Organizational Development: A Manual for Managers and ... - FPDL

uying expanding memory of computers in response to the rising size of messages causing older
messages to be deleted, training staff in new skills in response to changing products, etc.
These measures look like more or less changing of organization itself – yes, it is true. But what
remains? If we do not wish to permanently ‘solve the same problem’ caused by uncontrollable
forces and repetitively waste resources for this, then we may consider changing the organization in
a way that it would maintain it in a zone of comfort in spite of the negative influence of given
uncontrollable factors. As someone once said, “There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad
clothes...”
Management
Elimination of objectionable deviations, or a correction of trajectory each time a need raises –
monitoring and control –may be one of the director‘s most critical functions.
Elimination of or compensation for systematic reasons for objectionable deviations –is
another function, also called problem solving.
Some directors never solve problems. Due to the limits of their ability or authority – they just try to
keep things as they are, or punish someone when something goes wrong. We call such directors
controllers. A controller acts within the limits of control, strictly in accordance with the instruction
for each particular case, and must report to his/her authority if something goes out of control.
He/she is responsible for his/her own operation, or for doing what must be done, for executing
designated duties.
A director, who solves problems, we will call manager. Because the verb manage means not just
supervision, but ‘succeeding in being able to do something; to contrive to carry on despite
difficulties; to be in charge (of), administer’ (Collins Dictionary and Thesaurus, 1991). It is a bit
more than just to control. It means to undertake all feasible measures, which do not contradict the
limits of authority, to ensure the situation is where it should be. The top manager is responsible for
the operation and development of the organization or for doing what is necessary to consider all
possibilities or provide optimal utilization of all accessible resources.
Managerial capacity
The effectiveness of a manager depends on his/her ability to correctly define problems, find
rational solutions for them, and optimally organize and implement all necessary actions to achieve
desirable results. Effectiveness here is defined as the difference between what a manager brings
to the organization and what he or she takes from it. The effectiveness may be positive when the
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