People management, also known as human resource management (HRM), encompasses the tasks of recruitment, management, and providing ongoing support and direction for the employees of an organisation. The organisation must look ahead to how a new employee can be used to their fullest.
Table of Contents
- The Need for People Management
- People Management Theories
- Delegation
- Why is it so hard to delegate?
- A Systematic Approach to Delegation
- Clarification of Policies and Procedures
- Agreement on terms of Reference
- Briefing, guidance and training
- Review and monitoring system
- Freedom of action
- Related reward system
- What should you delegate
- What should you not delegate
- Some Final Thoughts
- Empowerment
The Need for People Management
Generally, managers, and the work they do, differ mainly in line with their level in the organisation. At the top of the organisation are its executives including the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or Managing Director. Executives are in
charge of, and responsible for, a group of other managers. Executives establish broad strategies, objectives and general policies. They motivate, direct and control the managers who report to them. Executives are the senior officers, Colonel, Captain or Group Captain upwards.
Middle managers plan, initiate, and implement programmes that are intended to carry out the broader objectives set by executives. Middle managers motivate, direct, and control the first level managers and any other employees) who report to them. Middle managers are the senior NCO’s and junior officers.
First Level Managers (or Supervisors or Team Leaders) are managers who normally report to middle managers. First Level Managers have the responsibility of getting the hands-on employees to carry out the plans and the policies set by executives and middle managers. First Level Managers plan, motivate, direct, and control the work of employees at the operational level. First Level Manager are the junior NCO’s in the organisation.
No matter what the level they all manage people.
As a Consultant, however, you may not have the luxury of a “line management” role. The people who help you, may come from the client, a third party supplier or from your own organisation. You have no direct control over them. They are probably transient tinkers coming from other projects; their allegiances are not to you, but to their “boss”.
Managed well this is to your advantage.
In this section we look briefly at three areas to help you do this.
- First we look at “people management”
- Secondly, Delegation
- Finally we review the concept of empowerment
As you read, try to establish aspects you need to adopt in an assignment. There are some tasks that all “people managers” perform:
- Setting objectives – obtain clear objectives from above, and then agree clear objectives for your people.
- Planning – setting objectives is about where we want to get, establishing plans is designed to show how we will achieve the objectives.
- Organising – arranging resources to enable the plan to be put into practice.
- Staffing – selecting and placing the right people in the right jobs.
- Motivating – getting the best out of the staff involved.
- Controlling – comparing what is actually happening with the plan and taking any corrective action necessary.
- Communicating – telling those concerned what is going on, how people are doing, and keeping in touch,
- Evaluating-appraising performance and assessing how you are doing.
In some Consultancy Assignments, you may be involved in all of these tasks. In a small assignment, control and communication may be key.
People Management Theories
One way of approaching a study of people management is to examine the ideas and theories of the pioneers in the field of management. There are scores of gurus and you can almost pick any flavour you require. Perhaps you like the management style of Genghis khan, maybe Lala out of the Teletbbies? Some people prefer to adopt the approaches of, Nelson Mandela or Angela Merkel.
Others adopt the approaches described by people like Henri Fayol, Frederick Taylor, Maslow, Peter Drucker, John Adair, Tom Peters, Frederick Hertzberg or sadly, even John Birt.
The more fashionable consultants recognise the inputs from people like the 60’s guru Henry Mintzberg, Mintzberg studied managers at work and concluded that they perform ten different but highly interrelated roles. He grouped these under three themes: interpersonal relationships, the transfer of information, and decision making.
We think that these themes correspond closely to the role of the consultant
- Performs a great quantity of work at an unrelenting pace.
- Undertakes activities marked by variety, brevity and fragmentation.
- Has a preference for issues that are current, specific and non-routine.
- Prefers verbal rather than written means of communication.
- Acts within a web of Internal and external contacts.
- Is subject to heavy constraints but can exert some control over the work.
Similarly, you as a Consultant have:
Interpersonal roles
- Figurehead: representing the organisation/unit to outsiders.
- Leader: motivating subordinates, unifying effort.
- Liaiser: maintaining lateral contacts.
Informational roles
- Monitor: of information flows.
- Disseminator: of information to subordinates.
- Spokesman: transmission of information to outsiders.
Decisional roles
- Entrepreneur: initiator and designer of change.
- Disturbance handler.handling non-routine events.
- Resource allocator: deciding who gets what and who will do what.
- Negotiator: negotiating
All consultancy as well as managerial work encompasses these roles. Additionally, consultants need strong skills or support in the following areas:
Planning:
- gathering necessary information
- defining the task making a workable plan
Initiating
- briefing the group on the task, the reasons for the task, and the plan to achieve it
- allocating tasks to group members
- agreeing group standards
Controlling
- maintaining standards
- maintaining progress towards the task
- disciplining, where necessary
- keeping discussions relevant
- stimulating activity
Supporting
- recognising people’s contributions
- encouraging
- undertaking actions to create team spirit
- reconciling conflict
Informing
- clarifying where necessary
- disseminating and receiving new information
Evaluating
- checking the feasibility of actions proposed by the group
- evaluating group and individual performance
- encouraging self-evaluation
Delegation
Delegation will help you save time and cost as well as providing a way to help you to motivate and develop staff.
We recognise that this may not be in your remit as a non-line manager but as a consultant, you do need to keep the whole service and supply chain working.
Why is it so hard to delegate?
You, or your client may be unclear about your responsibilities and authorities
A Systematic Approach to Delegation
Setting up a successful system of delegation means providing answered to these three basic questions.
- What opportunities are there for others to learn and develop by undertaking delegated tasks and responsibilities?
- How should the increased responsibility be implemented and to whom should they be given?
- What forms of control system would be most appropriate?
To set up an effective system of delegation people need to know:
- what is expected of them,
- what has to be achieved,
- the boundaries within they have freedom of action
- how far they can exercise independent decision making
Clarification of Policies and Procedures
- Establish Policies and procedures. Put them in a framework so that everyone is clear about:
- Who has authority and who accepts responsibility.
- What are opportunities and limitations
- What is the chain of command
- How will communications and co-ordination operate
Agreement on terms of Reference
- You should agree on roles and terms of reference.
- Emphasise end-results
- Discuss and agree reasons for, and the nature of, any limitations or restrictions imposed.
- Ensure people accept any restrictions on the authority and responsibility delegated to them.
Briefing, guidance and training
- Clarify the nature and extent of delegation, and obtain the co-operation.
- Communicate with other business areas to identify any potential conflicts
Review and monitoring system
- Agree time limits for delegation, such as a target date for completion of a task
- Make clear the expected levels of achievement and agree on performance standards and how performance in each area is to be evaluated.
Freedom of action
Procedures such as management by exception and staff appraisals are a useful means of helping to maintain control without inhibiting the growth of delegation.
Related reward system
- Wherever possible, a system of delegation should be related to some form of associated ‘reward’ system.
- Examples could include bonus payments, improved job satisfaction, job enrichment (additional responsibilities), enhanced opportunities for promotion or personal development, including the subsequent updating of an individual’s personal development plan, if applicable.
What should you delegate
- Anything that your boss, peers, clients, suppliers, wife, husband, partner or subordinates can do:
- Better than you
- At less expense than you
- As a contribution to their training and development.
What should you not delegate
- Overall policy for the Assignment
- Overall planning
- Selection, training and appraisal of any staff required for the Assignment
- Promotion, praise and disciplinary actions
Some Final Thoughts
Delegation is NOT abdication. It does not mean giving someone a task, with the minimum of guidance and leaving them to sink or swim.
Empowerment
Empowerment is the stage beyond delegation, when you have entrusted a specific area of work and/or group of people, to another person.
During the stages of delegation, you hand over the agreed terms of responsibility and authority to the appointed person, however, when you empower a member of your staff you also award them authority for that specific area as well.
As with delegation the boundaries need to be fully understood, but the actual working of that empowered area is for the appointee to organise and control.