While undertaking the management course, I have learnt a lot of concepts in relation to how management should be applied in various organizations. However, the three most significant concepts which I have learnt include: employee involvement, technology in the work place, and five minds of a manager.
Employee Involvement
Employee involvement entails employee participation in organizations I order to develop, formulate and implement policies in the organizations as well as settlement of problems. Employees are therefore encouraged to attend and express their views on various issues regarding the organization. The views expressed by the employees therefore form part of the decision to be made in regard to the organization (Hyman, 1995).
It is important to involve employees in decision making .This is because employee involvement creates a sense of respect and ownership in the organization. This in return motivates the employees to increase their output in the organization which increases productivity to facilitate the realization of their goals in the organization. This has been linked to the fact that when employees are involved in decision making they feel that they form part of the organization and thus they all work with a common goal as a team (Cotton,1993).
Further, when employees are involved in decision making, they are more likely to implement changes thus the mangers do not have to struggle to implement new policies in organizations. Participation by employees thus keeps them aware of any upcoming changes thus making the organization to be proactive rather than reactive because the managers usually identify areas which need address and request employees to express their opinions .
In addition, employee participation in decision making helps them to have a better understanding regarding the nature of their work as well as understanding their managers a factor which has been associated with increasing commitment to the employees (Greenfield, 2005).
Employee participation in decision making has also been linked to innovation and creativity .This has been attributed to the fact that when employees are allowed to express their opinions during decision making, a variety of views are recorded which when during evaluation increases the chances of coming up with a unique solution .
It is therefore important to note that employees should at all times be involved in decision making .This is because when employees are involved in decision making, it become easier for the organization to implement the changes which it intends to effect and it also reduces conflict between the managers and the employees.
Technology in the Workplace
The application of technology in workplaces is a common occurrence across the globe especially now that we are living in the 21st century and in most instances it is characterized by the use of emails to convey information and ideas to clients especially in the corporate world ( Miller, 2012).
The use of emails and other technologies has increased the flow of information flowing through the corporate grapevine. This is because the use of emails to send information allows employees to convey information and ideas instantly without distracting the receiver. Moreover, it has led to the growth of communication between business partners and clients due to the ability of information to be relayed via multiple ways instantly.
The use of technology in workplaces has also been linked to increased flow of information through the corporate grapevine due to the adoption of paperless filing system which has facilitated the accessibility of information between business people and clients. This is in addition to the use of videos for conferences by corporate people across the globe.
Five Minds of a Manager
Every manager should be very intelligent when it comes to thinking in order to be effective and successful. According to Jonathan Gosling and Henry Mintzberg inn their article “five minds of a manager” I have learnt various concepts. These concepts include and are not limited to: thinking globally, preserving relationships, and ability to manage changes (Mintzberg, 2003).
Thinking globally
Every manager should always think on a global perspective .This has been linked to the fact that the world is constantly changing and being a manager a person is bestowed with responsibilities nationally and internationally thus a manager should have a wide thinking perspective to facilitate carrying out his duties efficiently effectively. However, when dealing with national responsibilities a manager should be able to apply global strategies and implement them locally.
Preserving relationships
A good manager should always work at maintaining a good working relationship with his employees as opposed to being their supervisor .A good manager should lay platforms whereby he would invite employees to give their views in regard to various issues which affect their work as well as the organization. This therefore imply that as a manger an individual should be willing to listen to the employees and not to command the employees if he intends to be efficient in his work.
Ability to manage changes
Every organization undergoes changes once in a while especially when implementing new strategies. Every manager should be emotionally intelligent to facilitate changes in any organization. This has been linked to the fact that people react differently to changes a factor which may make it difficult to make the change effectively.
References
Cotton, J. ( 1995). Employee involvement: methods for improving performance and Work
attitudes. United States. Sage Publications.
Gosling, J. and Mintzberg, H. (2003). “Five minds of a manager”. Harvard Business Review.
Greenfield, W. (2004)."Decision Making and Employee Engagement." Employment
Relations Today 31(2).
Hyman, J. and Mason. B. ( 1993). Managing Employee Involvement and Participation. United
States. Sage Publications.
Miller, P. (2012). The Digital Workplace: How Technology is Liberating Work. United States.
Dog Ear Publishing.
