Management Development Techniques

Contents

TOC o “1-3” h z u HYPERLINK l “_Toc380142959” Introduction PAGEREF _Toc380142959 h 1

HYPERLINK l “_Toc380142960” Literature review PAGEREF _Toc380142960 h 2

HYPERLINK l “_Toc380142961” Management Development Techniques PAGEREF _Toc380142961 h 3

HYPERLINK l “_Toc380142962” Mentoring vs. coaching PAGEREF _Toc380142962 h 3

HYPERLINK l “_Toc380142963” Action Learning PAGEREF _Toc380142963 h 5

HYPERLINK l “_Toc380142964” Job Rotation Technique PAGEREF _Toc380142964 h 6

HYPERLINK l “_Toc380142965” Implications of the literature PAGEREF _Toc380142965 h 7

Introduction

The importance of management cannot be gainsaid as far as the profitability and sustainability of the organization in the long-term and short-term is concerned. This is especially considering that management has a bearing on the priorities that a particular organization has, as well as the resources that are allocated to those activities, both in terms of financial resources and human resources. While there are varied definitions of management, the term may simply be defined as the art of getting certain activities accomplished through people in the same manner that an individual would have accomplished them using the available resources. Scholars have noted that optimum use of resources is the underlying or fundamental rule as far as management is concerned. This underlines the fact that optimization of the use of the available resources comprises a management art. This art revolves around four key functions including staffing, organizing, planning, as well as coordinating/controlling. However, it goes without saying that no single individual can undertake these functions forever. Indeed, business entities are always in a state of constant motion, with every stage necessitating different set of skills for the entity to be sustainable and competitive. This is all in line with elasticity or adaptability, and it underlines the importance or nurturing new individuals to take the mantle in the management of the affairs of the business entity. In this case, management development revolves around the conscious effort that is planned in nature, where an individual gains and continuously improves or increases his or her capacity to manage the financial and human resources and activities in an organization, as well as their own selves. This may also be defined as the process by which a manager discovers and enhances his skills, knowledge and capacity, which would essentially be beneficial to them as well as the organization or business entity for which the individual works. Different management development techniques have different strengths and limitations in which case only a combination of them would be bound to bring the best results.

Literature reviewNeedless to say, the management of resources, both financial and human, requires that the individual has various common traits. These include good communication skills, problem identification and solving skills, leadership qualities, as well as the powers of persuasion, motivation and encouragement of one’s subjects to make their best effort (Hamel, 2007). In some instances, these traits may be dormant or even absent in an individual, in which case it would be imperative that they are developed, identified and nurtured over some time via the appropriate programs of management development. Scholars note that the techniques of leadership and management development revolves around the activities that assist the future, as well as current crop of leaders to undertake a honest evaluation of their current level of skills and knowledge and take on new skills (Griffin, 2011). A large number of businesses are so entangled in the day-to-day running of their operations that the managers do not take some time off to undertake a careful evaluation of their skills or even to systematically prepare the next crop of leaders or managers (Daft, 2010). Nevertheless, it is imperative that employees and other stakeholders in the business who would essentially make leaders or managers in the future are allowed to work in, as well as learn from the varied aspects of the business as this would assist them in gaining a broader perspective not to mention that it would ensure that they have enhanced their skills, knowledge and confidence in the operations of the business entity.

There are varied reasons as to why management development is required in an organization. Scholars have noted that management development comes as one of the key determinants of the success of the organization as it has a direct impact on the economic benefits of the organization. This would also assist organizations in retaining their prized employees, as well as enhancing their customer service (Hamel, 2007). In addition, it enhances the productivity of both the employees and managers, not to mention that the risk-taking and leadership capacities of the manager would be enhanced thereby eliminating the varied challenges that are prevalent in the work environment (Hamel, 2007). On the same note, it comes in handy in the exploration of the skills of the employees, as well as the managers especially those skills that have remained dormant or unresponsive.

Management Development Techniques

Varied management development techniques have been identified and applied in a large number of organizations with different outcomes. These are discussed below.

Mentoring vs. coaching

This comes as one of the most commonly used management development technique, where a senior and experienced worker or employee passes on his or her expertise and knowledge to the less experienced workers in the business entity. In this case, they would be teaching the less-experienced workers based on their experiences (Drucker, 2007). Mentorship may be assigned formally by the management or the relationship may take place in an informal manner. This technique comes in handy in enhancing the manager’s confidence through asking questions and coming up with challenges while also offering the necessary encouragement and assistance. On the same note, it gives the manager an opportunity to have a close examination of himself or herself and the issues or things that they crave for in life (Griffin, 2011).

There are varied advantages to mentorship as a management development technique. First, it allows for the acclimation of a new employee to the organization and job. Mentees would become productive members at a much faster pace as they have a person they can talk to, ask questions or even discus scenarios and learn the varied aspects of the organization. In addition, mentoring allows the mentee to obtain a sense of achievement that emanates from the assessment and feedback of the mentor to the mentee’s progress (Drucker, 2007). Indeed, scholars have noted that the quest of the mentee to gain the approval of the mentor would motivate the mentee to persist in the enhancement of his performance.

However, mentorship always comes with the risk that the mentee and the mentor are mismatched. This is especially in cases where the mentorship program is formal in nature, where the management assigns particular mentors to the employees (Daft, 2010). Indeed, the mentor may find it hard to juggle between his normal duties and the roles that come with mentorship. This strained relationship would be counterproductive and may result in a reduction in the mentee’s job satisfaction (Daft, 2010). In addition, mentorship may result in feelings of frustrations on the side of the mentor especially when he or she does not think that the mentee is progressing at a sufficiently fast pace, or where the mentee seems unwilling and unable to follow the mentee’s instructions. Mentees may also be frustrated in instances where they feel that they are not being granted the necessary guidance (Daft, 2010).

Coaches, on the other hand, are primarily concerned with assisting the individuals who have shown exemplary performance how they can even improve their performance. Effective coaches have the skills, knowledge and technique to assist the performer in achieving without any direction. Scholars note that it is more difficult for mentors to become coaches than the converse to occur (Drucker, 2007). This is especially considering that mentors usually take on a disengaged stance while coaches are usually at the front line with the employees helping in the making of an effective organizational change. However, scholars have noted that mentors offer better guidance and human support than coaches who simply offer inspiration and motivation (Daft, 2010). Nevertheless, the best practice technique does not necessarily result in successful management development rather, it has to be complemented by a consistent implementation of whichever technique is chosen.

Action LearningThis management development revolves around giving employees the freedom to solve problems in line with their comprehension as well as the techniques that they see as most appropriate. This technique allows the future managers to try using varied techniques in solving varied problems and issues. It is based on the recognition of the fact that individuals learn the best from their own experiences as the process would be structured.

Action learning comes with the advantage of providing a creative and intelligent way of learning and acting at the same time, which comes in handy in the rapidly-changing environment and largely unpredictable challenges. In addition, it is extremely instrumental in modifying the corporate culture and creating learning organizations (Hamel, 2007). This is especially considering that different individuals would have different techniques for solving similar problems, in which case the organization would have a large pool of skills to choose from, thereby allowing for the inculcation of the most appropriate culture into the organizational culture (Hamel, 2007). On the same note, action learning comes as one of the most effective way for producing tangible results on the return on any investment that was made in education.

However, action learning necessitates the organization of numerous action learning events so as to ensure its effectiveness (Drucker, 2007). In addition, scholars have noted that in teams where one functional perspective or one individual is dominant, the group would eventually produce outcomes that are far from insightful or innovative.

Job Rotation Technique

This technique revolves around moving the employee between varied jobs at regular intervals and in a planned way thereby allowing the manager to learn the different roles, responsibilities and aspects pertaining to the jobs, and consequently about the employees that would be working under him or her in the future (Hamel, 2007). This technique, therefore, provides hands-on knowledge on the dynamics of the varied jobs thereby allowing the current and future managers to make sound and relevant decisions pertaining to the same. Indeed, positional rotation has been widely used to prepare or groom promising employees for management positions in the future through increasing their perspective, skills and knowledge. In addition, the technique comes in handy in assisting the organization to create members who have a broad base of knowledge about the organization (Drucker, 2007). Of particular importance is the fact that such rotation would also come in handy in the facilitation of new interpersonal relationships and the skills that come with them throughout the organization, which comes in handy in the development of loyalty and cohesion.

However, job rotation technique comes with immense financial cost on the organization (Hamel, 2007). This is especially considering that the individuals would have to undergo some form of training when moving the employees through varied positions, something that would require money and time. Of particular concern is the fact that the employees would not fit appropriately in certain positions or jobs in the company irrespective of the effectiveness of the training program, which essentially underlines the fact that there would be a reduction in the return on investment in the same.

Implications of the literatureThe literature underlines the fact that there are numerous techniques that may be used in developing the capacity of current and future crop of managers to effectively run the organizations. However, these techniques have different results and implications on the performance of the organization (Drucker, 2007). As much as some techniques may have relatively more advantage than others, their applicability in different fields is undoubtedly bound to result in different results. In most cases, management development would necessitate that the different techniques are combined so as to allow for the exploitation of the desirable aspects of each of them while eliminating the undesirable ones.

In conclusion, the management of an organization comes as one of its fundamental pillars as it has a bearing on its sustainability and profitability both in the short-term and long-term. However, organizations are dynamic in which case the current leaders would have to leave the leadership to younger generation. It is imperative that the new crop of leaders is privy to the varied aspects of the management, which underlines the importance of management development techniques. Different management development techniques have been identified, each of which come with different implications, strengths and limitations. This underlines the fact that no single technique would essentially meet the requirements. In essence, it is imperative that a combination of techniques is used so that the organization can reap from the strengths of the techniques used while cancelling out the limitations.

References

Griffin, R. W. (2011). Management. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.

Drucker, P. F. (2007). Management: Tasks, responsibilities, practices. New Brunswick, N.J: Transaction Publishers.

Daft, R. L. (2011). Understanding management. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.

Daft, R. L. (2010). Management. Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning.

Hamel, G. (2007). The future of management. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business School Press.