MRM pg 1-5.pdf - Mabati Rolling Mills

MABATINEWS
THE RESPONSIVE MANAGER
In the recent past, the management’s
development focus in most well run
firms has been shifting from preparing
their managers to fill higher level slots to
preparing them to meet the challenges of
managing in a fast-paced environment.
Increasingly, therefore, the emphasis is on
developing a manager’s ability to learn and
make decisions under conditions of rapid
change.
Two experts put it this way: “As decisionmakers
take on increasing responsibility
across their careers, their learning needs
move from the arena of task learning to
behavioral learning to conceptual or policylevel
learning.” For example, today’s corporate
managers are under enormous pressure
“to find the strategic opportunities their
competitors are yet to find.” This therefore
requires more emphasis and realignment
on developing their conceptual ability to
search for internal strategic opportunities to
improve quality, service and prices. Similarly,
all managers have to be well schooled in
business related information, marketing and
negotiation. And to manage in flatter, more
empowered organizations, the leader must
increasingly become a teacher, coach and
consultant rather than a “boss”.
The above changing scenario is causing
a corresponding change in the techniques
that are emphasized in management
development programs. Historically, onthe-job
training, coaching and rotational
assignments have been the most popular
management development techniques.
The problem is that these techniques tend
to emphasize showing managers current
procedures or (at best) getting them to think
about how to “do what we are doing today a
little better”.
However, today there is a shift
towards development techniques that
teach managers how to learn and how
to develop the competencies they need
to cope with changes, such as seizing up
emerging markets and searching for new
strategic opportunities. In this regard,
special in-company executive development
programs, action learning are examples
that we in MRM, through our philosophy of
“continuous improvement”, look forward to
encompassing in order to stay ahead of our
budding competitors.
- T. M. Ngira
Gender issues in management
Biased impressions from an Office
The Family Picture on HIS DESK.
Ah, he is a solid family man
HIS desk is cluttered
He must be obviously a hard worker and busy man
HE’s talking with his co-workers.
He must be discussing the latest deal.
HE’s not at his desk
He must be at a meeting elsewhere
HE’s not in the office
He is meeting customers
HE’s having lunch with the Boss
He is on his way up.
The boss criticized HIM
He’ll improve his performance
HE got an unfair deal
Did he get angry?
HE’s getting married
HIS/ HERS
He will get more settled
HE’s having a baby
He’ll need a salary raise
HE’s going on a business trip
It's good for his career
HE’s leaving for a better job
He knows how to recognize and seize a good opportunity
The Family Picture on HER DESK
Umm, her family will come before her Career
HER desk is cluttered
She is obviously a disorganized scatterbrain
SHE’s talking with her co-workers.
She must be gossiping
SHE’s not at her desk
She must be in the ladies room
SHE’s not in the office
She must be out shopping
SHE’s having lunch with the Boss
They must be having an affair
The boss criticized HER
She’ll be very upset
SHE got an unfair deal
Did she cry?
SHE’s getting married
She’ll get pregnant and leave
SHE’s having a baby
She’ll cost the Co. money on maternity benefits
SHE’s going on a business trip
What will her husband say?
SHE’s leaving for a better job
Women are not dependable
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M A B A T I N E W S