Management
The management of an organisation has two principal tasks: 1. to supervise operations to ensure the current success of the organisation (Operational Management) 2. to ensure the future success of the organisation through effective strategic planning and organisation (Strategic Management) by providing plans for the Board to approve.
Strategic Management and Operational Management are crucial and interdependent for an organisation. Knowing how strategy and operation can work in parallel with each other should promote better performance and competitiveness of the organisation. Being focused solely on operational management lead to a loss of efficiency and advantage. However, without the operational capacity to implement the vision of the future, all strategic effort and planning will be useless.
The table below shows some differences between Strategic Management and Operational Management.
|
|
Strategic Management |
Operational Management |
|
Strategic Plan |
Board sign off on the strategic plan |
Executive staff prepare the strategic plan |
|
Vision |
Board set the vision and long- term aspirations – the vision tends not to change |
Executive staff concentrate on the day to day operations |
|
Mission |
Board agree the mission which may change from time to time as the environment changes |
Executive staff execute the mission |
|
Operational Plan |
Board sign off on the operational plan |
Executive staff prepare the operational plan |
|
Operational Plan Execution |
Board have no part to play in the execution of the operational plan save for monitoring the key deliverables |
Executive staff execute the operational plan focussing on the detailed day to day operations |
|
Budget |
Board sign off on the budget and monitor the variances to the prepared budget reported by the executive staff |
Executive staff prepare the budget, adhere to it and reports variances to the Board/Council |
|
Focus |
The organisation as a whole |
The day to day operations |
Roles of the manager
Day to day management of a rugby organisation requires the manager to fulfil several differing roles which can be grouped together into four interdependent categories:
Interpersonal
This focuses on managing Here the leader will need to be a figurehead of the organisation, a leader as well as a link or intermediary between others.
Informative
Here the focus is on managing through providing information and effective In this role the leader will be required to be a spokesperson and disseminate information to others.
Decision making
The focus of this role is to manage by making key-decisions. Here the leader will be required to start things, to negotiate, assign resources and potentially resolve conflict.
Driver
Here the leader manages through themselves, taking responsibility for their work and their time.
All of these roles overlap and are interdependent and managers need to balance them accordingly. According to Henry Mintzberg, “The manager who only communicates or only thinks, never does anything, while the manager who only does, ends up doing everything alone”.
Some examples of these roles are below:
Adapted from Henry Mintzberg, The Nature of Managerial Work (1973) and Managerial Work: Analysis from Observation (1971).
Interpersonal
|
Role |
Activity |
Example |
|
Figurehead |
Perform social and legal functions Act as a symbolic leader/representative to other organisations and the community |
Welcome visitors Sign legal documents |
|
Leader |
Direct and motivate others Recruit and train for positions Influence others Define climate and culture Create policy Create teams Doing the right things |
Interact with other stakeholders, staff and volunteers |
|
Link/Intermediary |
Establish and maintain contacts within and out with the organisation Link the organisation with the community and environment |
Correspondence Meet with representatives from other organisations |
Informative
|
Role |
Activity |
Example |
|
Monitor |
Awareness of the organisation, its circumstance and its environment. Doing things right |
Monitor the organisations political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legislative status |
|
Disseminator |
Communicate/disseminate information to others within the organisation |
Reporting Briefing Informing others |
|
Spokesperson |
Communicate/disseminate information to others out with the organisation |
Reporting Briefing Informing others |
Decision Making
|
Role |
Activity |
Example |
|
Entrepreneur |
Identify new opportunities/ideas Start new projects |
Implement innovations Plan for the future |
|
Conflict resolution |
Deal with conflict and take corrective actions React, adapt, regulate Face difficult situations |
Resolve conflicts between staff and/or volunteers Choose strategic alternatives Solve crisis situations |
|
Assignment of resource |
Identify where to allocate resource within the organisation Project management Authorisation |
Set priorities Devise and approve plans, calendars and budgets |
|
Negotiation |
Defend the organisation’s interest |
Lead / participate in negotiations internally and externally |
Driver
|
Role |
Activity |
Example |
|
Time management |
Plan and exercise conscious control of time spent on tasks, to increase effectiveness, efficiency and/or productivity |
Prioritisation Define objectives and time Create effective environment Compliance with deadlines |
|
Meeting management |
Manage meetings effectively and efficiently to increase productivity and progress |
Set purposeful meetings Create and circulate agenda in advance Invite appropriate people Stick to time |
|
Work management |
Manage multiple tasks and people at the same time |
Set priorities Allocate resources Review progress |