Management (how to be an efficient leader)

Running Head: ASSIGNMENT Assignment in APA Style by Question In order to be an efficient leader, a manager in the business organization should posses the three essential management skills identified by Robert Katz namely conceptual, technical, and human skills. Conceptual skill is the ability of the manager to view the company as a whole as well as deal with abstract ideas. Technical skills refer to the acquired specialized knowledge of the manager. While human skills refer to his ability of managing people including interpersonal interaction and communication.
The aforementioned skills are essential in fulfilling the five managerial functions which includes planning, leading, staffing, organizing, and controlling. For instance, planning needs the conceptual skill of a manager as it involves abstraction such as setting a strategic direction for the company. Leading, controlling, and organizing is made easier by all the skills as employees usually look up to managers who are good geared with the technical skills, concern for people, and ability to analyze and solve problems. Human skill is imperative in staffing as managers will need to communicate and devise motivational techniques in order to become efficient.
In addition, the ten managerial roles outlined by Mintzberg can only be accomplished when the manager is equipped with the three management skills. Interpersonal roles such as being a leader, liaison, and figurehead are roles where human skills can are necessary as these include interacting and communicating with the workforce. Informational roles (monitor, disseminator, spokesperson) also require human skills while decisional roles (entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource allocator, and negotiator) are attained through the employment of conceptual, human, and technical skills.
Question 2.
The major theories of management can be grouped into four major classifications namely classical, human, systems, and collaborative approaches. The differences in these approaches can be seen on their viewpoint on a business manager can function in order to bring out the best result in the company.
The classical or scientific management approach sees that efficiency oriented systems should be the main focus of management. Thus, it necessitates rationalization, departmentalization, and centralized systems. An example of this type of system is the bureaucratic systems of third world governments where red tape has always been a problem.
The human approach considers the people making up the business organization. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as well as McGregor’s Theory X and Y are both examples of this approach of managing people according to their needs. One of the best example of human approach is Starbucks where staff are considered strategic partners in attaining organizational goals.
Systems approaches are the response to the changing environment that the business organization faces. The management approach is adjusted in order to fit its current needs.
Political/collaborative approaches become popular with the alliances in the global scope in order to facilitate the speedier decision making in a highly decentralized environment. The headquarters empower their divisions in order for them to be able to come up with their own decision. An example of this is McDonald where some recipes are created to suit a particular market.