The Managerial Competencies

QSB2413 Management Science

Framework

Management / Organization

Management Functions

6 core Managerial CompetenciesLevels of Management

1. Planning2. Organizing3. Leading4. Controlling

1. Communication2. Planning and

Administration3. Teamwork4. Strategic Action5. Multicultural6. Self Management

1. Top2. Middle3. First Line

Organization

• Organization is a group of people with formally assigned roles who work together to achieve the stated goals to the group.

Organization

1. Who would ensure that each of the people actually knew what to do?

2. Who would ensure that they work together?3. Who would decide what the goals should be?

Organization

• The answer is “The Manager”.

Management

• Management expert Peter Drucker says that management “ … is the responsibility for contribution.”

• Manager is someone who is responsible for making sure that the company achieves its goal.

Management

• Management is the process of designing and maintaining an environment in which individuals, working together in groups, accomplish efficiently selected aims/goals.

• Mary Parker Forllett, described management as “the art of getting things done through people”.

Manager

• A manager is a person who plans, organizes, leads and controls the work of others so that the organization achieves its goals.

Management Functions

• The successful manager must actively perform basic managerial functions.

• One of the earliest classifications of managerial functions was made by Fayol, who suggested that planning, organizing, coordinating, commanding and controlling were the primary functions.

Management Function

• Some others theories identify additional management functions, such as staffing, communicating or decision making.

• BUT now generally, there is an agreement that the basic managerial functions are:

(P) Planning (O) Organizing (L) Leading (C) Controlling

Planning

• Planning is setting goals and deciding on courses of action (tasks to be performed), developing rules and procedures (ensure the performance), developing plans and forecasting (resources needed).

• Planning involves tasks that must be performed to attain organizational goals, outlining how the tasks must be performed and indicating when they should be performed.

Planning

• Determining organizational goals and means to reach them.

• Managers plan for reasons below:1. Establish an overall direction for the

organization’s future.2. Identify and commit resources to

achieve goals.3. Decide which tasks must be done to

reach those goals.

Planning

• Planning encompasses four elements:1. Evaluating environmental forces (e.g. economy) and

organizational resources (e.g. financial of the company)

2. Establishing a set of organizational goals.3. Developing strategies and plans to achieve the

stated goals4. Formulating a decision-making process

Work Planning in Construction

Scaffolding

Scaffolding, also called scaffold or staging, is a temporary structure used to support a work crew and materials to aid in the construction, maintenance and repair of buildings, bridges and all other man made structures.

**Planning must be done even for scaffolding.

Organizing

• Organizing is identifying jobs to be done, hiring people (staffing) to do them, establishing departments, delegating or pushing authority down to subordinates, establishing a chain of command (channel of authority and communication) and coordinating the work of subordinates.

Organizing

• Organizing is the managerial function of making sure there are availability of resources to carry out a plan.

• Managers must bring together individuals and tasks to make effective use of people and resources.

Organizing

• Three elements which are essential to organizing are:1. Developing the structure of the organization2. Acquiring and training human resources3. Establishing communication patterns and

networks

Organizing Process

• Determining the method of grouping of these activities and resources is called the organizing process.

• Organizational Structure (O.S.) clarifies the subgroups in the business, the people assigned to these groups, and their interrelationship.

• Organizational Chart is a visual diagram of a business O.S.

Organizational Chart – Protext Construction (M) Sdn. Bhd.

Sources: http://www.protexttunnel.com/

Leading

• Leading means influencing other people to get the job done, maintaining morale, molding company culture and managing conflicts and communication.

Leading

• Managers must be able to make employees participate in achieving an organization’s goals.

• Three components make up the leading function:

1. Motivating employees2. Influencing employees3. Forming effective groups

Leading

• Leading (influencing) means guiding the activities of the organization members in appropriate directions.

• Getting others to perform the necessary tasks by motivating them to achieve the organization’s goals.

Controlling

• Controlling is setting standards (e.g. quality), comparing actual performance with the standards and then taking corrective action as required.

• Controlling means monitoring employees activities, determining whether the organization is on target toward its goals and making correction as necessary (Richard Daft).

Controlling

• Three basic components that constitute the control function are:

1. Elements of a control system2. Evaluating and rewarding employee

performance3. Controlling financial, informational and physical resources

Controlling

• In order to achieve organization goals, a simple controlling is needed which includes:

1. Gather information that measures recent performance

2. Compare present performance to pre-established standards3. Determine modifications to meet pre-establish standards

Levels of Management

Levels of Management

• A part of an organization that maintains responsibility for the productivity and the work performance of employees.

• There are generally three levels of management within an organization including top-level, middle-level and first level.

• Each level possesses certain job responsibilities within their position to ensure the effective overall operation of the organization.

Levels of Management

Levels of Management

• The number of managers at each level is such that the hierarchy resembles a pyramid with more first level managers, a smaller amount of middle managers and less top-level managers within one organization.

Top Managers

• Responsible for providing the overall direction of an organization. (Mission)

• Develop goals and strategies for entire organization. (How to achieve?)

• Spend most of their time planning and leading. (Strategic planning to achieve goals)

• Communicating with key stakeholders – stockholders, unions and government agencies.

Top Managers

• Setting company policies.• Use of multicultural and strategic action

competencies to lead firm is crucial.• These individuals are holding titles such as

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Operational Officer (COO), President and Vice President.

Middle Managers

• Responsible for setting objectives that are consistent with top management’s goals and translating them into specific goals and plans for first-line managers to implement.

• Responsible for coordinating activities of first-line managers.

• Establish target dates for products / services to be delivered and decide how to market goods.

Middle Managers

• Need to coordinate with others for resources.• Rely on communication, teamwork, planning

and administration competencies to achieve goals.

• Middle managers’ job titles include General Manager, Plant Manager, Regional Manager and Divisional Manager.

First-line Managers

• Directly responsible for production of goods or services.

• Employees who report to first-line managers are responsible in organization’s work.

• Spend a little time with top managers in large organizations.

• Technical expertise is important.

First-line Managers

• Rely on planning and administration, self-management, teamwork and communication competencies to get work done.

• These managers have job titles such as Office Manager, Shirt supervisor, Department Manager, Foreman and Store Manager.

What are the skills needed for a manager?

Management Skills

• The skills required to be a successful manager are broken down into three categories:-

(1) Conceptual Skills(2) Human Skills(3) Technical Skills

Management Levels and Skills

Skills needed by managers• Not everyone can be a manager.• Certain skills or abilities to translate

knowledge into action that results in desired performance, are required to help employees become more productive.

• Technical Skills – This skill requires the ability to use a special proficiency expertise to perform particular tasks.

Skills needed

• Human Skills – This skill demonstrates the ability to work well in cooperation with others.

• Conceptual Skills – This skill calls for the ability to think analytically. Analytical skills enable managers to break down problems into smaller parts, to see the relations among the parts and to recognize the implications of any problems for others.

Managerial Competencies

• What it takes to be a great manager?• The ability to meet organizational objectives,

use available resources efficiently, maintain high levels of employee performance and professionalism and provide excellent service to customers.

(1) Communication Competency• Ability to effectively transfer and exchange

information that leads to understanding between yourself and others.

• Informal communication – used to build social networks and good interpersonal relations.

• Formal communication – used to announce major events/decisions/ activities and keep individuals up to date.

• Negotiation – used to settle disputes, obtain resources and exercise influence.

(2) Planning and Administration Competency

• Deciding what tasks need to be done, determining how they can be done, allocating resources to enable them to be done and monitoring progress to ensure that they are done.

• Information gathering, analysis and problem solving from employees and customers.

• Planning and organizing projects with agreed upon completion dates.

• Time management.• Budgeting and financial management.

(3) Teamwork Competency

• Accomplishing tasks through small groups of people who are collectively responsible and whose job requires coordination.

• Designing teams properly involves having people participate in setting goals.

• Creating a supportive team environment and getting people committed to the team’s goals.

• Managing team dynamics involves settling conflicts, sharing team success and assign tasks that use team members’ strengths.

(4) Strategic Action Competency• Understanding the overall mission and values

of the organization and ensuring that employees’ actions match with them.

• Understanding how departments or divisions of the organization are interrelated.

• Taking key strategic actions to position the firm for success, especially in relation to concern of stakeholders.

(5) Multicultural Competency

• Understanding, appreciating and responding to diverse political, cultural and economic issues across and within nations.

• Cultural knowledge and understanding of the events in at least a few other cultures.

• Cultural openness and sensitivity to know others think, act and feel.

• Respectful of social etiquette variations.• Accepting of language differences.

(6) Self-Management Competency

• Developing yourself and taking responsibility.• Integrity and ethical conduct.• Personal drive and resilience.• Balancing work and life issues.• Self-awareness and personal development

activities.

Discussion

• What is the main job for Top Management in operating a construction company?

• What should the Directors do daily?• What skills do they need in maintaining the

standard and performance of the company?

Discussion

• “Double sales in the next two years.”(Top Managers)• “hire two new salespeople and introduce

three new products.”(Middle Managers)• Execute / implement to achieve goals.(First-line Managers)