Mintzberg's Managerial Role

Management is coordinating work activities so that people are completed efficiently and effectively with and though other people. Simply, management is what managers do.

Mintzberg identified ten separate roles in managerial work, each role defined as an organized collection of behaviors belonging to an identifiable function or position. He separated these roles into three subcategories: interpersonal contact, information processing and decision making.

1.      FIGUREHEAD: the manager performs ceremonial and symbolic duties as head of the organization.

2.      LEADER: fosters a proper work atmosphere and motivates and develops subordinates.

3.      LIASION: develops and maintains a network of external contacts to gather information.

            These three roles called interpersonal contact roles.

4.      MONITOR: gathers internal and external information relevant to the organization.

5.      DISSEMINATOR: transmits factual and value based information to subordinates.

6.      SPOKESPERSON: communicates to the outside world on performance and policies.

            These three roles called information processing roles.

7.      ENTREPRENEUR: designs and initiates change in the organization.

8.      DISTURBANCE HANDLER: deals with unexpected events and operational breakdowns.

9.      RESOURCE ALLOCATOR: controls and authorizes the use of organizational resources.

10. NEGOTIATOR: participates in negotiation activities with other organizations and individuals.

              

These three roles called decision making roles.