The five roles of a manager
As a manager, you have the power to make things happen. But how do you navigate this role? When I first became a team lead, I sought guidance and clear expectations from my manager. However, the answers I received were vague and lacking clarity. It was like trying to put together a puzzle without all the pieces.
Fortunately, I came across a fantastic course called "Managing as a Coach" by Kris Plachy, CEO and Founder & Instructor at Leadership Coach, LLC. This course provided me with valuable insights and helped me gain a clear understanding of manager roles and responsibilities.
In any organization, managers need to fulfil five important roles to effectively manage their teams:
- Manager as manager
- Manager as Leader
- Manager as Trainer
- Manager as Coach
- Manager as Mentor
Let's delve into each role in detail, exploring the specific responsibilities, challenges, and goals for each one.
Manager as manager - masters of getting things done
Responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations, setting goals, allocating resources, and ensuring the team meets targets. The goal is to ensure effective and efficient team functioning.
The primary responsibility of the manager in this role is to oversee the day-to-day operations of the team.
Responsibilities of the manager
- setting goals and objectives
- allocating resources
- coordinating tasks
- monitoring performance
- ensuring that the team meets its targets
- establish clear communication channels
- delegate tasks effectively
- provide timely feedback to team members
Challenges: One of the challenges in this role is managing conflicting priorities and resources, as well as balancing the needs of various stakeholders. Managers also need to maintain a balance between being accessible to their team members while still maintaining authority and accountability. Another challenge could be handling performance issues and addressing conflicts within the team.
Goals: The main goal for the manager as a manager is to ensure the team's effective and efficient functioning. This includes achieving targets, meeting deadlines, and delivering high-quality work. The manager should also strive to create a positive work environment that fosters collaboration, engagement, and continuous improvement.
Manager as Leader - the guiding light
Leader provides a clear vision, inspires and motivates team members, makes tough decisions, manages change, and creates a positive and inclusive culture. The goal is to develop a high-performing team aligned with the organization's vision.
Responsibilities of the leader:
- provide a clear vision for the team and inspire the members to work towards it
- lead by example
- set a positive tone
- motivate team members to reach their full potential
- make tough decisions
- manage change effectively
- create a supportive and inclusive culture
Challenges: One challenge faced by the manager as a leader is building trust and credibility with team members. They must also navigate the complexities of leading diverse individuals with different strengths, perspectives, and motivations. Another challenge is managing resistance to change and guiding the team through periods of uncertainty.
Goals: The main goal for the manager as a leader is to develop a high-performing team that is aligned with the organization's vision and values. Additionally, they aim to foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning. Ultimately, the manager should empower team members to take ownership and contribute to the team's success.
Manager as Trainer - insure everyone have required hard skills
Identifies training needs, designs learning opportunities, and facilitates the continuous development of team members. The goal is to enhance skills, knowledge, and create a learning culture within the team.
Responsibilities of a Trainer
- identifying the training needs of the team members
- designing learning opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge
- ensure effective knowledge sharing
- organizing workshops
- providing on-the-job training
Challenges: One challenge for the manager as a trainer is maintaining up-to-date knowledge of industry trends and developments to deliver relevant training. They also need to address individual learning styles and adapt training methods accordingly. Another challenge is ensuring that the training aligns with the team's goals and contributes to the overall growth and development of both individuals and the team.
Goals: The main goal for the manager as a trainer is to facilitate the continuous development of team members, enabling them to acquire skills and knowledge that contribute to their daily work, personal growth and the team's performance. Ultimately, this role aims to build a learning culture within the team.
Manager as Coach - help team member to become better versions of themselves
Supports and guides individual team members, offers constructive feedback, sets goals, and helps overcome obstacles. The goal is to facilitate individual growth, enhance skills, and improve performance.
Responsibilities of a Coach:
- support and guide individual team members in their professional development
- listening actively
- providing constructive feedback
- setting goals
- helping team members overcome obstacles or challenges.
Challenges: One challenge faced by the manager as a coach is balancing between providing guidance and allowing autonomy for team members to explore their own solutions. They also need to adapt their coaching approach to cater to different individuals' needs and preferences. Additionally, addressing performance issues or providing feedback in a constructive manner can be challenging.
Goals: The main goal for the manager as a coach is to facilitate the growth and development of individual team members. This role aims to empower team members to take ownership of their development, enhance their skills, and achieve their professional goals. Ultimately, through effective coaching, the manager can contribute to individual and team performance improvement.
Manager as Mentor - in-house guru
Provides guidance, career advice, and shares experiences with less experienced team members and managers. The goal is to foster growth, development, and shape the future leaders of the team and organization.
Responsibilities of a Mentor:
- providing guidance, wisdom, and expertise to team members, usually more junior or less experienced ones
- offer career advice
- share their experiences
- help mentees navigate their professional journey
Challenges: One challenge for the manager as a mentor is identifying the specific mentoring needs of each individual and adapting their approach accordingly. They need to strike a balance between offering guidance and allowing mentees to make their own decisions and learn from their experiences.
Goals: The main goal for the manager as a mentor is to foster the growth and development of mentees through a supportive and nurturing relationship. Mentoring aims to pass on knowledge, wisdom, and values, and help mentees develop their own career paths. Ultimately, this role helps grow the future leaders of the team and the organization.
Understanding and embodying these five different roles will enable you to become a well-rounded manager. You will be able to effectively oversee operations, inspire your team, nurture their growth, and support their professional development.
We would love to hear your thoughts on the idea of splitting different management aspects into these five roles. Do you find it helpful and comprehensive? Are there any other roles or responsibilities that you think should be included? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Thank you for reading and have a fantastic day!