Effective Manager and the Importance in Organizational Success


 


Practically, the tasks of the manager provide the effective application of what is known as the functions of management: planning, organizing, directing/leading, coordinating and controlling (David 2003, 2001; Drejer 2002). The management functions are goal-directed, interrelated and equally interdependent with each other. The performance of the management functions is the critical and universal basis on what is an effective manager for all levels of management, from supervisor to CEO in all kind of organizations, private or public, may it be corporate, public administration, educational, charitable, etc., regardless of any size (Pearce and Robinson 2000). Most countries use the management functions and its application yield results depending on manager’s output. This notion is usually called as the universality of management. It is the where the basic process of management is similar, albeit the framework in which it is practiced is far different from each management levels and from each organizations (Robbins and Judge 2007).


Robbins and Judge (2007) simply describe managers as individuals who “get things done through other people” (p. 4). They are the ones who are take charge in decision making, resources allocation, and administration of organizational activities through people and towards the achievement of deliberate goals. The management functions are the ways in which organizations can achieve their goals. In achieving these goals, there is a need for someone who can define the most appropriate means and oversee the process of execution. Now, the question is what is an effective manager? Why are they important in the success of organizations?


 


The Effective Manager 


            As mentioned, the effective manager is the one who exemplifies the performance of the management functions. It consists of planning, organizing, directing/leading, coordinating, and controlling all relevant resources of the organization. Organizational resources include money, human labor, knowledge or information, jobs or positions, technologies, facilities and equipment, materials and supplies, and many others (Newstrom 2002). Managers are always dealing with a dynamic environment, anticipate changes, and adapt to it. Moreover, managers build and sustain an internal environment, commonly called the organization, by making it a suitable place where others can work efficiently and at their best (Robbins and Judge 2007).


            An effective manager is good in planning. The planning function is directly associated with the coming up of organizational goals, designing a strategy to reach goals, and implementing a comprehensive set of plans to integrate and direct organizational activities. Either dealing with the situation or on the individual or organizational level by which planning is occurring, the process progresses according to the prevailing attitudes, beliefs and goals that are involved. Roney (2004) avers that the organizational objectives should reflect standards of success in financial and competitive performance, as well as acceptable levels of risk and rates of long-term growth. The planning process is very important because it is the first step towards implementation of any organizational operations. In order for a manager to be effective, he/she must be able to see beyond future and foresee challenges that may affect the entire organization including its immediate environment and circumstances. In planning, there is the process of devising and maintaining a workable scheme to accomplish in response to a need or demand (Baird et al. 1993). Thus, managers are entitled to develop written plans for all significant undertakings and document and distribute the plan to all people concerned. In several cases, the participation of an identified team in planning functions, decision-making, and using planning tools effectively make up a successful outcome.


            An effective manager holds excellent organizational skills. While it is true that managers are that ones who are in-charge in designing organizational structure, organizing function is crucial. According to Morgenstern (1998), organizing is the simple act of setting similar elements following one or more set of standards or rules. In an organizational point of view, organizing is the manager’s function that usually follows after the planning process. Generally, organizing includes the arrangement and distribution of tasks to appropriate departments and people. Specifically, it encompasses the identification of tasks that are needed to be done, the people to do these tasks, how they can be grouped accordingly, delegating individuals for responses, and pointing out where decisions are to be prepared (Robbins and Judge 2007). It is also the assignment of authority and allocation of resources. Some identified processes and decision models are useful to the manager in organizing the work and intellectual contributions to be drawn from all levels of the management organization (Roney 2004). The manager is effective if he/she is able to sustain the objectives and other factors considered and based on planning. Continuity is required Organizing is crucial in developing inputs to planning, making planning decisions, and implementing strategy. The said ways are the immediate responsibilities of an effective manager.


            An effective manager is an able leader. All organizations are composed of human labor and it is the job of the manager to direct and ensure arrangement with people (Robbins and Judge 2007). This function is subject to the development and implementation of plans made. In specific functions, directing/leading functions of manager includes employee motivation, learning, communication, conflict management, and others. It is important that the manager must consider cost-effective and time-efficient ways in leading (Roney 2004). His/her leadership abilities and managerial prowess is necessary. The leadership styles the manager chooses to employ is also a vital determinant of effective directing process. Managers should identify the relevant application of certain leadership styles. It is encouraged that effective managers are able to adapt participative approaches to directing/leading to facilitate successful organizational operations that are useful for its overall success.


An effective manager is keen in coordinating organizational factors. In the coordinating, the manager regulates all the various aspects of the organization into integrated and harmonious operations. It is the integrating and establishing of linkages to different organizational sections with the aim of accomplishing a communal set of objectives (Lok and Crawford 2004). In order to be effective, the manager is consistent in terms of linking organizational operations and pinpoint essential conditions that can affect organizational success. Communication is the key mechanism. This means that members of the organization are subjected to two-way communication process to provide a well-functioning operation inside and outside the organizational setting.


An effective manager performs well in controlling organizational functions and other operations. Robbins and Judge (2007) identify controlling as the final function that the manager performs. This is for ensuring the flow of important organizational plans, activities, and operations. Managers manage by controlling and limiting the efforts of their subordinates (Witzel 2003). As a manager, it is a sole responsibility to achieve objectives through identified process but at the same time limiting the possibility of negative consequences. Monitoring is the key task particularly on the aspect of organization’s performance. When the manager is able to succeed in a particular organizational function or operation, he/she can be considered effective. The end-product counts most.


            Somewhere in the execution of the managerial functions, there are other qualities that are needed by every manager to be considered effective. Among these are the following:


·         Managerial roles – interpersonal, informational and decisional


·         Managerial skills – technical, human, and conceptual (Robbins and Judge 2007).


Looking on the requisites of an effective manager, it is basic to understand that managers manage people (Butcher and Clarke 2003). Thus, it is clear that every manager, regardless of whatever it is called, needs to develop constantly and also improve their people especially on skills that are relevant to organizational success.


 


Why are they important to the success of organization?


            The important role of managers in organizational success is rooted on the factuality that they are the ones who plan, organize, direct/lead, coordinate, and control the management function of the organization. It is understood that the management functions are the basic operations in any working organization (Thierauf 2001). Failure to execute any of these functions may endanger the possibility of achieving goals and organizational success. It is then argued that managers need both instrumental and conceptual knowledge in their everyday practice because this serves as their guiding mechanism in the effective implementation of specific managerial functions. Every manager needs to keep themselves well-versed of the management philosophy in performance of responsibilities as it allows them to work based on the proven, tested and acceptable concepts and universal theories. Similarly, it is where managerial actions are based. The knowledge of the manager about management theory and practice serves as a critical success factor (CSF) that creates a spill-over effect to all areas covered by the manager and his/her functions (Jacoby 2004). Managers need to keep themselves informed on the theory and practice of management in order to avoid managerial mistakes, minimize risks, and increase the productivity of the people and the organization as a whole. Organizational success is based on the knowledge and application of the manager of the given principles and fundamentals of management.


 


References


Butcher, D and Clarke, M 2003, ‘Redefining Managerial Work: Smart Politics’, Management Decision, vol. 41, no. 5; pp. 477-487


 


David, FR 2003, Strategic Management, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ


 


David, FR 2001, Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases, 8th ed., Prentice Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ


 


Drejer, A 2002, Strategic Management and Core Competencies: Theory and Application, Quorum Books, Westport, CT


 


Jacoby, SM 2004, Employing Bureaucracy: Managers, Unions, and the Transformation of Work in the 20th Century, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, NJ


 


Lok, P and Crawford, J 2004, ‘The effect of organizational culture and leadership style on job satisfaction and organisational commitment: A cross-national comparison’, Journal of Management Development, vol. 23, no. 40; pp. 321-338


 


Morgenstern, J 1998, Organizing from the Inside Out, Owl Books, New York.


 


Newstrom, JW 2002, ‘Making Work Fun: An Important Role for Managers’, SAM Advanced Management Journal, vol. 67, no. 1; pp. 5.


 


Pearce, JA and Robinson, RB 2000, Strategic Management: Formulation, Implementation and Control, Irwin/McGraw Hill, Boston


 


Robbins, SP and Judge, TA 2007, Organizational Behavior 12th ed., Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey


 


 


Roney, CW 2004, Strategic Management Methodology: Generally Accepted Principles for Practitioners, Praeger, Wesport, CT


 


Thierauf, RJ 2001, Effective business intelligence systems, Quorum Books, Westport, CT


 


Witzel, M 2003, Fifty Key Figures in Management, Routledge, New York


 


 



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