Who is a manager? What are the roles and responsibilities of a manager?

A manager is a person who manages a team of employees in an organization. Often, managers get the work done from the employees and make sure the decorum of the organization is maintained. A manager builds a bridge between the employees and the top-level management.

Definition of a manager:

According to henry Fayol, “The manager is responsible for overseeing and leading the work of a group of people in many instances. The manager is also responsible for planning and maintaining work systems, procedures, and policies that enable and encourage the optimum performance of its people and other resources within a business unit.

Types of managers

There are four most common types of manager. The top-level managers, middle-level managers, first-line managers and team leaders. The roles and responsibilities of each manager differs depending upon the position they hold in the organization and the type of employees they manage under them.

Top-level manager:
Top-level managers represent the high level of executive management. The top level managers usually take the job titles such as chief executive officer, managing director, and so on.
These type of managers make important decisions regarding the growth of the company. They devise strategies and execute plans over a longer period. They build the future of the company. These managers form the foundation of the company and thrive to achieve the goals of the organisation by leading the managers beneath them.

Middle -level manager:
Middle level manager might take care of an entire department and usually hold the position of departmental head. They usually report to the top-level managers and also take part in decision making. They are the point of contact between the top-level management and first-line managers. They ensure that proper communication takes place within the organization which will pave way to achieve goals in an effective manner. Middle level managers usually implement plans that the employees might follow in order to attain their tasks easily.

First-line manager:
This role is an entry level position for most of the management professionals. These managers work closely with the employees and team members. Their major task is to oversee the productivity of the employees and hold employees accountable for achieving the goals of the organization. These managers address the employee’s needs and communicates these needs to the middle level managers.

Team leaders:
Team leaders are managers who are responsible for a specific team or a task or a project. They supervise the entire work done by the team members and make sure it is completed on time without any delay. They assign tasks to the employees and strive towards completing the project within the stipulated time with the help of the team members.

Roles and responsibilities of a manager

A manager is an important asset to the organization. The primary role of the manager is to co-ordinate the work of all the employees in the organization and to bring about the best results that ensures the growth of the organization. There are various roles and responsibilities that managers hold in order to bring about the best outcomes from the employees.

1. Envision the Goals:
The managers need to understand how the goals are being directed in the organization. He/she should envision the mission and goals of the organisation which is detrimental for the growth of the business. The managers need to communicate the goals properly to the employees and map ways that helps to achieve these goals in an strategic fashion.
2. Manage the growth:
One of the most common roles and responsibilities of a manager is to sustain the growth of the organization. The manager needs to scan and analyse the internal and external environment that poses threat on the survival of the business.
3. Improve the efficiency of the firm:
The manager needs to ensure that the resources are properly utilised and not wasted. This can pave way for overally efficieny of the firm’s resources. Managers need to improve and maintain the efficiency of the firm in order to reach success.
4. Being Innovative:
The manager needs to be innovative in his work. He need to devise strategies that would help find creative solutions to the problems encountered in the organization. The manager must inculcate innovation in the employees and encourage them to come up with innovative ways to achieve the goals faster and better.
5. Leadership:
The manager must be a good leader and a motivator. He/she needs to inspire and motivate the employees working in the organization. A leader must ensure that the goals of the company are achieved and the employees interests are protected at the same time. The manager must possess superior leadership skills in order to lead the employees in a better way.

Goals of the management

There are many different goals that the organizations set in order to reach a benchmark in the market. These goals are communicated to the employees in order to achieve them in a best way possible. The organisation must devise the goals which should be specific, clearly definable and easily attainable. The goals needs to be realistic and needs to be achieved within the stipulated period.
Strategic Goals:
Strategic goals are meant to achieve the mission and vision of the company. These goals focus on the entire company and not just a specific department. Strategic goals might include the goals relating to innovation, productivity, efficiency, finances, management development, employee conduct and morale, corporate social responsibility and much more. These goals are set by the leaders of the organization and apply with everyone working within the organization.
Operational Goals:
These goals impact the day to day operations in the organization. These goals are specific to certain employees or department within an organization. Operational goals focus on individual employee responsibilities and performance and have an impact on the overall position of the organization.
Tactical Goals:
Tactical goals mostly apply for specific divisions or departments in the organization.These tactical goals helps in achieving the strategies of the organization. The tactical goals are usually short term goals that can be analyzed and measured effectively.
Super-ordinate goals:
These goals help motivate the individuals across different departments and helps resolve the conflict and establish relationships within the team members of the company. These goals help build team co-ordination and helps in achieving the strategic goals of the company.

The differences between leader and manager

1.A leader influences the subordinates to achieve a specified goal/objective, whereas a manager is one who manages the employees in the organization.
2.A leader foresees the future of the organization and strategize goals required for the growth of the organization. The manager uses his intelligence in delegating the tasks to get work done from the employees.
3.A leader has followers while the manager has employees.
4.A leader sets directions for the organization while the manager plans the details regarding it.
5.A leader focuses on aligning the managers of the firm, while the manager focuses on aligning the tasks of the employees of the firm.
6.Leaders create change in the organization, while managers find ways to adjust to those changes made.
7.A leader focuses on the growth and the development of the organization while a manager focuses in accomplishing the end results of the organization.

Essential skills of a manager

1.Good communication: The most important skill that a manager needs to possess is to have good communication skills. The manager needs to send the right message across the members of the team. Delivering the right message will help in understanding the objectives and goals better.
2.Good Organization: The businesses needs to organize the workflow within the organization. They need to plan, schedule and organize the flow of tasks and allocate it to the team members for effective functioning of the firm.
3.Team building: The well-being of the team members is very important for achieving the goals of the business. The manager needs to develop healthy relations within the teams which will avoid conflicts in the organization. A good team building will pave way for effective achievement of goals.
4.Leadership: A good manager needs to lead the members of the team in an effective way. It is the responsibility of manager to define the goals and assign tasks to the various members of the team. A manager can direct the team in the right path and help them achieve the goals.
5.Tackle changes effectively: Managers are flexible and adoptable to the changes that happen within the organization. Managers that can tackle change effectively within the organization can help the members to adopt to the changes in an effective fashion.

Final Thoughts

Manager is one who co-ordinates the tasks in the organisation, delegates authority to the sub-ordinates, take part in decision making and act as spokesperson in the organization. All the roles mentioned above is detrimental for the harmonious working among the teams which will lead to effective achievement of goals.