ROLE OF MANAGERS

A manager’s job is very crucial in an organization. He is a planner, coordinator,

producer and a marketer. The success of an organization will depend upon the
caliber of the manager in utilizing the resources for achieving business goals. A
manger is a pivotal figure in the task of creating wealth. There are rapid
changes in technology, methods of production, marketing techniques, financial
set up and the manager should be competent enough to cope with the changes.
Managers perform different roles as shown in the image. As can be seen from
the figure, formal authority gives rise to three informational roles. Various roles
played by manager in an organization are briefly explained below.

 Figurehead Role of Manager

Managers perform the duties of a ceremonial and symbolic in nature such as
welcoming official visitors, signing legal documents etc as head of the
organization or strategic business unit or department. Duties of interpersonal
roles include routine, involving little serious communication and less important
decisions. However, they are important for the smooth functioning of an
organization or department.
  Leadership Role of Manager
All managers have a leadership role. The manager, as in charge of the
organization / department, coordinates the work of others and leads his
subordinates. This role includes hiring, training, motivating and disciplining
employees. Formal authority and functional authority provides greater
potential power to exercise and get the things done.

 Liaison Role of Manager

As the leader of the organization or unit, the manager has to perform the
functions of motivation, communication, encouraging team spirit and the like.
Further, he has to coordinate the activities of all his subordinates, which
involves the activity of liaison. This role also requires the manager to interact
with other managers outside the organization to secure favours and
information. In this role, the manager represents his organization in all matters
of formality.

 Monitor Role of Manager

As a result of the network of contacts, the manager gets the information by
scanning his environment, subordinates, peers and superiors. The manager
seeks and receives information concerning internal and external events so as to
gain understanding of the organization and its environment. Typically this is
done through reading magazines and talking with others to learn the changes
in the public’s tastes, what competitors may be planning, and the like.
Managers, mostly collect information in verbal form often as gossip, hearsay,
speculation and through grapevine channels.

 Disseminator Role of Manager

Manager disseminates the information; he collects from different sources and
through various means. He passes some of the privileged information directly
to his subordinates, peers and superiors who otherwise have no access to it.
This information is gathered by him from his environments and from his own
equals in the organization. The manager will play an important role in
disseminating the information to his subordinates, when they don’t have
contact with one another.

 Spokesman Role of Manager

Managers also perform a spokesperson role when they represent the
organization to outsiders. Manager is required to speak on behalf of the
organization and transmit information on organization’s plan, policies and
actions. The manager has to keep his superior informed of every development
in his unit, who in turn inform the insiders and outsiders. Directors and
shareholders must be informed about the financial performance, customers
must be informed about the new product developments, quality maintenance,
government officials about implementation of law etc.

 Entrepreneurial Role of Manager

As an entrepreneur, the manager is a creator and innovator. He initiates and
oversee new products that will improve their organization’s performance. He
seeks to improve his department, adapt to the changing environmental factors.
The manager would like to have new ideas, initiates new projects and initiates
the developmental projects.

 Disturbance Handler Role of Manager

As a disturbance handler, managers take corrective action to response to
previously unforeseen problems. Disturbance handler role presents the
manager as the involuntarily responding to pressures. Pressures of the
situation are severe and highly demand the attention of the manager and as
such the manager cannot ignore the situation. For example, worker strike,
declining sales, bankruptcy of a major customer etc. The manager should have
enough time in handling disturbance carefully, skilfully and effectively.
  Resource Allocator Role of Manager

The most important resource that a manager allocates to his subordinates is

his time. As a resource allocator, managers are responsible for allocating
human, physical and monetary resources. Accordingly, setting up of a time
schedule for the completion of an operation or approval of expenditure on a
particular project, etc., are the functions which the managers perform in the
role of a resource allocator.

The manager should have an open-door policy and allow the subordinates to
express their opinions and share their experiences. This process helps both the
manager and his subordinates in making effective decisions. In addition, the
manager should empower his subordinates by delegating his authority and
power.

 Negotiator Role of Manager

In this role, the manager represents the organization in bargaining and
negotiations with outsiders and insiders, in order to gain advantages for his
own unit. He negotiates with the subordinates for improved commitment and
loyalty, with the peers for cooperation, coordination and integration, with
workers and their unions regarding conditions of employment, commitment,
productivity, with the government about providing facilities for business
expansion etc. These negotiations are integral part of the manager’s job for only
he has authority to commit organizational resources and has nerve centre of
information.

Conclusion
Though the different roles of a manager are discussed separately for
convenience, they are in fact inseparable. The manager has to perform these
roles simultaneously by integrating one with another. Thus, the major role of
the manager is integrating all the roles while playing managerial role or
performing his tasks. In fact, the manager cannot play any role isolating the
other roles. As a strategist, the manager has to integrate all the roles in
decision-making and performing his tasks.
Qualities of a Manager:
A manager has to undertake a number of functions from planning to
controlling. He has to take decisions for every type of activity. The decisions of
the manager influence the working of an organization.

He should have the following qualities so for performing his work

properly:

 Education
A manager must have proper educational background. These days managers
are supposed to have management education, besides other educational
qualifications. Education not only widens mental horizon but also helps in
understanding the things and interpreting them properly. The knowledge of
business environment is also important for dealing with various problems the
organization may face.

 Intelligence
A manager has to perform more responsibilities than other persons in the
organization. He should have higher level of intelligence as compared to other
persons. Intelligence will help a manager in assessing the present and future
possibilities for the business. He will be able to foresee the things in advance
and take necessary decisions at appropriate time.

 Leadership
A manager has to direct and motivate persons working in the organization. He
will provide leadership to subordinate. The energies of the subordinates will
have to be channelize of properly for achieving organizational goals. If a
manager has the leadership qualities then he can motivate subordinates in
improving their performance and working to their full capacity for the benefit of
the organization.

 Training
A manager has to acquire managerial skills. These skills consist of technical
skills, human skills and conceptual skills. These skills have to be acquired
through education, guidance, experience etc. These skills are needed for all
levels of managers.

 Technical Knowledge
A manager should have technical knowledge of production processes and other
activities undertaken in the enterprise. He will be in a better position to inspect
and guide if he himself has knowledge of those activities.

 Maturity
A manager should have mental maturity for dealing with different situations.
He should be patient, good listener and quick to react to situations. He has to
take many awkward decisions which may adversely affect the working if not
taken properly. He should keep calm when dealing with subordinates. All these
qualities will come with mental maturity.

 Positive Attitude
Positive attitude is an asset for a manager. A manager has to deal with many
people from inside as well as from outside the organization. He should be
sympathetic and positive to various suggestions and taken humane decisions.
He should not pre-judge the things and take sides. He should try to develop
good relations with various persons dealing with him. He should understand
their problems and try to extend a helping hand.

 Self-confidence
A manager should have self- confidence. He has to take many decisions daily,
he may analyze the things systematically before taking decisions. Once he
takes decisions then he should stick to them and try to implement them. A
person who lacks self-confidence will always be unsure of his decisions. This
type of attitude will create more problems than solving them.

 Foresight
A manager has to decide not only for present but for future also. There are
rapid changes in technology, marketing, consumer behaviour, financial set up
etc. The changes in economic policies will have repercussions in the future. A
manager should visualize what is going to happen in future and prepare the
organization for facing the situations. The quality of foresight will help in taking
right decisions and face the coming things in right perspective. In case the
things are not rightly assessed then the organization may face adverse
situations.