BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCE AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT

 P. D. Agarwal B. E., AMIMA, MSEG, FIE (India)

Expectations from a manager

Concept of human relations

Motivating forces

Better human relationship practices

Manager's Conduct

Psycho-techniques in management

Sixth Sense

Summary

Manager’s Conduct

      When accepted and appreciated that an authoritarian approach is no longer useful, a new attribute needs to be added to the manager’s conduct. This new attribute is that subordinates should be inspired by the manager to regard themselves as partners in a common endeavor, and to foster a sense that they  ‘work with the manager’ not ‘for the manager’.  He must be scrupulously fair, consistent and genuine in all his dealings with his subordinates. A manager must remember that every person is different, each with his own feelings and mental frame, and he must respect each subordinate as an individual, as a human being, having his own characteristics. Further, it is to be remembered that the job of a manager is not only to manage the organization but also to train his successor who might be present in his team. Suitable successor can only be created with the attitude descried above and there is no other way.

          The manager while passing down the information to his subordinates should not talk down on his subordinates.  When any subordinate seeks an advice on some issue, the manager should first seek his views on it, listen rather than do all the talking himself. Then the advice should be given as if it has emerged out of the mutual discussions. In discussions act like devil’s advocate, question ones’ wrong ideas and encourage them to think individually and to try to work out the solution independently, rather than imposing your own judgment on them.

       In giving directives, the manager should avoid shouting down edicts and orders since it is not only distasteful , it sends out wrong signals also. Exhibition of superiority is achievable even through mild behavior and polite words also. It is important to appreciate that using polite words in good humor does not amount to be exhibiting weakness and the manager should not entertain the complex that he shall be considered by his staff as a weakling.  In all his dealings the manager should be courteous and considerate, and maintain a calm approach no matter what might be the stress and train of the moment.

         The integrity of character is an essential ingredient for basic conduct of a modern and effective manager. Known personal dishonesty or a suspicious conduct or impression of malpractice will form an insuperable barrier in the development of good morale in the organization.

         It shall be of great help for success if the potential manager tunes his perceptiveness and acquires a humane tone as per advice contained above. The word of Horace shall be a good advice to the staff, if given sincerely, that  “ At every level of any hierarchy there are opportunities for fulfillment. You do not have to be president of the Mousetrap Company to build a better mousetrap. As a matter of fact, as president you would be too busy to give much thought to designing a better mousetrap. Look to your experience and concentrate your efforts within your area of competence.”

Psycho-techniques in management

       An effective management comprises of a sequence of “Decisions”.  Decisions flow out of a management office incessantly to match with day-to-day assignments. The walking does not wait for long for a decision to be taken, if the manager does not take timely decision on any issue a ‘decision by default’ manifests.   Therefore in any case a decision materializes either by design or by default to keep pace with time.  Of course ‘Decision by default’ is a sad commentary on the working of an organization.  It shall be better not to elaborate the matter further for reasons of decency on the premise that an intelligent person can read between the lines. The managerial success largely depends upon the quality of decisions, how befitting a decision is and how timely it has been taken.

               Every manager has his own personal style of decision making. Basically there are two main aspects of the process of decision making. First is decision taker’s own psyche and second is his personal overture to decision making.

             Sometimes the decision making process itself is not given an appropriate thought and a shortcut is adopted neglecting the parameters leading to ‘decision-making-situation’. But it should generally be avoided as the result by this route may not come out to be healthy. In most cases considerable information or data exist to lead to a sound decision .The real skill lies in consistency of processing this data, in assimilation of the facts brought out by this information and in analyzing them meticulously to arrive at a reasonably explicit conclusion. Steeping theory of deliberation is quite relevant and helpful in arriving at a good decision.  The theory is ‘once the facts and figures are available then steep into them’ and arrives at perceptible conclusion which would be a very potent input to the final decision. This ‘steeping in procedure’ is formally personal, random and subliminal. It could not  be and should not be explained to others.