The main topic of the assignment is managing people. How people can be managed? Mangers’ most difficult and important job is to manage people. Every organization is facing a shortage of talents to manage to change the environment. The world of work is changing. New labor laws, globalization, shifting demographics, all together create an overall change in the environment. The manager or group leader is under the pressure. “Managers are being encouraged to implement people strategies that support the organization’s business objectives and increase accountability and transparency around people management and reporting.” (Managing People. 2005-2008).
For managing people the manager should be a person who can lead the whole team. His timely decision making skill makes him a successful manager. The assignment contains two parts dealing with two topics, rational decision-making, and current leadership qualities. Both the topics were important for the manager in an organization.
The first assignment was about rational decision-making effectiveness in the real life. To what extent it is applicable in the manager’s decision-making system. The rational decision-making system is an intellectual task. It needs a systematic approach to the problem so that it can be solved logically. In rational decision making the data are collected and interpreted. Different ways are generated to reach the end. The means are selected in such a way that the maximum desired aim is achieved.
Rational decision-making is made on the information gathered. The higher the information quality better will be the decision. But in many circumstances, rational decision-making is not applicable. This is because in every issue it is not possible to get all relevant information. Moreover, it is difficult for a manager to become rational completely. Rational decision-making is a time-consuming process, for ad-hoc decisions, rational decision-making is not relevant. The rational decision requires determining all the alternatives and analyzing to select the best one but is only the assumption that rational decision-makers are developing all possible ways to the end.
In the whole assignment, the rational decision-making process is analyzed. Its pros and cons were highlighted. It was found that making rational decision-making realistic is difficult. But it can be followed according to the nature of the issue.
Another assignment was dealing with the current leadership qualities. This topic is dealing with many terms like power, politics, leadership, and decision making. All the terms are closely related to the main topic. Power is the authority to get work done through others. The power arises as the person becomes a leader in the group. Politics is the thing to be avoided by the organization. It is possible through regular interaction with different groups of people and through keen observation. Leadership qualities are all mentioned. Its theory and concepts are not described because of space limitations.
In this part of the assignment, I have written about a leader in practical life. I have come across many leaders. But I selected a leader from my firm is Mr. La King Shing chairman of the world-famous Hutchison Whampoa Company and the Chueng Kong Holdings. He was the person who came up from the lower position to the top. His dedication to the work makes him a good leader.
The leadership qualities needed in the changing environment cannot be specifically defined as the business environment is changing from time to time and the leaders have to change according to it. The leadership qualities like motivation, influence the people in such a way that the common goal is achieved. The morale-building, better attitudes towards the organization, can be developed by the leader. Inspiring people; by being a model in between the group or organization.
In the whole work, the different qualities of leadership are highlighted. The current needs of the leader are also focused. The decision-making skill, that is taking decisions at the right time. Decisions are regarded as the heart of leadership which leads the whole group towards success.
Both the assignment was dealing with the leadership and decision-making skill of the manager. The leader is the person who leads the whole team of the organization to the common goal. Here the leader is a manager who is concerned with managing people. The management of people is a complex job. As the human behavior of every person differs, the responses also change according to them. These different types of people in a group have to be managed by a leader. The leadership skill needed for a situation, may not be applicable to others. The theory and concepts explain many types of leadership quality but when and where it is to be used is according to the logic of the leader.
In the case studies, different situations and how the top leaders have managed are analyzed but the manager should be capable to know that the change in the environment also needs change in style to interpret the problem or change in approach. Whatever is adopted by the leader it must be benefiting the whole organization. The leader must be clear about the end, which he has to achieve. The means are designed by the leader later.
Today’s manager must not be a person following the olden theories and concepts as it was. He must be a person with creativeness and innovative ideas. So that, the changes in the organizational culture or behavior are reflected in the decision making and leadership skills.
Bibliography
Managing People. (2005-2008). Price Water House Coopers. Web.