1
Siksha Srijan Academy of Technology and Management
Explain managerial roles and managerial skills?
To meet the many demands of performing their functions, managers assume multiple roles.
A role is an organized set of behaviors. Henry Mintzberg (1973) has identified ten Sub roles
common to the work of all managers. The ten roles are divided into three groups:
interpersonal, informational, and decisional.
According to Mintzberg (1973), managerial roles are as follows:
1. Informational roles
2. Decisional roles
3. Interpersonal roles
1. Informational roles: This involves the role of assimilating and disseminating
information as and when required. Following are the main sub-roles, which managers often
perform:
a. Monitor-collecting information from organizations, both from inside and outside of the
organization.
b. Disseminator-communicating information to organizational members
c. Spokesperson-representing the organization to outsiders
2. Decisional roles: It involves decision making. Again, this role can be subdivided in to
the following:
a. Entrepreneur-initiating new ideas to improve organizational performance
b. Disturbance handlers-taking corrective action to cope with adverse situation
c. Resource allocators-allocating human, physical, and monetary resources
d. Negotiator - negotiating with trade unions, or any other stakeholders
3. Interpersonal roles : This role involves activities with people working in the
organization. This is supportive role for informational and decisional roles. Interpersonal
roles can be categorized under three subheadings: a. Figurehead-Ceremonial and
symbolic role
b. Leadership-leading organization in terms of recruiting, motivating etc.
c. Liaison-liasoning with external bodies and public relations activities.
Management Skills
A manager's job is varied and complex. Managers need certain skills to perform the duties
and activities associated with being a manager. What type of skills does a manager need?
Robert L. Katz (1974) found that managers needed three essential management skills
1. Technical
2. Human
3. Conceptual
Technical skills: The ability is to apply specialized knowledge or expertise. All jobs require
some specialized expertise, and many people develop their technical skills on the job.
Vocational and on the job training programs can be used to develop this type of skill.
Human Skill : This is the ability to work with, understand and motivate other people (both
individually and a group). This requires sensitivity towards others issues and concerns.
People, who are proficient in technical skill, but not with interpersonal skills, may face
difficulty to manage their subordinates. To acquire the Human Skill, it is pertinent to
recognize the feelings and sentiments of others, ability to motivate others even in adverse
situation, and communicate own feelings to others in a positive and inspiring way.
Conceptual Skill : This is an ability to critically analyze, diagnose a situation and forward
a feasible solution. It requires creative thinking, generating options and choosing the best
available option. A mark of a good leader is to be able to provide consistent motivation to
his team encouraging them to attain excellence and quality in their performance. A good
leader is always looking for ways to improve production and standards. Here are six
management skills you can develop as a leader in working to create a quality effective
team.
Prepared by Joy Bhowmick
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Siksha Srijan Academy of Technology and Management
1. Observation
This is an important aspect that often gets neglected due the demands on a leader's time
and schedule. Observation and regular visits to the work environment are a priority and
should be scheduled into the calendar. Observing employees at work, the procedures,
interaction and work flow is foundational to implementing adjustments to improve results.
To have credibility, a leader needs to be seen and be known to be up to date with what is
happening in the work place.
2. Monitor Employee Performance
Employee performance needs to be monitored in mutually accepted ways. Policies and
procedures need to be clear. Conferencing should be on a regular basis and not just when
there is a problem. Assessments and evaluations should not be merely all formality or
viewed a necessary paperwork to be done and filed away. Individual and group
conferencing should be undertaken not only to monitor performance, but with the
expectation of on going professional development and support. There should be frequent
encouragement and clear criteria for on going goals both for the group and individual.
3. Implementation of Professional Development Programs
A good leader evaluates weaknesses and provides training and development strategies to
strengthen the weaker skills in the team.
4. Demonstrates Working Knowledge and Expertise
Good leadership comes from a place of strong knowledge and experience of the production
and process leading to results. If a leader does not possess all the expertise and knowledge
personally, then regular consultations with experts involved in the departments should be
held. This is important in order to maintain an accurate and informed overall picture.
5. Good Decision Making
Good leadership is characterized by the ability to make good decisions. A leader considers
all the different factors before making a decision. Clear firm decisions, combined with the
willingness and flexibility to adapt and adjust decisions when necessary, create confidence
in the leadership.
6. Ability to Conduct and Evaluate Research
On going review and research is vital in order to keep on the cutting edge in business.
While managing the present to ensure on going excellence in product and performance, a
good leader is also able to look towards the future. Conducting and evaluating research is
an important way of planning and being prepared for the future.
Excellent leadership is always pro active rather than reactive. By developing these six
managerial skills builds a solid foundation for success.
Prepared by Joy Bhowmick
