Mintzberg Managerial Roles – The Mintzberg Model Of Management

A manager isn’t a magician. It’s only through experience and practical

knowledge that a manager can become an effective leader. But first, it’s
important to recognize the roles and responsibilities of a manager in
different organizational structures.

Henry Mintzberg, a Canadian management expert and author, came up

with the idea of interweaving practical experience with business theory. In
his 1990 book Mintzberg on Management: Inside our Strange World of
Organizations, he listed clearly-defined roles for managers to become
effective team leaders.
The Mintzberg managerial roles are categorized under three sections—
interpersonal, informational, and decisional. These three categories
comprise 10 roles of a manager. To be a good leader, you have to manage
your teams by leveraging strengths, resolving conflicts, and prioritizing
tasks.

Frameworks such as the Social Styles model and the 3Ps template teach
you how to accommodate different workstyles and overcome challenges
not as individuals, but as a team. Let’s delve into the Henry Mintzberg
managerial roles for professional success.

THE 10 ROLES OF A MANAGER

Mintzberg managerial roles comprise a variety of responsibilities that are

attributed to a manager across divisions. Some of these responsibilities are
communication, time management, conflict resolution, and decision-
making. Mintzberg studied different types of organizations (a consulting
firm, a school, a tech firm, a consumer goods manufacturer, and a hospital)
and identified 10 roles of a manager. He divided them into three
categories:
 Interpersonal roles relating to a manager’s authority in
an organization
 Informational roles involving communicating important
information and data
 Decisional Roles concerning decision-making,
negotiations, and implementation
UNDERSTANDING MINTZBERG’S 10 MANAGERIAL ROLES

Let’s look at each in greater detail.

INTERPERSONAL ROLES:

1. FIGUREHEAD
As the Figurehead, a manager is responsible for official and social duties
that reflect their status and authority in the organization. It’s about
building a strong relationship with peers and subordinates. You can
become a good role model by being empathetic and compassionate.

2. LEADER
The Leader inspires, encourages, and builds morale. Managers build
lasting relationships with team members by monitoring their
performance and coaching them when needed. Emotional
intelligence can help you develop a trust-based relationship with your
team.
3. LIAISON
 A manager has to exchange information with various departments and
teams as well as with external stakeholders. Liaising with other
organizations, competitors, and government representatives is equally
important for professional development.

INFORMATIONAL ROLES:

1. MONITOR
The Monitor is responsible for gathering intel for sustained competitive
advantage. To do that, a manager has to assess the market for changes
and collect relevant data that could impact the organization. These are
stages in the process of strategic management that helps an organization
to survive the competition.

2. DISSEMINATOR
The Disseminator communicates useful and relevant information to
team members and subordinates. It’s important to invite feedback,
ideas, and views from each employee to keep an open channel of
communication.

3. SPOKESPERSON
Convey important information about the organization to external
stakeholders. This could be for PR purposes, addressing government
policies, or dealing with suppliers. You must have a clear idea of your
company’s brand image to become a successful spokesperson.

DECISIONAL ROLES:

1. ENTREPRENEUR
 Be prepared to take initiative as part of your managerial duties. Initiate
projects and address concerns with effective problem-solving skills.
Icebreakers and team-building activities will help you connect with your
team.

2. DISTURBANCE HANDLER
The Disturbance Handler ensures that everything runs smoothly. Key
responsibilities include resolving conflicts with mentoring sessions,
identifying areas for improvement, and addressing gaps in teamwork.

3. RESOURCE ALLOCATOR
The Resource Allocator is concerned with fund allocation, cutting costs,
and distributing resources across the organization. You have to
apportion available resources such as funding, human resources, and
materials where needed.

4. NEGOTIATOR
A successful negotiation leads to a win-win outcome. A manager has to
participate in negotiations with team members and other stakeholders
to reach a favorable outcome for both parties. This role distinguishes you
from other managers because you have to consider your team’s best
interests.

Henry Mintzberg’s managerial roles are useful to assess your strengths and
weaknesses as a manager.

STRENGTHEN YOUR MANAGERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Once you have identified your roles and responsibilities, it’s time to put
those management skills to use. There are several steps you can take to
become a good and effective manager while making room for career
advancement: 
1. DECISION-MAKING
Sound decision-making skills are essential, especially for managers and
team leaders. From leading critical meetings to overseeing team
responsibilities, being an effective manager means analyzing complex
business problems and implementing a sound plan moving forward. 
2. SELF-AWARENESS
Healthy self-awareness is what makes you a high-performing individual. It’s
because you use emotional intelligence and empathy to navigate your
workplace relationships. By assessing yourself, you can gain insight into
your strengths and weaknesses and use them to reflect on your
interactions with your teams. It even helps you enhance professional
development. 
3. BUILD TRUST
The core tenet of successful teams is establishing trust and credibility. If
you want your employees to be on the same page and function together
with minimal conflicts, you need to be able to build trust-rich relationships.
The more individuals trust each other, the easier it is to promote teamwork
and collaboration. 
If you want the best for yourself and your team, Harappa’s Managing
Teamwork course features expert faculty who will teach you concepts you
can use to manage your team effectively. The Bruce Tuckman Model is one
such concept that comprises four stages—Forming, Storming, Norming and
Performing. Our expert faculty also share personal experiences to illustrate
important frameworks that will help you become the best leader in your
organization.