INTRODUCTION
Managers are one of the most important elements for an organization to be successful. Sometimes we refer them as the brains of an organization. They are the ones directing and controlling the works and staff of a department or an organization. They are vital in the states of affairs of an organization. How they perform and deal with people around them contributes to the welfare of the whole organization.
It is very important to know that each manager knows his role and how to make it well. It is in their handling of work and how they deal with people around them that brings great significance to the success of their organization. They are very much the key to a successful organization. They are the criteria in which an organization ought to have success. In this paper, we will try to unravel the responsibilities and functions of a manger. May this paper be a guide to all managers working in an organization.
ROLE OF MANAGERS
A manager must be well versed regarding the system of the organization he is working and he must convey to his people all matters regarding the system. It is important that the mangers have the knowledge of the system. He must relay such information to his people so that his people will know the flow of the system of the organization. A manager educates his people on the structure of the organization. A manager must also give emphasis on the work of their unit and the contributions it will give to the welfare of the whole organization.
The knowledge of the group regarding their function is then vital in their performance and to the organization’s success. Educating his people regarding the system of the organization and the function of their unit must be the first focus of a manager. It is in this dissemination of information that shapes what and how the unit can contribute to the whole organization. A manager must always banner this state of mastery regarding the organization for him to function well and to be able to educate well his people.
Managers must also inculcate to his people their value as a component of the system. This is very important in an organization in order for the employees to know their worth to the entire system. Employees need to know this thing because the idea of value plays a vital role in the performance in working in the system. When employees know their value, they are most likely to be inspired in working. The presence of value makes employees really connected to the system. This will enable them to see themselves as important parts of the whole system.
Employees finding their value to the system of the organization will bring about the idea of being one with the system. This idea is a very powerful factor in the performance of employees. This makes them one with the system and will make them appreciate that what they will do will contribute to the welfare of the whole system and if they do well, the system’s success will also be their own success and vice versa. To inform the employees and make them appreciate their value to the system is one of the roles of the manager.
A manager must also understand that his employees are different from each other. A manager must see every employee’s background (family, education, skills, abilities, etc.). This is not an act of ranking each employee but this is an act of looking at each of them and tries to discover and organize plan on how they will gel and complement each other. The manager must try to put each and every employee to a position where they can contribute to the organization as a whole.
This role of the manager is very vital because it enables him to facilitate plans that would be so much beneficial to the organization’s welfare. Team work leads to success and how a manager puts together diverse people will be key to success. This is an art that a manager will have to master. This is like putting together a puzzle, a puzzle that leads to success.
A manager loves learning. He is always open to growth and development in learning. This openness to growth and development is not only limited to his own self but also to his members and employees. A manager must provide a good learning condition not only for himself but also to his employees. He encourages education for those who have deficiencies in educational attainment. He also provides seminars and courses to his people for the advancement of learning such as personality development seminars, leadership seminars and the likes.
Openness to learning is an act of adapting to the changing world. Knowledge always evolves and thus people must also adapt to its evolution. People’s minds are also dynamic and thus needs to be catered by new trainings and seminars. This is one great manifestation of a good manager, a manager that is in constant search for new ideas and methods, a practice that a manager must always look forward and do.
A manager must understand a stable system and the interaction of people and the circumstances that work in. Performances of everyone depend on a stable system. When coaching an employee or correcting a mistake, it must be in a good manner that does not distract employee’s attention to work. It must come from an orderly manner and must not be an insult to the employee. AS good working atmosphere must always be in the mind of a manager and must not do away from it.
Lessons will always take its effects in a manner of good coaching. People will always take suggestions for growth and development if it comes from a professional and even brotherly manner. Managers must not be the menace of the workplace instead and avenue to freely express one’s self and grow. This is very important in a manager’s role in an organization, a manager that makes learning easy and not a personal attack to someone.
A manager must not rely always on authority of office. This means that he does not rely on power and does not use power to manipulate employees. Power creates difficulties for employees to work with. It sometimes makes employees feel that they are lesser persons than the manager. They at times lose the will to persevere in every endeavor when subjected to power and thus losses the will to do their job well.
A manager must use knowledge in persuading an employee to a particular task. His personality as knowledgeable and open person will make an employee at ease in different situations. If an employee is at ease, this will then pave way to a more constructive learning process between an employee and a manager. Both feel something good in learning and both will then work hard and support each other in the organization’s aims.
A manager must always study results of performances not only his own performance but the performances of his people. This is again an important task to do. This entails that a manager must always look not only to his accomplishments but also to the accomplishments and performance of his people. A manager must look if he had an employee that needs help. It is van inevitable part of an organization that someone will commit mistakes. If someone commits a mistake, that someone surely needs help. Help may come from simple things such as just rearranging tasks that somehow is too burdening to the employee or by just giving more explanation regarding the task involve.
A manager must create trust to his employees. This presupposes an environment of freedom and innovation. Given that a manager must have trust to his people, this will then give way for his people to have confidence in themselves. This confidence will now give them an opportunity to innovate and create for the organization on what they deem important and vital for its success. Employees can now be part of the whole brain that runs an organization. This will not only lead to growth of every employee but also to the organization as a whole.
A manager must not demand and expect perfection from his people. No one is perfect in this world and no employee can give a perfect accomplishment. A manger must understand this reality so that he can truly relate in good manner with his people. This is also an avenue to a more helping and cooperative way of doing work because everyone knows that they are not perfect and they need each other for them to achieve the goal of the organization as a whole.
A manager must always listen and must always be objective in listening. In times of conflicts, managers will hear feedbacks from his people and it may contain degrading words for others employees. He must not judge instantly and must not take everything to be correct. His judgment on a certain matter must always be coupled with rational thinking. In this state, the organization will have a better inter human relationship that will always be key to success.
A manager must also be engaged in informal conversations with his people not to judge them but just giving time to listen to them. This will promote a closer and free relationship between him and his people. This will also enable the manager to know his people’s plans and feelings and are vital to his decision making. This is a must for a manager for him not only to be able to be in a good relationship to his people but also in learning more about them because some of his people will work for a long time with him and good relationship is very much imperative. This will make them create better teamwork.
A manager must also know the benefits and losses that an organization may get from competition between employees and groups. Competition will always be present in an organization. This is a ubiquitous reality. It is important that a manager will know its effects, positive or negative. With this knowledge, the manager can easily make adjustments and comments if one competition is not fruitful. It is also important that a manager will always remind employees of sportsmanship in every competition in accomplishments. Everything must be done in good manner and everything must not be personalized when we refer to competition.
CONCLUSION
A manager must always be a person who banners good traits and has the capability of handling people. This is very important for a manger to be successful. A manager must always be for development and growth not only for himself but also for his people. It is important that all of them will have further education and skill trainings. As a manager, you are not only a facilitator but also a teacher, friend and a brother at times. It is very important to banner all these traits.
The betterment of an organization will always rely on the manager efficiency in facilitating works and the people around him. This is the demand that a manager must meet in order to be successful in his job. A successful manager will surely contribute big to the success of the organization and in return the success of all the people working under it. The manager’s role will always have a chained effect on the people and organization in general.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
John Maxwell(1999). The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader: Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow. Maxwell Motivation.
Change Management Basics: the Role of Managers and Supervisors.
Role of Managers.
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