Reflection – Management Perspective

Reflection – Management Perspective

From the time mankind began to exist, the need to organize and coordinate people has been exercised, albeit in unconventional mannerisms compared to what is practised in modern times. Management in simple terms is the concerted efforts to coordinate work activities through, and with other people for the realization of organizational goals and objectives (Abrashoff, 2002 p.22). Through studying this unit, I have learnt the various functions of management and the principles and theories that guide the practice of effective management.  Management is just more than coordination, but also includes organization, planning, leadership and control over the people and organisation that a person oversees. 

Management has been changing in definitions and functions over the years. There are functions such as staffing and offering of direction that have shifted and are nowadays under the docket of management (Abrashoff, 2002 p.45).  In the current times, managers have shifted from instruction giving to perform roles of offering guidance and leadership as many modern companies have fewer management layers in their leadership structure. Therefore, there is a considerable reliance on just management for the delegation of duties. Management is a broad field that covers aspects of art and science. Hence, more than one course on management is needed to fully develop one’s ability as a manager. Management skills are important even for non-managers as there is the ever present need to lead projects or management of committees (Armstrong, 2000 p.20). The success of an organization is reliant on the person responsible for the post’s understanding of what makes a good manager, and how he or she implements the principles of management. 

For the purpose of this assignment, I chose to have an interview with the managing director of the leading telecommunication company in the country.

The interviewee rose to the current position through consistency in delivery of tasks at the lower ranks of the corporation. Behind the consistency, the manager was motivated to always achieve good results through being assertive in what he believed.  Planning and research are among the key elements that he always adhered to in all the duties that he undertook. Effective communication is also critical in effective management as the manager has to be clear on what he intends to achieve through the people the he leads. Clarity in thought was highlighted by the interviewee as instrumental during periods of decision making and offering leadership (Armstrong, 2000 p. 29). In order to influence others, the leader has to be an influential and effective speaker who gets people to align their goals to those of the organisation as outlined by the manager. To be at the current position, the manager has had to be not only decisive, but also affluent in his negotiation skills.

In the management of people, there are circumstances that the require one to reach agreements of give and take. Good negotiation skills ensure that one gets the best from any of the situations. Time management was not to be left out if one is to be an effective manager. Excellent time management, as narrated by the interviewee, has been instrumental in the growth of his career. Juggling between work and self-development is a hard task (Dodd, & Sundheim, 2008 p.18). The manager says that personal development is as crucial as being in the leadership position. One has to continually develop their skills to keep up with the ever changing landscape of management. The effective management of time ensures that there is enough time to pursue professional certification courses, and continue gaining further education. These aspects, coupled with volunteering are as important in career development as the effective implementation of principles of management.

Though it is cliché, change has been the only constant over time. We pondered on the issue of change and its role in management. Change management is critical as it has to be handled in a constructive way. Change management is a process that is carried out in a sequence followed by the leader of a team for the application of a change in a process at the organisation or the team itself (Ozyasar, 2008 p.48). The interviewee outlined three key phases that are crucial to the management of change. First is the preparation for the change through assessments and formulation of the strategy to be employed in the entire process. Second in line is the management of the change itself. The phase involves detailed planning of the activities geared towards change and the actual implementation of the changes. Lastly, change is reinforced through data gathering throughout the process, and taking corrective actions where necessary to align with the initial plan of change or accommodate new developments.

Through the interview, I was able to learn that a leader needs to be a holistic individual that is assertive in their opinions. An individual has to make informed decisions that are to be communicated effectively and in an influential manner to the people that one leads. Leadership is not a designation, but rather a process of continually engaging the people that one leads and researching consistently to be updated on the current trends so as to adapt (Hafford-Letchfield, & Gallop, 2012 p.34). The facts augment with the Transformational Leadership Theories. These theories developed in the 1970s and used up to date, state that leadership is process that enables a person to interact with the people that he leads and others outside his leadership, but still create stable relations resulting in the development of trust. This will be later translated to an increase in motivation of the people, both under a manager’s leadership and outside.

The different personalities of people at the workplace can be a good or bad thing for an organisation. The determination of how these different personalities will blend for the good of the organisation is to be done creatively without causing feelings of alienation or favouritism among employees. Among the many leadership models available for use by managers, the selection of the effective model to be used in this case is critical to ensure that it does not impact negatively on the motivation and focus of employees (Hafford-Letchfield, & Gallop, 2012 p.76). A creative manager will employ two or more models in such a scenario by using a hand-off approach and or monitoring to ensure the different personalities do not interact in a manner that might affect the organisation’s ambitions.

As a manager, a right balance has to be struck between continual personal development and effective management of people and resources. Motivating the people under one’s leadership is to be supplemented with giving them opportunities to enhance themselves both professionally and personally. Society requires people that are motivated and active in pursuing their various interests that are going to impact the community positively. The adherence to the principles of management and dedication as an employee will result in one being an exemplary citizen of any society.

References

Abrashoff, D. M. (2002). It’s your ship: Management techniques from the best damn ship in

the navy.

Armstrong, M. (2000). A handbook of management techniques. London: Kogan Page.

Dodd, P., & Sundheim, D. (2008). The 25 best time management tools & techniques: How to

get more done without driving yourself crazy. Chichester: Capstone.

Hafford-Letchfield, T., & Gallop, L. (2012). How to Become a Better Manager in Social   

Work and Social Care: Essential Skills for Managing Care. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Ozyasar, H. (2008). When time management fails: How efficient managers create more value

with less work. New Delhi: Peacock Books.