Reconciliation of Managerial roles and Functions
The roles approach and functional approach are two different but related ways of analyzing the job of a manager.
While planning, managers play informational and decisional roles. They receive, store, monitor and ______________ . They also ______________ and take operative decisions.
In organizing, managers play interpersonal and decisional roles. They ______________ between activities and people, make decisions about application of resources and act as ______________.
In staffing, managers play decisional, informational and interpersonal roles. They determine
______________ requirements, select and train people and maintain personnel records.
In leading, managers play interpersonal, informational and decisional roles. They _____________
the people by providing various ______________ and guide them through communication process. Controlling involves mainly informational and decisional roles. Managers ______________ of results, compare them with the standards and take a corrective action which involves ____________ .
7.Speak on the following topics.
1.Ten managerial roles.
2.Traditional functional approach to management.
3.Reconciliation of managerial roles and managerial functions.
Text 2. Managerial skills
There are two types ofmanagerial skills: hard skills and soft skills. Hard skillsare technical, teachable abilities that are learned through training and job experience. Hard skills are either the technical skills needed to perform a certain job, or a general set of expertise, such as project management. Hard skills are skills that allow a manager to perform job-specific tasks and responsibilities. They can be learned through formal education, apprenticeships or internships, and on the job. Hard skills typically focus on particular processes or tasks and involve the use of specific tools or software. They include language skills, computer program knowledge, programming skills, and many more. Hard skills are skills that can be measured and often proven through qualifications or by demonstrating them.
On the other hand, soft skills are applicable in any industry and are often even more important for management than technical proficiencies. Generally, soft skills are developed over time by managing responsibilities and interacting with others. Problem-solving, time management and verbal communication are all examples of important soft skills. While hard skills are valuable when completing specific tasks, soft skills are essential when directing people, overseeing projects and making decisions.
The most effective management skills can be grouped into five primary categories: 1. Leadership skills.
A manager is responsible for overseeing the work of others and motivating a team toward a common goal. They might also be responsible for assigning workloads and supporting collaboration across teams and departments. Well-developed leadership skills help a manager coordinate tasks and direct all parties to ensure work is completed according to plan and finished on time. These skills include decisiveness, team building, delegating tasks, motivating others, relationship management and some others.
2. Planning skills.
When managing people, projects or a combination of the two, the ability of a manager to prepare a vision for the future and develop solutions is essential. Planning skills help set goals and determine the most efficient path to meet objectives. Some examples of planning skills are: cognitiveskills, business development, critical thinking, and flexibility.
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3. Strategic skills.
A strategic manager is someone who can spot inefficiencies andquickly identify solutions to challenges. They can also recognize the steps each team member should take to overcome obstacles and complete projects. The most important strategic skills are problem-solving, conflict resolution, analytical thinking and creativity.
4. Communication skills.
To effectively lead people and projects, a manager must be able to understand the needs and goals of the business and convey this information to others through simple and straightforward instructions. A manager with well-developed communication skills is able to translate the most accurate information to the right people at the right time. Interpersonal communication, negotiation, public speaking, oral and written communication, building relationships are examples of communication skills.
5. Organizational skills.
A manager has to balance many tasks at the same time. Often, this means overseeing multiple project timelines and deadlines. Excellent organizational skills help managers to reduce stress, prevent their teams from missing critical dates and find information when it is needed. Organizational skills such as goal setting, project management, scheduling, and deadline management ensure managers are able to complete tasks as efficiently as possible.
1. Find in the text the English equivalents to the Russian words and expressions.
Профессиональные навыки; социальные навыки; усваиваемый; учебная практика; обучение (ученичество); применимый; решительность; планы на будущее; когнитивный (познавательный); гибкость (приспособляемость); преодолевать препятствия; разрешение конфликтов; прямые указания; графики выполнения работ.
2. Make up phrases from the words of the right and left columns and translate them.
1) |
develop |
a) |
tasks |
2) |
assign |
b) |
objectives |
3) |
complete |
c) |
stress |
4) |
support |
d) |
deadlines |
5) |
develop |
e) |
skills |
6) |
take |
f) |
workloads |
7) |
meet |
g) |
information |
8) |
oversee |
h) |
solutions |
9) |
convey |
i) |
steps |
10) |
reduce |
j) |
collaboration |
3. Explain the meaning of the following nouns in your own words.
Skill, responsibility, qualification, communication, flexibility, challenge, deadline.
4.Answer the following questions on the text “Managerial skills”.
1.Technical abilities are called hard skills, aren’t they?
2.How do people acquire hard skills?
3.What do hard skills allow managers to do?
4.What hard skills can you name?
5.How can soft skills be developed?
6.What examples of soft skills can you give?
7.What categories of managerial skills are mentioned in the text?
8.Why are leadership skills important for managers?
9.What do planning skills enable managers to do?
10.What managerial skills ensure that tasks are completed efficiently?
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5. Fill in the table with the information from the text “Managerial skills”.
Categories of skills |
Examples of skills |
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6. Fill in the gaps in the sentences with the words from the box.
responsible assigns remove supervises oversee draw reaches conveying implements coordinates
1.Construction managers ____________ on-site operations, such as personnel, materials, and the construction budget, and their role is limited to the construction projects only.
2.Project managers overseeing all phases of the project, from marketing to administrative needs, is more ____________ for the project budget and the timeline.
3.A project manager often ____________ a construction manager.
4.A project manager ____________ the activities of team members to ensure that they perform
the right tasks at the proper time.
5.A project manager clearly defines the project objective and____________ an agreement with the customer on this objective.
6.A project manager_____________ responsibility for performing various tasks to specific individuals or subcontractors.
7.A project manager _____________ a management information system designed to track actual progress and compare it with planned progress.
8.Project managers should be efficient enough to____________ obstacles that hamper team progress.
9.Project managers should be able to communicate effectively_____________ ideas and information clearly and concisely both in writing and orally to all team members.
10.A project manager should identify a problem, gather information and then____________
accurate conclusions.
7.Speak on one of these topics.
1.Hard and soft skills of managers.
2.Five categories of the most effective management skills.
3.Differences between a construction manager and a project manager.
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UNIT 3. LEADERSHIP
Text 1. Differences between leadership and management
The distinctions between managing and leading people depend on professional purpose. Let’s consider the real differences between leadership and management. Here are five key distinctions:
1. _________________________________________________________________________. Leaders lead with purpose and inspiration. Prior to mentoring or coaching persons who are
advised and trained, many leaders have a goal already set in their minds to inspire a teamor an individual to turn their vision into a reality. Leaders think outside thebox and make their mentees think the same way through insight, creativity and intuition.
Managers focus mainly on calculated results that can be measured. They set goals bycreating solutions to reach their targeted objectives in different situations.
2. _________________________________________________________________________. Leaders tend to transformation and change. Even when everything seems to be going wrong,
they change direction toward possible solutions instead of falling into pessimism. Leaders focus more on new methods in areas of decision-making.
Managers rely on competencies, knowledge and skills to fulfill the given tasks based on leader’s vision. Their aim is to stick with what they know. Managers don’t adapt well to any change.
3. _________________________________________________________________________. Leaders, like entrepreneurs, are always looking for ways to expand the world of their competencies.
They enjoy reading, researching and connecting with like-minded people; they always aim to grow. Leaders are usually open-minded and seek opportunities to expand their level of thinking, which leads to developing more solutions to problems that may arise.
Managers rely on existing knowledge and skills by repeating proven strategies or behaviors that may have worked in the past to continue a steady track record within their field of success with customers.
4. _________________________________________________________________________. Leaders always network by creating a support system that helps encourage and influence their
vision. They engage with their team to know if the team is satisfied or not. This is done with the intention of building trust and support, through which everyone benefits in the long run.
Managers focus on t he arrangement and structure of the system, proceduresand techniques needed to set and achieve certain goals. Their aim is to convince their subordinates that everything is in place to reach the desired outcomes. While they work with their teams, they focus more on directing than teaching.
5. _________________________________________________________________________. Leaders inspire, teach, encourage, motivate and cheerup an individual or team. They create
reason and promote passion and willpower for those who may have lost hope in themselves. Leaders create trust and bonds between their mentees, who become diehard fanatics willing to go above and beyond in achieving the mission of their leaders.
Managers direct, delegate, enforce and advise either an individual or teamthat usually represents a brand or company looking for direction. Managers give followers directions andfollowers do as they are told and rarely ask questions. Their aim is to please the manager in his hopes to reach success.
Ultimately, leaders and managers are needed in all aspects of life. The existence of both seems to foster a helpful sort of balance. When the company plays as a team, managing with a leader mentality is vital, and being willing to shift between roles is the key to a purpose-driven activity filled with effective leadership and management.
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1. Translate the following words and word combinations from the text into English.
Думать (мыслить) нестандартно; подопечные; придерживаться чего-либо; единомышленники; способствовать чему-либо; быть готовым переключаться; целеустремленная деятельность.
2. Choose the right noun for each given verb. Translate the received collocations.
1) |
to inspire |
a) |
goals |
2) |
to calculate |
b) |
passion |
3) |
to change |
c) |
fanatics |
4) |
to seek |
d) |
system |
5) |
to create |
e) |
direction |
6) |
to set |
f) |
opportunities |
7) |
to promote |
g) |
team |
8) |
to become |
h) |
company |
9) |
to represent |
i) |
instructions |
10) |
to follow |
j) |
results |
3. Connect every word with its synonym. Translate the received pairs.
1) |
competence |
a) |
unchanging |
2) |
like-minted |
b) |
impactful |
3) |
open-minted |
c) |
willing to change |
4) |
steady |
d) |
relations |
5) |
bonds |
e) |
to achieve results |
6) |
to cheer up |
f) |
expertise |
7) |
to adapt |
g) |
strength of will |
8) |
effective |
h) |
to adjust |
9) |
to reach outcomes |
i) |
to invigorate |
10) |
willpower |
j) |
having similar opinions |
4. Choose the most suitable heading for each distinction.
a)Leaders constantly network while managers build procedures, operations and structure of the system.
b)Leaders create diehard fanatics while managers create followers.
c)Leaders adapt well to transformation while managers don’t adapt well to any change.
d)Leaders inspire and teach while managers give direction.
e)Leaders seek to learn more while managers use proven skills.
5.Questions for discussion.
1.What do the distinctions between managing and leading people depend on?
2.What helps leaders to inspire a team or an individual to turn their vision into a reality?
3.What do managers focus mainly on?
4.How do leaders and managers adapt to changes?
5.How do leaders expand the word of their competencies?
6.Why do managers rely on existing knowledge and skills?
7.Why do leaders engage often with their team?
8.What do managers focus on?
9.How do leaders create diehard fanatics?
10.How do managers work with their followers?
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