From what I have noticed an Individual needs to take a
rational decision in choosing the right method of handling a situation from the
set of Managers that the person works with. It is very important to have a balanced
blend of being Social and adhere to the Policies stipulated by the
Organization. Based on this we can categorize Managers into two types:
i. Social Manager: These are Managers who are nice to all the
sub-ordinates and always try to give a leeway to their sub-ordinates with their
work. The action plan taken by these managers with regard to any situation is
based on creating goodwill to them. (They try to please their sub-ordinates and
colleagues)
ii. Policy Managers: These are Managers who stick to
the process and every situation that they handle is based on the Policy books
of the Organization. (They try to please the management)
As a Manager it is very important to draw a line in being
Social with the sub-ordinates and make effective use of policies so that a
boundary is drawn with an invisible pencil.
I am giving this example through a scenario that I have
faced both Directly and Indirectly. (By direct I mean with my Sub-Ordinate and Indirect,
I mean, sub-ordinate from another team and another Team Manager)
Let’s take a situation and get a clear idea about what is
written above:
“A sub-ordinate takes an Uninformed Leave on a day which is
very important since there is a crunch situation with tight staffing. This sub-ordinate has done the same thing in
the past and it was left unnoticed. He is a person who always comes late to
work but his performance is good because of which he has got this attitude”
Now, when a social manager takes up this situation – he would
first look at trying to maintain a good relationship with that sub-ordinate. A common
mistake a Manager does here is that he tends to take the sub-ordinate as a
friend and not as a Team member. The manager does not pay heed to this
situation and just speaks about it in a very friendly manner with the
sub-ordinate. The Manager goes back and marks his attendance as Informed Leave
since he feels that he has done his job about informing the sub-ordinate about
the mistake. The sub-ordinate doesn’t feel any pain with regard to this
situation and tends to make the same mistake again.
When the Policy Manager takes up this issue, he makes a
ruckus of this situation and warns the sub-ordinate. This leads to De-motivation
and De-moralization of the sub-ordinate. The possible outcome after this
situation is that the sub-ordinate goes down with his performance or his interest
towards the job will reduce and eventually quit the Organization.
Ideal way to handle: An Ideal Manager would have spoken to
the sub-ordinate in a friendly manner and informed about the mistake that he
has committed and explain the losses that the organization faced because of
this mistake. Later, he should have
given a warning about the situation and marked the attendance of the
sub-ordinate as Uninformed Leave.
Being a Social Manager helps you in having a good
relationship with a group of sub-ordinates but often I have noticed that it is
the same people who were with you when you were good with them who turn to be
too harsh with you in case there is any action that is taken against them.
Being a Policy Manager keeps you out of the crowd and you
are always looked as a Dictator (Hitler). The sub-ordinates have a fear to
express any point to the Manager; this kills the innovative ideas which can be
brought forward through the sub-ordinates.
I believe that it is always good to have the sub-ordinates
respect you for the work done by you rather than praise you since you are
friendly and nice to them.
