ROLES OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT AS ADVOCATED BY

PROFESSOR HENRY MINTZBERG’S

PROFESSOR HENRY MINTZBERG’S MANAGEMENT ROLES

There are many roles a manager has within an organization. Performing these roles is the

basis of a manager's job. To be effective at these roles, a manager must be a complete

businessperson by understanding the strategic, tactical and operational responsibilities he or

she holds.

While not always explicitly stated in a manager's job description, at any given moment a
manager might have to be a coach, a strategic planner, a liaison, a cheerleader, a conflict
manager, a realist, a problem solver, an organizer, an optimist, a trainer and a decision maker.

These roles can change from day to day, but one thing is for sure: a manager must understand
all of his or her roles and how to perform them effectively. This means that a manager must
have a global understanding of all business functions, organizational goals, his or her level of
accountability and the appropriate way to serve both internal and external clients of the
organization.

Henry Mintzberg spent much of his career researching the managerial roles and behaviours of
several chief executive officers, or CEOs. Mintzberg discovered that managers spent most of
their time engaging in ten specific roles. He was able to then classify these roles into three
categories, including interpersonal, informational and decisional roles.

The 10 roles are then divided up into three categories, as follows:

Category Roles
Interpersonal • Figurehead
• Leader
• Liaison
Informational • Monitor
• Disseminator
• Spokesperson
Decisional • Entrepreneur
• Disturbance Handler
• Resource Allocator
• Negotiator

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Interpersonal Category

The first category of roles described by Mintzberg is called interpersonal roles. These roles
involve the behaviours associated with human interaction. In other words, interpersonal roles
are those roles that allow a manager to interact with his or her employees for the purpose of
achieving organizational goals. There are three roles listed under interpersonal roles, which
include figurehead, leader and liaison.

The managerial roles in this category involve providing information and ideas.

1. Figurehead – As a manager, you have social, ceremonial and legal responsibilities.

You're expected to be a source of inspiration. People look up to you as a person with
authority, and as a figurehead.

2. Leader – This is where you provide leadership for your team, your department or
perhaps your entire organization; and it's where you manage the performance and
responsibilities of everyone in the group.

3. Liaison – Managers must communicate with internal and external contacts. You need
to be able to network effectively on behalf of your organization.

Informational Category

The second category of managerial roles is informational roles. The informational roles
include those roles in which a manager must generate and share knowledge to successfully
achieve organizational goals. There are three roles listed under informational roles, which
include monitor, disseminator and spokesperson.

The managerial roles in this category involve processing information.

4. Monitor – In this role, you regularly seek out information related to your organization
and industry, looking for relevant changes in the environment. You also monitor your
team, in terms of both their productivity, and their well-being.

5. Disseminator – This is where you communicate potentially useful information to

your colleagues and your team.

6. Spokesperson – Managers represent and speak for their organization. In this role,
you're responsible for transmitting information about your organization and its goals
to the people outside it.

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Decisional Category

Decisional roles revolved around making choices. Managers’ interpersonal role leads to
decisional roles. Information and resources that are collected and gathered by the
interpersonal make a manager able to play the decisional roles or responsibilities that he is
obligated to.

The managerial roles in this category involve using information.

7. Entrepreneur – As a manager, you create and control change within the

organization. This means solving problems, generating new ideas, and implementing
them.

8. Disturbance Handler – When an organization or team hits an unexpected roadblock,

it's the manager who must take charge. You also need to help mediate disputes within
it.

9. Resource Allocator – You'll also need to determine where organizational resources

are best applied. This involves allocating funding, as well as assigning staff and other
organizational resources.

10. Negotiator – You may be needed to take part in, and direct, important negotiations
within your team, department, or organization.

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