1.1.4 Managerial roles and traits
The Role Approach provides a valid way to categorise the functions of management and establish how leadership also has distinct roles, as part of a theory of management, or as a distinct search for what constitutes effective leader. Yukl (1989:95) compared the similarities and differences in leadership behaviours as reported in the leadership research. Mumford, Fleishman, Levin, Korotkin, and Hein (1988) summarised and integrated these behaviours into a taxonomic model. Regardless of the different research methodologies and the end profile (roles and behaviours), these studies revealed that leaders perform similar roles and functions.
Reading 1
Boylan, P (2002) 'Lecture Notes and Background Papers', Introduction to the theoretical and philosophical basis of modern management , City University : London . Sourced October 2004, at http://www.city.ac.uk/artspol/theorymgt.html .
Activity 1
What Roles do you think a frontline manger/ Supervisor completes in your company?
- Think of a supervisor within your workplace. It may be your immediate boss or it could be you. Identify the three major roles (time and effort) you believe the supervisor performs. Allocate percentage (%) of time the supervisor would spend in an average week on these activities as part of their normal job:
Role
% Time
Classified
1
2
3
4
5
- Classify these roles
Put a "T" next to those roles you would consider technical.
Put a "C" next to those roles that would reflect thinking or conceptual roles.
Put an "H" next to those roles that are related to interaction with people.
- Now revisit the roles identified by Mintzberg. Establish if the roles you have identified above are Interpersonal, Informational or Decisional.
- Now identify what sub-roles the supervisor would be completing (Ie. If it is Decisional is it as an Entrepreneur, negotiator, etc.)
- Reflect on your use of both the Mintzberg and Katz approach. Has using both approaches been complimentary of do they conflict? Would the identification of roles vary over time or as different situations arise?
The trait approach does however have weaknesses. It does not:
- Have a universally agreed set of traits;
- Provide a basis for weighting particular traits vis-avis another trait;
- It is often not placed in a context;
- It is less able to give predictive emphasis to the traits leaders may require in future situations; and
- It is less able to highlight why traits may vary in different cultural contexts.
These traits or qualities may also vary with the personality and intellectual 'power' of the leader, the complexity of the change processes within which the leader is operating and the ability of the team to be motivated to perform (Mant, 1997:100-106). Such variables really bridge the traits approach into the situational (contingency) model's core focus.
The trait approach does however have weaknesses. It does not:
- Have a universally agreed set of traits;
- Provide a basis for weighting particular traits vis-avis another trait;
- It is often not placed in a context;
- It is less able to give predictive emphasis to the traits leaders may require in future situations; and
- It is less able to highlight why traits may vary in different cultural contexts.
These traits or qualities may also vary with the personality and intellectual 'power' of the leader, the complexity of the change processes within which the leader is operating and the ability of the team to be motivated to perform (Mant, 1997:100-106). Such variables really bridge the traits approach into the situational (contingency) model's core focus.