Manager 101: From A to Z

We often hear the term "manager," but what do they actually do? Besides sitting in a comfy chair and signing autographs?

In short, managers are the brains of an organization. They create strategies, manage teams, and keep the business running (and profitable). If you're curious about how managers work and what skills they need, let's discuss them!

Roles and Skills Required

According to Robert L. Katz, managers must have three main skills:

1. Technical skills → experts in their field. For example, accountants must understand financial reports, chefs must be able to cook, etc. This is usually mandatory for lower-level managers.
2. Human-social skills → good communication and leadership skills. Must be able to handle teams, motivate people, and resolve conflicts. This is important at all levels of management.
3. Conceptual skills → able to see the big picture. Must understand how all parts of the company connect to each other. This is especially important for upper-level managers.

In short, the higher a manager's position, the more important strategic and leadership skills are over technical skills.

Traits of a successful manager

According to J. Sterling Livingstone, a good manager has three main characteristics:

1. Loves managing and motivating people → If you don't enjoy helping your team grow, don't be a manager.
2. Possesses strong influence → not just because of your title, but because of your skills and authority.
3. High empathy → Understands the needs of your subordinates and can keep them productive without being bossy.

So, you shouldn't just be good at giving orders, but also be a leader who fosters team development.

Types of Managers: Who and What Do They Do?

According to Henry Mintzberg (1991), there are three main roles for managers:

Mintzberg's Management Roles

1. Interpersonal role → Serves as a leader, company representative, and liaison between the team and external parties.
2. Informational role → Serves as a center of information, both internally and externally.
3. Decision-maker role → determines strategic decisions, manages resources, and acts as a negotiator in case of conflict. 

Simple example:

• CEO → Plays a significant role in decision-making and strategic concepts.
• Mid-level → Plays a significant role in team coordination and information communication.
• Supervisor → Plays a significant role in operational and technical matters directly to lower-level teams.

Manager: The organizational chess player

Without planning, the team will perform poorly. Without strategy, the business will run aimlessly. Without good leadership, the team will be in chaos.

Therefore, management is not just a position, but a crucial role that requires skills and experience.

As Fred Emery & Eric Trist argue, there are four types of organizational environments, known as The Emery-Trist Levels of Organizational Environments: randomized, placid-clustered, disrupted-reactive, and turbulent-field.

In short, organizations thrive in an ever-changing environment. Managers must be adaptive, knowing when to advance, retreat, or change strategy to keep the business competitive.

So, if you want to be a successful manager, learning theory alone isn't enough. You must practice, learn from experience, and continually develop.