Organizational Culture Perspective, the Significance of Systems Thinking in Leveraging Change - Coursework Example

Critical Analysis for Managers Name Tutor Institution Course Date Question 1 Managers often describe what they do as ‘managing people’. Critically appraise this view, drawing on at least TWO of the perspectives on organization that focus on institutions, systems, or culture Introduction The most important and difficult job of a manager is to manage people. However, regardless of the industry, company, or job title, if a person is a manager he or she must be a people’s manager. As a people manager you must lead your team, encourage, inspire and motivate them. In some cases, you will be required to evaluate, hire, discipline or fire your employees (Warigon 2005). This means that managing people is not always a simple task. However, if a manager executes his or her duties effectively and efficiently it can be a rewarding role. Based on cultural perspective and systems thinking of organization, this essay critically analyzes the validity of the statement that ‘managers often describe their role as managing people’. Organizational Culture Perspective Embedding cultural differences in a managers’ framework of reference and thinking capacity helps to reinforce certain values and guides a manager in his or her actions and choices. It should be noted that cultural factors of a nation exist as potential influences that a manager considers when making decisions as well as executing their roles. People who take on managerial positions in various cultural working environments are required to socialize along the same values and beliefs. Culture is considered as a powerful determinant through which human performance issues are appraised and employee development-related solutions to them are formulated, implemented and evaluated (Yih-teen Lee & Quintanilla 2009:8). By enduring the element of culture, it means that a manager is capable of continuously socializing with the new employees and sustainably reinforcing cultural values and norms of the organization. Waisfisz (2006:5) refers to Geert Hofstede’s definition of organizational culture as “the existing relationship among the members of an organization, their work and the outside world. This relationship distinguishes such members and their organization from others”. Therefore, when considering the relations among people in an organization, culture is attributed to various instances such as, the manner in which a manager relates to direct reports whether or not as disloyal behavior. However, it is not guarantee that every person will have the same influence on the organizational culture. In order to build relationships that help to achieve sustainable job performance through people management skills approach, organizations have discovered the importance of having effective managers. Initially, most of the organizations relied on self-managed teams and unsupervised teams that did not perform well due to lack of leadership. It has become that the people-skills is crucial in any leadership role. Giving Human Resources the mandate to manage the daily activities of employees is not the ultimate solution. An effective manager must have the people management skills, and thus must be present to lead from the front. In building relationships, therefore, it involves managing people. Managers who become great in their organizations are always keen to build lasting relationships with their employees based on the principles of communication, trust and respect (Mikoluk 2013). This implies that as a people manager, you must win your employees’ trust and respect by being open and approachable to them without necessarily becoming their boss. Research indicates that effective managers must be good at managing people. As a result, managers should not just focus on controlling their employees, but instead develop the skills and knowledge of how to get the best competence out of them. In so doing, the skilled managers will develop a culture of inspiring and coaching, empowering as well as motivating the people in their organizations. By motivating employees, skilled managers succeed in achieving their business goals. However, it should be noted that selfless managers focus more on what really motivates each and every employee than continually letting them share grief. Similarly, employees always feel valued only if their managers ask for their inputs or views to address the problems affecting the organization. It is crucial for managers to spare time and allow employees participate in making vital decisions that can enable the organization to achieve its goals (McCrimmon 2016). Therefore, it is apparent that managers need to foster a culture of two-way dialogue in the organization as a way of making people feel engaged and highly valued by asking them and listening to their suggestions. Effective leadership and management of employees is a significant attribute of a people manager. This involves understanding the key aspects of employee behavior and appreciating the value of human resource in optimizing their performance within the organization. It is important for a manager to understand the existing relationship between exercising people management skills and achieving organizational performance (University of Bedfordshire 2015). In this regard, therefore, it would be easy for a manager to gain insights into familiarizing with the challenges associated with managing people, particularly in dynamic working environment. Taking into consideration the significance of maintaining the status quo against innovation, it can be noted that managers are often mistaken for maintaining the status quo and hindering innovation in the organization. However, such accusation has been justified particularly for industrial-age managers. Today, the main objective of managers is to ensure that the goals of their organizations are achieved in a manner that best utilizes the available resources. This requires organizations to manage their businesses profitably by creating the future for them through innovation. Modern managers need to help their employees know their core strengths by channeling their focus in the most appropriate way, for instance, understanding what motivates individual employees should be regarded as a process of creating thinking on the side of the employee. It is important for managers to provide their employees with the kind of work that best suits or leverages their strengths (Mitch 2010). As a way to foster innovation, therefore, modern managers should work as facilitators and culture builders who are capable of hiring the right people as well as acquiring other resources together with support mechanisms to promote a culture of creative thinking. Managers need to know that employees are the biggest asset they have. Depending on their attitudes towards performance, therefore, may result in either success or failure of their businesses. As a manager, you are required to encourage, inspire, lead, motivate, train and evaluate your employees. In addition, a manager must exercise people management skills such as, ensuring organizational developments, the safety, benefits and wellness of the employees. It is crucial for managers when managing people in the organization to hire the right people while aiming at getting the most competent skills of them. People Empowerment is regarded as an effective approach in the task of people management, particularly if it is used to encourage employees in any performance enhancement program in an organization. Performance elements such as, accountability and responsibility can be delegated to people in the organization to enable them improve the processes subjected under their control without necessarily seeking permission of the management and prior to making changes. Such authority can be exercised only if employees are recognized and rewarded for their excellent performance and commitment to a culture of problem solving (McPheat 2013). This implies that managers must instill in people a culture of cooperation, self-discipline and self-motivation, respect and trust. A dedicated manager, who is interested in enhancing people management skills, will always work with people regardless of his or her position in the organizational hierarchy. Real people-oriented managers focus on building their human relations skills more than achieving other skills set. Such managers are aware that poorly managed people, make their managerial task suffer seriously. It is vital for managers to know that the legacies they leave behind as leaders is determined and defined by the people who remain in the organization (Warigon 2005). This implies that if managers treat and motivate their employees well, they can such a leader a celebrity in the outside world. Therefore, managers should aim at building a solid legacy that will be sustainable for generations. The Significance of Systems Thinking in Leveraging Change In order to build a culture of understanding and commitment in an organization, managers need to be aware that a confusing and contradictory reality expressed in a manner that uncovers its coherence influences people to involve in new and more useful conversations. As such, individuals in the organization become conversant with their responsibility for an emerging issue. The implication of this is that people accept that everyone in the organization is acting towards the intended goals but in self-defeating ways. In addition, managers use dialogue and skilful discussion as facilitation mechanisms to encourage people become more open and adopt various ideas. As a follow-through, managers are required to engage other key stakeholders in every problem solving process as well as continually deepen the understanding individuals in the organization about the significance of the system whilst changes are amended. It is the responsibility of the manager to align his or her people around the organizational end result. Thus, managers must be able to evaluate and determine those individuals who contribute effectively to prevailing situation or may be affected by it (Stroh 2013: 11). It means that managers must engage their employees in every process by getting their ideas about the progress and balance them according to the shared vision and desired result of the organization. Therefore, it is relevant to point out that system thinking instills in people a skill of understanding complex data and being able to identify effective remedies to chronic problems affecting the organization. Although some actions of managers may be aimed at promoting staff interests and development, such need to be supported only if the outcome will help to achieve the organizational goals. It is important for managers to encourage people in the organization to shift their individual thinking from personal culture to a more unity way of working known as ‘role or task cultures’. All levels of management in an organization have the responsibility of promoting a positive workplace environment. This requires managers to exercise traits such as, empowerment and delegation, mentorship as well as win the trustworthiness and trust of people who work under them (Kane-Urrabazo (2006:190). It is worthwhile to note that such building blocks are significant to any flourishing organization because they create a positive workplace environment in which every employees feels respected and valued. Conclusion Based on the above discussions, it can be concluded that main role of managers is managing people. Culture is a powerful determinant for assessing human performance issues and developing employee-related solutions, implementing and evaluating them. Great managers are always keen to build lasting relationships with their employees through communication as well as wining the trust and respect of people in the organization. Selfless managers pay more attention on what really motivates all employees than continually making them share grief. To become a people manager, it is vital to demonstrate effective leadership and management of employees by motivating and encouraging them to give their views towards achieving organizational goals. Therefore, managers need to use dialogue and skilful discussion as facilitation mechanisms to encourage people become more open and adopt various ideas. It is important for people to accept that everyone within the organization is acting towards the intended goals, though in self-defeating ways. Managers should allow their employees to participate in making vital decisions aimed at achieving organizational goals. A people manager wins his or her employees’ trust and respect by being open and approachable to them without necessarily acting as their boss. In order to promote innovation, modern managers are required to work as facilitators and culture builders, hire the right people in addition to acquiring other resources together with support mechanisms to encourage a culture of creative thinking among people in the organization. Bibliography Kane-Urrabazo, C 2006, ‘Management's role in shaping organizational culture’, Journal of Nursing Management, Vol.14, pp.188–194. McPheat, S 2013, What is people management? Retrieved March 31, 2016 from, McCrimmon, M 2016, ‘Managing People’, Leadershipdirect, Retrieved March 31, 2016 from, McCrimmon, M 2010, ‘A new Role for Management in Modern Post-Industrial Organization’, Retrieved March 30, 2016 from, Mikoluk, K 2013, ‘People Management Skills: Building Relationships That Get the Job Done’, Retrieved March 31, 2016 from, Stroh, P.D 2013, “Leveraging Change: The Power of Systems Thinking In Action”, AST Library. University of Bedfordshire, 2015, Leading and Managing People, Bedfordshire University Learning Resources. Warigon, S.D 2005, ‘Managing People for Organizational Success’, Retrieved March 31, 2016 from, Waisfisz, B 2006, An organizational Cultural Perspective, The Hotfstede Centre, itim International, Netherlands. Yih-teen Lee, B.S & Javier Quintanilla, J 2009, ‘Cultural Perspectives on Comparative HRM’, In C. Brewster & W. Mayrhofer (Eds.), Handbook of Research in Comparative HRM. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. Read More