The Different Types of Managers

When growing your business, your management structure becomes more important as your company grows. When youre starting out, and while your company is small, you may be able to fulfill all roles in the management hierarchy. If you have a scalable, successful business however, growth is inevitable, and you will need to have managers at different levels to ensure work is completed in the most effective and efficient manner possible. This said, it is important to understand the 3 major types of managers in growing and/or larger companies. Organizations employ three levels of managers: first-line managers, middle managers, and top managers. They are arranged in a hierarchy of authority, and each has different, but related, responsibilities. These three types of managers are grouped into departments (or functions). A department is a group of people who work together and possess similar skills or use the same skill sets to perform their jobs. 1. First-line managers are responsible for the daily supervision of nonmanagerial employees. 2. Middle managers supervise first-line managers. They also work with first line managers to identify new ways of reaching organizational goals. Very often, the suggestions that they make to top management can dramatically increase organizational performance. 3. Top managers are responsible for the performance of all departments and therefore have a crossdepartmental responsibility. Because top management is ultimately responsible for the success or failure of the organization, persons inside and outside of the organization closely scrutinize their performance. It is the CEOs responsibility to build a top management team that performs well. The term COO (chief operating officer) is often used to refer to the top manager who is being groomed to take over when the current CEO leaves the company or retires.

1. THE PROBLEM-SOLVING MANAGER The Problem-Solving Manager is task driven and focused on achieving goals. These problem-solvers are constantly putting out fires and leading their teams amidst chaos. The paradox here is this: It is often the manager who creates the very problems and situations that they work so hard to avoid. Continually providing solutions often results in the lackluster team performance they are working so diligently to eliminate. 2. THE PITCHFORK MANAGER People who manage by pitchfork lead their teams with a heavy and often controlling hand: demanding progress, forcing accountability, prodding and pushing for results through the use of threats and fear tactics. This style of tough, ruthless management is painful for employees who are pushed to avoid consequences rather than pulled toward a desired goal. 3. THE PONTIFICATING MANAGER These managers will readily admit they dont follow any particular type of management strategy. Instead, they shoot from the hip, making it up as they go along and often generating sporadic, inconsistent results. Because of this, they often find themselves in situations they are unprepared for. Interestingly, the Pontificating Manager thrives on situations like this. 4. THE PRESUMPTUOUS MANAGER Presumptuous Managers focus more on themselves than anything else. Their personal production, recognition, sales quotas, and bonuses take precedence over their people. As you can imagine, these managers experience more attrition, turnover, and employee problems than any other type of manager. Presumptuous Managers are typically assertive and confident individuals; however, they are too often driven by their egos to look good and outperform the rest of the team. Presumptuous Managers breed unhealthy competition rather than an environment of collaboration. 5. THE PERFECT MANAGER Perfect Managers are open to change and innovation, and committed to improving and evolving as sales managers. But in their search for the latest and greatest approach, Perfect Managers (like Pontificating Managers) never get to experience the benefit of consistency. This manager is a talking spec sheet. Their emphasis on acquiring more facts, figures, features, and benefits overshadows their ability to recognize the critical need for soft skills training around the areas of presenting, listening, questioning, prospecting, and the importance of following an organized, strategic selling system. Perfect Managers rely on their vast amount of product knowledge and experience when managing and developing their salespeople. Because of this great imbalance, these managers often fall short on developing interpersonal skills that would make them more human than machine. 6. THE PASSIVE MANAGER

Also referred to as Parenting Managers or Pleasing Managers, Passive Managers have one ultimate goal: to make people happy. While this is certainly an admirable trait, it can quickly become a barrier to effective leadership. You can spot a Passive Manager by looking at their team and assessing the number of people who should have been fired long ago. Because all that Passive Managers want to do is please, they are timid in their management approach. These managers will do anything to avoid confrontation and struggle with holding their people accountable for failures or shortcomings. 7. THE PROACTIVE MANAGER The Proactive Manager encompasses all the good qualities that the other types of managers possess, yet without their pitfalls. Here are the characteristics this ideal manager embodies, which you should strive to develop yourself. The Proactive Manager possesses: the drive to support others and spearhead solutions like the Problem-Solving Manager the persistence, edge, and genuine authenticity of the Pitchfork Manager the enthusiasm, passion, charm, and presence of the Pontificating Manager the confidence of the Presumptuous Manager the knowledge, sales acumen, efficiency, focus, and passion of the Perfect Manager the respectfulness, sensitivity, nurturing ability, and humanity of the Passive Manager The Proactive Manager is the ultimate manager and coach, and a testimonial to the skills and coaching competencies every manager needs to develop in order to build a winning team. The Role of Manager Creating the Vision Successful organizations are led by visionary leaders with a clear understanding of the organization's mission statement. Part of the manager's role is to lead his team in developing the mission statement. This helps everyone focus on the organization's main purpose. Implementing the Vision It is also the manager's role to implement the mission statement by breaking it down into specific, achievable goals. Managers help the workers to recognize how the work they do relates to the overall goal of the organization. Facilitating Change Dynamic organizations are always changing, and managers help facilitate the change through their role as change agents. They do this by fully understanding and accepting the need to change and by conveying this rationale to the staff.

Mentoring Managers who are visionary leaders constantly mentor their staff. It's their role to recognize talent and groom employees for positions of additional responsibility. They contribute to the professional development of their employees by conducting performance appraisals and encouraging personal growth and increased productivity. Gathering Information It's the manager's role to gather all relevant information. Managers stay in touch with their superiors and are aware of new trends that might be implemented in the future. They maintain an "open-door" policy with their employees to keep up-to-date with issues that might be causing resentment or discontent among them. Evaluating Information It's also the manager's role to evaluate information when it is received, to determine who should receive the information and how it will be communicated. Managers use their judgment to decide what is relevant to pass on to their supervisors and what to share with their workers. Communicating Managers must communicate information at the most suitable time, using the most appropriate method of communication whether it be face-to-face at a meeting, via electronic technology or in print. Decision-Making Managers are constantly involved in decision-making, whether it's for smaller issues such as what time workers will take their breaks or for more important matters such as firing an employee for a transgression. The decision-making role is a critical one and involves resource allocation and negotiation. Building Relationships A vital management role revolves around the interpersonal relationships managers have with their subordinates and with their superiors. A manager's level of competency is directly related to the success of these relationships. Managers who develop a climate of trust find it easier to do their job. It's easier for them to get their workers to follow directions and it's easier to take direction from their supervisors. Controlling Climate Managers are also responsible for facilitating healthy interpersonal relationships among staff members. Employees are more productive when the relationships in the workplace are supportive and collaborative instead of filled with poisonous back-stabbing. It's the role of the manager to foster a positive climate.

Planning: Mapping out exactly how to achieve particular goals, generating plans for actions, and deciding what needs to happen in the future (today, next week, next month, next year, or over the next five years). Organizing: Implementing patterns of relationships among workers and making optimum use of resources to carry out plans. Resourcing encompasses the deployment and manipulation of human resources, financial resources, technological resources and natural resources. Staffing: Job analysis, recruitment and hiring for appropriate jobs. A human resources department is essential to accomplishing this goal. Leading/directing: Determining what needs to be done and getting people to do it. Controlling/monitoring: Checking progress against plans and taking any corrective actions necessary to make sure that plans remain on track. Motivation: Motivation is a basic function of management because employees cannot work effectively without motivation. Without motivation, employees may not contribute to other organizational functions and priorities.