According to Henry Mintzberg, a renowned management theorist, managers play ten different roles within an organization. These roles can be categorized into three main categories: interpersonal, informational, and decisional.
1. Interpersonal roles:
- Figurehead: Managers act as a symbolic figurehead for the organization, representing it in various formal and ceremonial functions.
- Leader: Managers are responsible for providing direction, motivation, and guidance to their team members.
- Liaison: Managers act as a bridge between different departments, teams, and individuals within the organization, facilitating communication and collaboration.
2. Informational roles:
- Monitor: Managers gather information from both internal and external sources to stay informed about the organization's performance, industry trends, and other relevant factors.
- Disseminator: Managers share information with their team members, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and has access to the necessary information.
- Spokesperson: Managers represent the organization to external stakeholders, such as customers, investors, and the media, communicating its goals, values, and achievements.
3. Decisional roles:
- Entrepreneur: Managers are responsible for identifying opportunities for innovation and growth within the organization, and taking risks to pursue them.
- Disturbance handler: Managers are required to address conflicts, crises, and other disruptions that may arise within the organization, ensuring that they are resolved effectively.
- Resource allocator: Managers allocate resources, such as budget, personnel, and time, to different projects and tasks within the organization, ensuring that they are used efficiently.
- Negotiator: Managers negotiate with external parties, such as suppliers, partners, and regulators, to secure favorable deals and agreements for the organization.
Overall, Mintzberg's framework highlights the diverse and complex roles that managers play in organizations, emphasizing the importance of their interpersonal, informational, and decisional responsibilities in effectively leading and managing their teams.