Various Roles of Managers

Q: Discuss the various Roles of Managers?

The Roles: Mintzberg published his Ten Management Roles in his book, "Mintzberg on Management: Inside our Strange World of Organizations," in 1990.

Category	Role
Interpersonal	Figurehead Leader Liaison
Informational	Monitor Disseminator Spokesperson
Decisional	Entrepreneur Disturbance Handler Resource Allocator Negotiator

Informational Category: The roles in this category involve processing information. Decisional Category: The roles in this category involve using information.

Interpersonal Category: The roles in this category involve providing information and ideas.

The 10 roles are divided into three categories, which are

 Let's look at each of the ten roles in greater detail.

1.     Figurehead - As a manager, you have social, ceremonial and legal responsibilities. You're expected to be a source of inspiration. People look up to you as a person with authority, and as a figurehead.

2.     Leader - This is where you provide leadership for your team, your department or perhaps your entire organization; and it's where you manage the performance and responsibilities of everyone in the group.

3.     Liaison - Managers must communicate with internal and external contacts. You need to be able to network effectively on behalf of your organization.

4.     Monitor - In this role, you regularly seek out information related to your organization and industry, looking for relevant changes in the environment. You also monitor your team, in terms of both their productivity, and their well-being.

5.     Disseminator - This is where you communicate potentially useful information to your colleagues and your team.

6.     Spokesperson - Managers represent and speak for their organization. In this role you're responsible for transmitting information about your organization and its goals to the people outside it.

7.     Entrepreneur - As a manager, you create and control change within the organization. This means solving problems, generating new ideas, and implementing them.

8.     Disturbance Handler - When an organization or team hits an unexpected roadblock, it's the manager who must take charge. You also need to help mediate disputes within it.

9.     Resource Allocator - You'll also need to determine where organizational resources are best applied. This involves allocating funding, as well as assigning staff and other organizational resources.

10.                       Negotiator - You may be needed to take part in, and direct, important negotiations within your team, department, or organization.