Managerial Skills:

Managerial skills are the overall business acumen, fundamental knowledge equipped with soft skills and personal traits which are sought and desired in a good Manager for the best use in growth of the organization.

Some of the Fundamental Managerial skills are as follows-

1) Technical Skills

>These are the skills which managers in their relevant departments must excel and possess at higher level so that they can supervise and get the subordinates work in coherent and well mannered.

>Technical skills includes the basic fundamental skills which are basic requisite for a job to be done efficiently

> Project management,Office automation,IT skills are some of the major technical skills

> Technical skills enables the manager to supervise, control and rectify the organizational workings

2) Interpersonal Skills

>These are the skills in which communication plays decisive role with the Manager's capacity to address the employees as well to the outsiders.

>Interpersonal skills enables the Manager to communicate well to his subordinates and enable the free flow of organizational instructions throughout the entire organization.

>It enables the managers to assess the subordinates psychology and enables him to motivate them to do the work efficiently.

>With interpersonal skills Managers well establish the bonds with colleagues and try to install industrial harmony and peace throughout the organizational workplace by addressing to the grievances on time and well settlement of the.

>Through interpersonal skills managers become the face of the organization and often acts as sound spokesperson on behalf of the organization to the third parties.

3) Conceptual Skills

>Conceptual skills are the intellectual traits and sound decision making capabilities which enables the Managers to take prudent wise decisions for the organization.

> It enables the managers to see the 'bigger picture' in advance and helps him to take efficient actions well suited for future profitable achievements.

>It helps the Managers to envisage a long best fit growth path for the organization at large and motivates him to persistently take well intended actions for the achievement of the same.

>It provides the managers to develop business analytics ..

4) Diagnostic Skills

> These are the analytical skills which provides for best solution achievement for the business problems.

> It enables the managers to ascertain the best course of action for work procedures in the organization.

> With the help of diagnostic skills managers can abruptly address any sudden work failure issues and get it resolved at time bound manner .

> With diagnostic skills Operation management, work scheduling, optimization of resources can be well established for preventing wastage of valuable resources and ensuring profit per production unit at large.

5) Communication Skills

> Communication skills refers to the sound speech and written skills for official works employed by the managers which is beneficial for smooth functioning of organization ensuring uninterrupted message flow and proper disbursement of instructions to the subordinates.

>Through communication skills managers establish a rapport with the employees ensuring proper attention and feedback mechanism

> Communication skills enables the managers to address the grievance of the employees and get the dispute settled by amiable relationship .

> With communication skills Managers try to alter the attitude of the employees in congruence to the work culture of the organization.

6) Decision Making skills

> Decision making skills are the administrative skills and acumen which are required for maintaining established work protocols in the organization.

> Decision making skills enables the managers to take prudent and profitable making decisions for the company.

>Decision making skill is the only skill on which the existence of entire organizational survival depends as any wrong move will ultimately lead to downfall of the organization.

> Decision making skills is sharpened by regular assessment of the organization,review of work and proper inspection methods .

7)Time management skills

> Time management skills refers to the proper time allocation of the task and getting job in time .

> Time management skills enables the managers to reduce wastage of valuable resources by getting division of labor that is employing the best resources to the best individual to the appropriate operation.

>Time management enables to prevent idle time and lag in work schedules thus saving both time and money.

> Time management drives the organization to sustainable work methodology where all the work are done on time and congruent to the ideal standards without any deviation of work time.