A TRUE MANAGER
Approaching the Topic
Predicting
Look at the picture. What qualities do you think are necessary for a person running a company?
Sharing Information
1. In your experience which of the qualities listed below are the most important for a true manager. Number the given qualities from 1 to 8, with 1 being what you think to be the most important quality and 8 being the least important quality. Do this individually. Then discuss the reasons for your answers in class.
- life experience
- strong will
- reliability
- politeness
- honesty
- being a good communicator
- being industrious
- competence
2. Choose what you consider the 4 most important attributes of an ideal manager. Compare your answers with the answers of your group-mates.
An ideal manager is a person who
- makes decisions quickly
- plans effectively
- thinks well
- organizes skillfully
- works a lot
- directs properly
- gets on well with people
- monitors efficiently
Preparing To Read
Vocabulary for comprehension
Read the words and phrases and their definitions below. Then complete the sentences using these words or phrases.
Executive – someone who has an important job as a manager in a company or business
Supervise – to be in charge of a group of workers
Be unfit – be not good enough for a particular purpose (or job)
Rewards – something that you receive for your work (money, health insurance, etc.)
Tempting – very good, attractive
Drawback – a disadvantage
Resentment – a feeling of anger
CEO (chief executive officer) – the manager with the most authority in the everyday management of a company; this job is sometimes combined with the job of President
Contradictory – two things that are different and therefore cannot both be true
Demands – difficult things that someone or something makes you do
Sensitive – able to understand other people’s feelings and problems
Imperative – something that must be done urgently
Tough – difficult to do, needing a lot of effort
His … for help awfully frightened me.
One … of New York in summer is the heat.
The reporters were asking a lot of … questions.
Solving the demographic problems has become an … for the government.
She is very responsible and able to … the Department.
We must be … to this poor man’s needs.
The … of her job weren’t enough. She was happy with the work, but she wasn’t making enough money.
The contract was signed during the business trip to France by Michael Spector, … .
The employees gave two completely … reports.
He is so lazy, I’m afraid he’s … for this job.
His daughter’s … disappointed him a lot.
That pie looks … .
She is Scottish Power’s most senior woman … .
B. Below is an article from Newsweek. Read it and learn what Robert J. Samuelson has to say about the topic.
Why I Am Not a Manager
Here’s what you get: pressure from above and resentment from below. Who needs it?
In 1997, reports the labor department, there were 18 million executives, managers and administrators in the United States. I am not one of them. I have never “managed” anyone or anything. No one works for me or is supervised by me.
All this may explain why I have a certain respect for managers. I am obviously unfit to do whatever it is they do. What I cannot understand is why people want to be managers. Of course, some rewards are tempting: power, money, status and (possibly) the respect of co-workers. But the drawbacks seem as plain: resentment from below; pressure from above; loud criticism of failures; silence over successes. No thanks.
Now, “manager” is a marvelously elastic title. It covers a lot of ground: CEOs (chief executive officers), plant managers, school principals, managers at supermarkets. Almost half of all managers now (44 percent) are women, says the Labor Department. In 1997, it counted 711,000 marketing and advertising managers, 535,000 building and real-estate managers, 108,000 personnel managers. But along the spectrum of pay and power, many managers face two contradictory demands.
First, they’re supposed to get results – to maximize profits.
Second, they’ve got to motivate or manipulate their workers. If workers do poorly, the organization suffers. They’re supposed to be sensitive to workers’ problems and “feelings”.
The almost-universal task of managers today, in our culture, is to serve twin masters, each of whom has grown more demanding. There’s the Organisation with its imperatives; and there’s the Individual – each with “needs”. This is a tough job, and somebody’s got to do it. But not me.
C. Suggest some interesting answers to these questions:
According to the article, in 1997 there were 18 million executives, managers and administrators in the USA. Do you think in Russia there were as many managers as in the USA?
According to the article, half of all managers (44%) are women. Does this number surprise you? Why or why not?
The author thinks that many managers face two demands: to get results (or to maximize profits) and to motivate their workers. Why are they contradictory?
Do you find the rewards of a manager really tempting?
Are there any ways to succeed in spite of the drawbacks?
Introducing the Topic
Reading One: On the Job Training
A. Discuss these questions with your group-mates. Then read the dialogue.
Are you good at accounting, economics and financial matters?
Do you think knowledge of these subjects is very important for a manager? Why?
The ultimate test of management is performance.
Peter F. Drucker
On the Job Training
Peter took a full-time course at the London Business School and has sufficient knowledge of accounting, economics and financial matters. Now he is on the job training with an American corporation where he studies marketing and management techniques because he is eager to gain first-hand experience. He is talking with Mr. Jackson, a manager of the corporation.
Peter: As far as I know, your corporation is well-established in the market and your position is strong. How did you start your business?
Mr. Jackson: I was young, enthusiastic and had a good educational background. I was thrilled at the idea of running my own business. In a word, I started my business from scratch. Although our corporation is a profit-making one, a few years ago there was serious ground for concern as I was faced with a number of pressing problems.
Peter: And what was done to make the corporation profitable?
Mr. Jackson: It was evident that a good development programme was to be worked out to make the corporation flexible, dynamic and fully coordinated.
Peter: You spend all your working time with the corporation. What is most important for a true manager?
Mr. Jackson: I’m convinced that an efficient manager always puts new ideas to life and he is oriented on high standards that allow maintaining good reputation. That’s why I appreciate such qualities as great knowledge, good expertise and truly original thinking.
Peter: Briefly speaking, what are the advantages of a result-oriented organization?
Mr. Jackson: First, sound and fast decision-making. Second, more top-management time for long-range planning and less need to be involved in day-to-day operations as in management the key thing is not to issue instructions but to get results.
Peter: I can see that your corporation is really mobile and you are not afraid of changes in the market.
Mr. Jackson: We indeed have the ability to manage change rather than be managed by it.