Theoretical Considerations for Planning

Managers hold the most important position within a company or organization. However, in the present competitive ambience of the market, it has been seen that the managers express selfish attitude in terms of grabbing hot seat, where they are expected to expose professional behaviour for creating positive image in the minds of the employees and the staffs (Luthans, Luthans and Luthans 2015). Exposure of rational behaviour enhances the personality of the managers within the workplace. Herein lays the effectiveness of the behavioural theory, which is one of the major highlights of the assignment. The assignment upholds the viewpoints of a manager of Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia. Reference to the interview validates the assumptions regarding the organizational behaviour required for managing the business activities in a workplace. 

Victoria University has achieved accolades and glory by providing quality education to the native as well as foreign students. The university falls under the tertiary sector. One of the greatest strengths of the university is the provision of both higher education and Technical and Further Education (Vu.edu.au 2018). Interview responses by one of the manager’s of Victoria University validates the assumptions and propositions of the assignment. Their prior experience regarding the organizational behaviour and management is the major drive behind the selection of the manager. The manager selected for interview, is in charge of sending emails for meetings; giving and taking appointments for the meeting.

The report is divided into four parts. At the initial stage, an introduction is provided for enhancing the clarity of the readers regarding the organizational behaviour of the managers in Victorian University. As a sequential step, theoretical considerations would be considered for assessing the appropriateness, effectiveness and feasibility of the behaviour exposed by the manager in terms of planning. After this, the findings from the responses of the manager would be placed, followed by the analysis of the anticipated findings.  The third part of the assignment consists of the theoretical analysis of the findings from the interview excerpt. The basis of this analysis is the approach of the manager towards making effective and prospective plans for the betterment of the university.

The fourth part of the report attempts to provide an insight into the analysis of theoretical perspective of the manager in terms of leadership skills, abilities and competencies. The function of the fifth part is analysing the theories and findings of the interview responses provided by the manager in terms of controlling and regulating the performance of the staffs. This analysis is followed by the deducing conclusions from all the findings. As a final touch, references are attached for validating the key points touched in the report.

Findings from the Manager Interview

Theoretical consideration enlivens the concepts, ideas, thoughts and feelings about a subject. This is applicable also for the aspect of planning. Here, the theory of planned behaviour and theory of reasoned action prove effective. Planned behaviour relates with the consciousness of the individuals towards making plans. Here, focus needs to be placed on “when the individuals feels the urge for making the plans” (Vasu et al. 2017). If the basis of making the plans is following the footsteps of others, the developmental stages proposed by Freud attach an interrogative parameter. On the contrary, if the urge for planning comes as an initiative towards modifying the mistakes, it is an example of reasoned action by the personnel. Countering this, the time of planning is not that important in comparison to the inclusion of all the aspects of change. Most important fact here is the behaviour of the personnel towards making prospective plans for the betterment.

If the personnel plan to bring innovation within the ways and means of executing the allocated duties and responsibilities, it adds positivity to the stages proposed by Freud (Miner 2015). This is because innovation within the workplace possesses flexibility towards gaining large scale customer satisfaction. Viewing it from other perspective, proposal for innovation is also a reasoned action, as it is acceptable among the staffs for altering the business scenario. 

The manager of Victoria University spends the morning in meetings for discussing the procedures of executing the undertaken project. Here, his basic activities are sending emails to the clients, in response to the request for appointments. Apart from this, he also inspects the campus to ensure the smooth functioning of the activities. Instead of resting, the manager spends him time in checking the mails, if any and responds to the urgent mails (Vu.edu.au 2018).

According to the statements of the Victorian University manager, planning is a crucial element. At the end of every semester, planning is done in order to discuss, which courses need to be included in the curriculum. Collaboration of the academic and the admin staffs proves helpful for the manager. This is in terms of gaining an insight into the approaches of the staffs regarding the created plans. Changes are proposed within the plans for making the semester studies interesting for the students.

The manager highlights the fact that as the world is changing every second, therefore he also needs to maintain the pace with the changing world. He thinks career planning is important in terms of enhancing his position within the society. However, as of now, he has made plans for couple of years (Vu.edu.au 2018). He envisions that in these years he would achieve a higher scale in the professional development.

Theoretical Analysis of the Findings

The behaviour of the manager can be considered as planned and reasoned. This is in terms of the planning. The manager makes plans before starting the allocated duties and responsibilities. As a matter of specification, the manager jots down the tasks, which he needs to complete on a priority basis. This systematization helps the manager to achieve positive results. Thinking about the betterment of the students is a reasoned action of the manager in terms of ensuring their career establishment. Involving the academic and admin staffs for making the plans is a wise step for the manager (Wagner and Hollenbeck 2014). This is in terms of knowing the mistakes he has committed in the performance.  This approach of the manager reflects his inquisitiveness nature in terms of enriching the preconceived skills, knowledge and expertise.

Spending the leisure time in doing works hampers the relaxation needed in terms of gaining energy for undertaking the challenging and enduring tasks. On the contrary, a manager needs to be active in the workplace, for abiding by the duties and the responsibilities. Realizing the importance of altering pace of the world is a planned as well as reasoned action exposed by the manager in terms of securing the societal position. Here, career planning is a part for the altering the personality among the others (Vu.edu.au 2018). 2 years is merely a time, which reflects the two selves of the managers. One self reflects the manager in the current phase and the other self reflects the manager after 2 years, when he would achieve a higher scale in his professionalism.

The theory of scientific management can be applied here. This theory was introduced by Frederick Winslow Taylor to enhance the clarity of the people about the science behind management. According to the functionality, this theory proves beneficial for the managers in terms of enhancing the productivity through the exposure of logical approach. The theory upholds the managers’ perspective towards the output they want from the staffs and measure the ways and means adopted by the staffs to execute the duties allocated to them (Punnett 2015). In this process, the managers need to adhere to four principles- creation of a scientific method for controlling the performance of the staffs; provision of training to the staffs; stability in the relationship between the employees and the management and equal distribution of labor. 

When asked about managing the conflicts, the manager replied that he tried to achieve solution by focusing on the issues, which gave rise to conflicts. Not getting personal in the process of resolving conflicts is one of the strengths of the manager. This approach reflects the reasoned action of the manager towards problem solving. While solving the conflicts with the other managers, he focuses on the coordination. Unity and coordination between the managers and the staffs possesses flexibility in discovery of efficient and effective solutions towards the problems (Vu.edu.au 2018).

Analysis of Managerial Leadership Skills and Competencies

The path of management is not easy. In regulating the performance of the staffs, the manager is compelled to encounter issues like bad lectures, complaints of the students and inappropriate behaviours exposed by the students, professors and other staffs. Solving these problems becomes easy for the manager through the exposure of organized behaviour. At the initial stage, he communicates with the senior managers about progressing with the achievement of solutions. After this, he calls a meeting with the students and the professors regarding the quality of the lectures delivered. Transparency is maintained in the meetings, as the main aim is the provision of good service to the students and the clients (Vu.edu.au 2018). 

Organizing meetings with the senior manager reflects the practice of scientific management in case of the manager. Herein lays the appropriateness of enhancing clarity regarding the type of output needed and the ways through which the staffs execute the allocated duties and responsibilities. Focusing on the internal issues rather than being personal is an example of logical thinking towards solving the problems. Speaking the truth indicates the transparency in the approach of the manager towards gaining trust, loyalty and dependence from the students and the clients (Pinder 2014). Communicating with the senior managers is the manager’s initiative towards maintaining stability in his relationship with his seniors. Communicating with the students is the urge of the managers in terms of learning from them, as learning and gaining knowledge has no age limit.

Leaders need to have a clear vision of their goals and objectives. Theoretical perspective in this direction is assistance in terms of emerging as a successful leader. Herein lays the effectiveness of the Great Man Theory. The tag “great” is attached to the personality of a man on the basis of his approach towards execution of the allocated duties and responsibilities (Lazaroiu 2015). Rationality and tactfulness are the attributes, which makes a man great, rather a leader. Accepting the mistakes pointed out by others willingly; bring contingency theory into the discussion. Inquisitiveness towards enriching the knowledge creates a positive image about the leader in the minds of the people. Willingness and eagerness to alter the current personality indicates the quest for emerging as a people’s leader rather than grabbing the hot seat. 

The manager is proud to nominate the director as his mentor. He is happy to guide Christine in achieving her goals and become well settled in her life. Not only Christine, the managers provide coaching to the students as well as the subordinates, so that they can upgrade their skills, knowledge and expertise in academics. The manager believes in team work (Vu.edu.au 2018). After setting a deadline, the manager guides the students regarding the doing the tasks properly. He personally talks with the students in order to find out whether they are facing any problem in doing the tasks. Moreover, he checks the progress of the team members to assess their capability. The manager is very passionate about leading his staffs. Determination helps the manager to set an example before the team members.

Controlling and Regulating Staff Performance

He believes that transparency in exposing the incapabilities. According to him, communication solves the problem and possesses flexibility to bestow solutions. He thinks logical approach is very important for a leader in terms of setting an example before the team members (Vu.edu.au 2018).  

Mentoring is the process which can be associated with the aspect of cognitive theory. This is because the process of coaching is a kind of revision for the manager regarding the concepts, which he had learnt in the training period. This revision results in the transfer of knowledge from the leaders to the team members, broadens the perspectives of leaders and team members. Team work results in the exposure of collaborative output, which is important in terms of submitting the tasks within the stipulated deadline. Setting deadlines is a target for both the manager and the students, which they have to achieve. Measuring the progress is the assessment of the confidence regarding how effectively and effectively the managers and the students can reach to the targeted goals (Rupp et al. 2015). Communication is the evaluation of the effectiveness, appropriateness and effectiveness of the exposed performance. Passion and determination are the pathways, which the managers need to adopt for polishing their leadership skills and competencies. The attribute “understanding” makes the manager, parent like for the students. Being logical might make the students feel that the manager is betraying them, however, if they delve deep into the managers’ behaviour, they would understand the importance of bring logical and tactful in dealing the matters logically and scientifically.

Transparent communication generates a positive image in the minds of the students regarding the character of the manager (Kanfer and Chen 2016). Confession about incapabilities makes the manager great, acting as an inspiration for the students. Consciousness and rationality in this direction enhances the personality of the manager. 

Control theory, also considered similar with the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs proves appropriate in this discussion. This is because of William Glaser’s views regarding the exposure of behaviour in response to stimulus. If a leader sees that one of the team members being dejected due to his incapability in doing the allocated task, motivation is the common outcome (Phipps, Prieto and Deis 2015). The major drive behind this motivation is to guide the team member towards the achievement of the targeted goals. As a matter of specification, control theory perceives behaviour as the needs of the person at a given point of time. Control and regulation are the stimulus, which instigates the managers to measure and upgrade the performance of the team members. The approach needs to be correct in terms of gaining satisfaction from the students.

Conclusion

The manager thinks that it is extremely important to be aware of the workplace diversity. This is in terms of enriching knowledge about the presence of students from different cultural backgrounds. With due respect to the language, customs and traditions of the students from different backgrounds, the manager highlights the aspect of cultural exchange in the process of providing education to those students (Vu.edu.au 2018). He thinks that this diversity provides a competitive advantage to the University as it caters to the needs, demands and requirements of students across the world. The manager thinks that he is fortunate in terms of exchanging the cultures, as he got to learn different languages. 

Passionate towards knowing about the culture of different countries enhances the personality of the manager. The need for receiving quality education has compelled the foreign students to take admission in this University. The provision of quality education is the need of the students, which the managers need to fulfil (King,  Newman and Luthans 2016). Regulation of the education provided to the students makes the managers aware of the process in which these needs are fulfilled. Respect is the stimulus, which instigates the manager to make plans regarding the inclusion of various prospective courses for the students. Planning cultural shows for the foreign students result in the cultural exchange, which is a reasoned action. This is because of the managers’ initiative to gain loyalty, trust and dependence from the foreign clients and investors.

Understanding of the world might be considered as the manager’s initiative to alter his approach towards dealing with the people around him. Herein lays the effectiveness of Great Man Theory, as he is in the process of the emerging as a leader, an example before the students (Rhee and Choi 2017). Cooperation can be correlated with the aspect of motivation. This is because cooperating and motivating the students makes the manger aware of the needs, demands and requirements of the students. Learning different language is assistance in terms of serving the foreign students in a better way and earning respect from them.

Conclusion

The purpose of the report was to peek into the current approaches towards organizational behaviour. The interview excerpt nullifies the aspect of selfish mentality about the managers regarding grabbing the hot seat in the competitive ambience. The manager of the Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia is an example for all the managers, who wish to emerge as a successful leader.  His systematic routine life needs to be followed by the managers for enhancing the productivity of the business. Here, the attribute of understanding is important in terms of assessing the needs of the employees and controlling their performance. Motivation and encouragement eases the process of this control. The transparency of the manager in confessing his incapabilities acts as a lesson for all the managers adopting wrong means to earn profit.

References

Therefore, it can be concluded that planning is the most important element for the manager in terms of systematizing the business activities. Rationality in making the plans alters the personality of the manager into a leader. Theoretical perspective in planning enhances the clarity of the managers in terms of polishing their managerial skills, abilities and competencies. Eagerness and willingness to learn new things about the workplace creates positive image in the minds of the students regarding the managers.

Motivating the students is actually asserting the capability by the managers in terms of creating corporate minds. This capability is the career establishment for the students and professional development for the employees. Career establishment is the base for professional development. 

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