Managerial Roles
Concept and Definition |
The role of a manager is a set of behaviors that are associated with the task of managing. Using these roles, managers accomplish the basic functions of management just discussed: planning and strategizing, organizing, controlling, and leading and developing employees.
Mintzberg was one of the first and most enduring writers to describe the role of the manager. He observed what managers did during the day by shadowing them.
He grouped the roles into three categories: interpersonal roles, informational roles, and decisional roles. Since managing is an integrated activity, Mintzberg emphasized that these roles are seldom distinct. In most cases, visiting clients involves two or more roles at once.