Roles of Management

Mintzberg divides managerial work into three categories: interpersonal roles, informational roles and decisional roles. These roles require developing peer relationships, carrying out negotiations, motivating subordinates, resolving conflicts, establishing information networks, making decisions with little or ambiguous information and allocating resources. In this process, at different times, managers “wear ten hats” divided into the three categories.

Henry Mintzberg

Henry Mintzberg is a Canadian academic and author on business and management. The most distinctive feature of Mintzberg’s research findings and writing on business strategy, is that they have often emphasized the importance of emergent strategy, which arises informally at any level in an organisation, as an alternative or a complement to deliberate strategy, which is determined consciously either by top management or with the acquiescence of top management.

Highlight Vocabulary

Interpersonal Roles

Decisional Roles

Information Roals

Interpersonal Roles

Figurehead

Jobs: Great/ Host visitor/ Sign documents/ Lead receptions/ Ceremonies
How to improve:

Build image/ reputation
Set good example
Develop humility & empathy
Be a role model

Leader

Jobs: Directs & Motivates, subordinates, select & trains employees
How to improve:

Study authentic leadership
Improve emotional intelligence
Know your own qualities

Liaison

Jobs: Correspondence; Participates in meetings; With other divisions; With other organizations
How to improve

Professional networking techniques & skills
General communication & speak

Decisional Roles

Entrepreneur

Jobs:Instigating changes; Generality ideas; Solving problems
How to improve:

Develop problem solving
Creativity
When/how to change (or not)

Disturbance Handler

Jobs: Correct issues; Deal with setbacks; Mediate conflicts (internal/externally)
How to improve:

Look at conflict resolution
Handing emotions
Empathy & understanding

Resource Allocator

Jobs: Material distributions; Staff assignment; Funding/ budgets;
How to improve:

Budget management
Prioritization
Find analysis methods

Negotiator

Jobs: Terms, roles, align ideas within terms or externality; Keep all on track and working to goals
How to improve:

Bargaining techniques
Preparation/ Reacher
Body language/ psychology

Information Roles

Monitor

Jobs: Scans the environment for new information to collect
How to improve:

Use effective reading skills
Keep up with industry news

Disseminator

Jobs: Pass on privileged information directly to subordinates.
How to improve:

Improve communication skills
Improve writing skills

Spokesperson

Jobs: Share information with people outside their organization.
How to improve:

Improve presentation skills
Learn how to deal with media
Communicate with your boss

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