UNIT 5 - MANAGING PEOPLE

Management is the key factor for the success of any organized activity and it is an
essential function in all social organizations. Management is both a discipline and
an art. Management refers to a series of functions (planning, organizing, leading,
controlling) and also to the people who discharge it.
Today, management refers to managing: changes and challenges; crises;
complexities; confidence; culture and credibility; to succeed and to accomplish.
Management is the art of getting things done through or by people. It is a vital
means by which all tasks can be achieved. It means to plan, organize and integrate
organizational activities and resources for the purpose of accomplishing common
objectives.

Making effective management decisions for your company

Significance
As the owner or manager of a small business, you are the point person for all major
decisions regarding the company. That includes hiring decisions, investments in
advertising or promotions, and decisions related to overall direction of the
business. Managing your decision-making process is also an important element of
project management for you and your employees.
Techniques
You can approach the decision-making process from a number of perspectives.
You can make your decision after conducting a benefit versus cost analysis; if the
benefits outweigh the cost that indicates the choice might be the right decision.
You can also use a modelling technique as another way to make your decisions,
which allows you to make your final choice based on a chart or visual model. For
instance, flowcharts or decision trees are helpful tools for managers in the
decision-making process. Forecasting, the process of making future predictions
about the business or industry based on research and trends, can also help you
make important business decisions.
Types
You may face a number of specific dilemmas when making decisions for your
business, as some choices do not always have simple yes or no answers. For
instance, you may have made a preliminary decision but find that uncertainty holds
you back from pulling the trigger. Some decisions come with high-risk
consequences, like the loss of a customer, loss of a substantial amount of revenue,
or even business closure. You may also find yourself faced with too many viable
alternatives or a decision that contains many factors to consider.
Considerations

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Ethics sometimes plays a part in the decision-making process for a business owner.
For example, the owner may have to make a decision on whether to use a product
that is potentially harmful to the environment but necessary for the cost-
effectiveness of the business. Santa Clara University offers a process that you can
follow in order to make an ethical decision as a business owner. First, recognize
that you're facing an ethical issue, obtain all of the facts about the circumstances
involved, evaluate all of your alternatives, make the decision, test your decision,
and then reflect on the outcome.
Expert Insight
Though not everyone will agree with your business decisions, it's important to
enforce them as the owner. It's smart to accept advice and opinions from other
parties, but you have the final word.
(Source: Decision-making and Management available at
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/decision-making-management-5124.html,
on September 20, 2016).

YOUR TURN

1. Answer the following questions, related to your making-decisions ability:

1. What is management?
2. Describe some good and bad managers that you know.
3. Do you usually have to make decisions in the workplace? Think about other
situations when you had to make an important decision.
4. Are you good at making decisions or are you usually indecisive?
5. Do you ever ask the opinions of others before making important decisions?
6. Have you ever made a rash decision and later regretted it?
7. Have you ever been in two minds about what to do in a situation?
8. Have you ever made a big decision and then changed your mind?
9. What is the best decision you have ever made in your life so far?
10. Think about a decision you have made which consequently has had the
worst consequences.

2. What decision would you make in the following situations? Try to use, in
your answer, some of the following expressions about making decisions:

take into consideration, change/make up one’s mind, give second

thoughts, make a rash decision, be in two minds about it

 The ATM gives you an extra $100. Do you keep it or do you tell the bank
about the error?
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 Your boss stole a small sum from the company and asks you to lie and say it
was a technical error that caused the money to go into his account. If you tell the
truth, you will lose your job. What do you do?
 Your caught your friend cheating on an exam. Do you tell the examiner?
 At a restaurant, you notice your friend’s wife having a romantic dinner with
another man. Do you tell your friend, and possibly ruin his marriage, or do you
mind your own business?
 The principal of the school where you are teaching tells you that in order to
get more funding from the state, you have to incorrectly report the income amounts
of each of your students' families. Should you be honest in your paperwork, or
should you just do as your principal tells you?
 Your friend is on her way out the door for an important date and asks
whether you like her blouse (you don’t!). Do you tell her the truth?
(Source: adapted after English conversation – Making decisions, available at:
http://www.englishwithjo.com/english-conversation-making-decisions/,
accessed on September 20, 2016).

Job enrichment as part of modern management

According to the theory of job enrichment, there are five characteristics affecting
an individual’s motivation and performance:
 Skill variety - the extent to which a job demands different skills
 Task identity – the extent to which a job has a visible outcome
 Task significance – the degree to which a job has an impact on the work of
others
 Autonomy – the degree of freedom and choice that people have in
scheduling work and determining procedures
 Feedback – the amount of direct and clear information that is received about
performance
The first three factors above contribute to the meaningfulness of the job. The
fourth gives a feeling of responsibility. The fifth contributes to a feeling of
achievement and recognition.
Job enrichment tries to maximize the above five factors within the constraints of an
organization. It also includes two strategic strategies:
 Job enlargement – combining a series of tasks into one challenging and
interesting assignment;
 Job rotation – moving employees from one job to another.
(Source: Paul Emmerson, Business English Handbook, Macmillan, 2007, page 20)

3. Find a word in the text above which means:

a. Improvement of the quality of something by adding something else
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b. The ability to make your own decisions without being controlled by others
c. Usefulness, seriousness, importance
d. Something that is your job or duty to deal with
e. Agreement that something is true or legal
f. Someone who is paid to work for someone else

4. What qualities and skills should a good manager have? Choose the six most
important from the list:
 motivate employees
 enjoy working with others
 give orders
 delegate tasks
 judge people’s abilities
 plan ahead
 be good with numbers
 be persuasive
 organize teams
 make good presentations

5. Works in pairs or small groups and discuss these questions:

a. What would you find difficult if you had to go and work in a country with a
culture different from your own?
b. What advice would you give to a foreign manager who is going to manage
staff in your country?
c. In your culture how usual is to see young people in management positions?
What do people generally think of them?
d. What challenges do young managers face, compared to older ones?

6. Choose the best expression provided below each paragraph in order to find
out some advice for young managers:
A. Act your age
Do not try to … an older person or like a statesman. Dress your age, too
a. show as if b. look like c. put on the clothes of

B. Avoid favouritism
Leaders … by treating people the same.
b. win respect b. hide their weakness c. fulfil their duties

C. Build coalitions right away

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 Show your colleagues that you are aware of your limited experience and
that you are interested in … too.
a. giving advice b. showing your ambition c. getting advice

D. Keep a cool head

When you are under a lot of pressure, some colleagues will expect you to
crack. Do not …
a. share your office b. give them satisfaction c. support your
colleagues

E. Show respect to older colleagues

They have seen many young ambitious people come and go, so just … their
experience.
a. draw on b. get away from c. don’t count on

F. Find the right balance between enthusiasm and over-confidence

You have been chosen for your youth and energy- draw on it. But don’t … it.
a. overreact b. overpass c overdo

7. Complete the following sentences with a suitable prepositions: with, to, on,
for, about
1. I agree … her that we have to change our management team.
2. I talk … my boss at our regular meeting, on Monday morning.
3. He apologised … losing his temper during the meeting.
4. We argued … our next term budget for over half an hour. Still, no
conclusion has been reached.
5. We talked … our financial problems for five hours.
6. I apologised … my boss for giving him the wrong figures.
7. Can we agree … the date of our next meeting?

8. Fill in the gaps with the most appropriate word in the context:

expect; trustworthy; claims; making; ingredients; deceptive; truth; neither;

business; less;

Unfortunately, …. (1) people and companies are not always as reliable or as .… (2)
as we would like. Product descriptions are frequently not as accurate as they could
be, for example when listing …. (3) used in foodstuffs. Service is not always as
prompt as we …. (4), even in so-called fast-food restaurants. But it is perhaps in
the world of advertising where ethical standards seem to be the most elastic.
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Advertisements are frequently …. (5) and often confusing or deliberately
misleading, sometimes …. (6) extravagant promises. No doubt advertisers are ….
(7) more dishonest nor any …. (8) altruistic than the rest of us; they do not often
make obviously false …. (9). It’s just that, like Groucho, they sometimes seem a
little too economical with the …. (10).

9. Socializing is an important part of good management. When socializing for

business in your country, how important are the following?
 being on time
 the way people dress
 how you address people
 giving gifts
 shaking hands

10. Put the verbs in brackets in the present tense simple or continuous:
1. The manager .............. a telephone call right now (make).
2. We always .............. a board meeting on Fridays (have).
3. Look ! He ............. the same mistake again (make).
4. They ............ a new promotion at the moment (plan).
5. I always ............... caution measures to avoid all risks (take).
6. They ................... their resources to achieve the goals in an optimum way
every year (organize).
7. All managers ………. the basic managerial functions of planning, organizing,
leading, and controlling (perform).
8. Listen! The new manager ..................... to you at this moment (talk).
9. Marilyn ................ the most appreciated employee in the company (be).
10.We ................. new plans for action every morning (generate).

11. Comment on these definitions:

 W. TAYLOR: Management is the art of knowing what you want to do in the
best and cheapest way.
 JOHN F. MEE: Management may be defined as the art of securing
maximum prosperity with a minimum of effort so as to secure maximum
prosperity and happiness for both the employer and employee and give the
public the best possible service.
 PETER DRUCKER: Management is equivalent with the people that
manage.

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 MACKENSIE: Management represents the accomplishment of the proposed
objectives through others; managers operate with ideas, things, and people.