Functions, Roles, and Skills of a Manager

Differentiating Management and Manager

Management: The process of coordinating and overseeing the activities of an organization to achieve goals
efficiently and effectively.
• Focus: It is a systematic process that involves planning, organizing, leading, and controlling resources
(human, financial, material, and informational).
• Scope: Refers to the functions, principles, and practices applied in managing an organization.
• Nature: Conceptual and operational. It describes what needs to be done to ensure organizational success.

Manager: an individual engaged in management activities such as supervising, sustaining and assuring
responsibilities from the work of others in his team or on the organization in general.
• Focus: The person who leads, makes decisions, and executes the processes.
• Scope: The roles and responsibilities include acting as a leader, communicator, motivator, and problem-
solver within the organization.
• Nature: Practical and personal. A manager is an actor in the process of management.

Coordination, Efficiency, and Effectiveness

• Coordination-harmonious, integrated action of the various parts and processes of an organization.
• Efficiency-the character of being able to yield the maximum output from a minimum amount of input. It is
the ability to accomplish a task or produce something without wasting materials, time, or energy. Example:
A factory uses energy-efficient machines to produce goods quickly while minimizing electricity
consumption.
• Effectiveness- being adapted to produce an effect that will help the organization attain its aims. It is the
ability to do the right things in the right way at the right time to achieve a desired result. Example: A teacher
delivering a well-prepared lesson that helps students understand a complex topic is demonstrating
effectiveness.

Managerial Roles
Managerial Roles: the various roles played by a manager, such as interpersonal, informal and decision- making
roles
Category of Managerial Roles According to Mintzberg
Managerial roles refer to the different functions and responsibilities a manager must fulfill to ensure an organization
operates efficiently. These roles can be categorized into three main groups: interpersonal, informational, and
decision-making roles. Here's an explanation of each:
1. Interpersonal Roles:
These roles involve interactions with others, both within and outside the organization. They focus on building
relationships, maintaining a work culture, and fostering communication. The key interpersonal roles include:
• Liaison: The manager acts as a bridge between different groups, departments, or external parties,
facilitating communication and coordination.
• Figurehead: The manager represents the organization in a symbolic capacity, such as attending ceremonies
or giving speeches.
• Leader: The manager motivates, guides, and develops team members to achieve organizational goals.
2. Informational Roles:
These roles involve the collection, dissemination, and processing of information that is crucial for decision-making.
The three primary informational roles are:
• Spokesperson: The manager communicates information to external stakeholders such as the media,
investors, or the public, representing the organization's position or interests.
• Monitor: The manager gathers information from both internal and external sources to understand the
organization's environment.
• Disseminator: The manager shares information with employees, ensuring that everyone is informed and
aligned with the organization's goals.
3. Decision-Making Roles:
These roles involve using the information gathered to make decisions that affect the direction of the organization.
The key decision-making roles are:
• Disturbance Handler: The manager resolves conflicts and addresses unforeseen challenges that may
disrupt operations.
• Negotiator: The manager negotiates with stakeholders, clients, suppliers, or employees to ensure favorable
outcomes for the organization.
• Resource Allocator: The manager decides how to distribute resources (e.g., time, money, personnel) to
maximize efficiency and achieve organizational goals.
• Entrepreneur: The manager looks for opportunities for improvement and initiates change or innovation.
Each of these roles is interconnected, and a successful manager must balance and perform them effectively to lead
the organization toward its objectives.

Managerial Skills
Managerial Skills-the various skills that managers possess, such as conceptual, human, and technical skills.
• Conceptual skills enable managers to think of possible solutions to complex problem
• Human Skills enable managers in all levels to relate well with people.
• Technical Skills specialized knowledge and expertise required to perform specific tasks and use specific
tools and programs in real world situations.

MANAGERIAL LEVEL
Top-level managers (Corporate Managers)
• Focused on long-term organizational concerns
• Emphasize the organization’s stability, development, progress, and overall efficiency, and effectiveness.
Middle-level Managers (Tactical Managers)
• In charge of formulating specific objectives and activities based on the strategic or general goals and
objectives developed by the top-level managers

First-level Managers (Operational Managers)

• Responsible for supervising the organization day-to-day activities, they are bridge between management and
nonmanagement employees.

In management, the distribution of conceptual, technical, and human skills varies across different managerial
levels. Here's a general breakdown:
1. Top-Level Managers
• Conceptual Skills: 75-80%
o Top-level managers (like CEOs, Presidents) need high conceptual skills to focus on the
organization’s overall strategy, long-term goals, and the vision. They must be able to think abstractly
and make decisions that align with the company’s broad objectives.
• Human Skills: 15-20%
o While human skills are important, top-level managers primarily manage teams of middle-level
managers, so they need to be proficient at communicating, motivating, and aligning these teams
with the organization’s goals.
• Technical Skills: 5-10%
o Top-level managers generally do not need detailed technical skills but should have a basic
understanding of the operations to make informed decisions.
2. Middle-Level Managers
• Conceptual Skills: 50-60%
o Middle managers (like department heads or branch managers) need good conceptual skills to
understand how their departments fit into the overall organization. They are the bridge between the
strategic vision of top management and the operational activities of first-line managers.
• Human Skills: 30-40%
o Middle managers need to work directly with both top-level managers and first-line managers.
Therefore, strong human skills are crucial for managing teams, motivating employees, and ensuring
effective communication.
• Technical Skills: 10-20%
o Middle managers should have a good grasp of the technical aspects of their departments to provide
guidance and ensure operations run smoothly.
3. First-Level Managers
• Conceptual Skills: 10-20%
o First-level managers (like supervisors and team leaders) primarily manage day-to-day activities and
employee performance, so they need less emphasis on conceptual skills.
• Human Skills: 50-60%
o First-level managers spend most of their time interacting with employees. They need strong
interpersonal skills to manage teams, solve problems, and ensure high morale and productivity.
• Technical Skills: 30-40%
o These managers need strong technical skills because they often supervise employees performing
technical tasks. They must have a good understanding of the work their subordinates are doing to
provide effective guidance and support.
In summary:
• Top-Level Managers: Focus on conceptual skills (75-80%) and human skills (15-20%).
• Middle-Level Managers: Focus on conceptual skills (50-60%) and human skills (30-40%).
• First-Level Managers: Focus on human skills (50-60%) and technical skills (30-40%).