The word "manager" comes from the English“manager”Managers are defined as "people who are responsible for the work of others".But now this traditional definition is out of place, because a large number ofprofessionalIt plays an increasingly important role in enterprises, and the traditional hierarchical system has been challenged.
The most basic job of managers is to use intermediariesBusinessFacilitate the transaction.
First, evaluate the business of the entrusting party effectively and correctly.Usually, when selling a business, the client will be emotional about the pricing of the business, which cannot really reflect thepractical value And price.Managers are experts in a certain industry, and they can evaluate a business rationally.
Second: sign a broker contract with the client to establish the rights and obligations of both parties.
Third: According to the specific requirements of the client and the provisions of the contract, find buyers for the client.
Fourth: facilitate the success of the transaction between the two parties.
Fifth: Get commission.
Early definitions
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DruckerIt is believed that in the early history of management, "manager" was defined as "the person responsible for the work of others".This definition was in line with the needs of the time.It distinguishes the functions of managers from those of "owners".It clearly shows that management is a special work that can be analyzed, studied and systematically improved.This definition focuses on the large-scale social and economic tasks that are basically emerging at that timePermanentOrganizational.
However, this definition is hardly satisfactory.In fact, it has never been satisfactory.From the beginning, some people in the enterprise are often in a responsible position, obviously belonging to the management team, but not responsible for the work of others.For example, in a companytreasurerHe is responsible for the supply and use of funds in the company. He may have some subordinates. In this sense, he is a manager.But the treasurer himself is obviously engaged in most of the treasurer's work.He and the people who provide funds to the companyFinancial societyEtc.He is a "person who makes contributions in a personal way". According to the traditional definition, he is not a manager.But he wasTop management teamA member of.
One is responsible formarket researchThe person who leads many people may be a manager in the traditional sense.However, from the perspective of his functions and contributions, the people he leads are more or less, or none at all, which makes no difference.A person who does not lead anyone at all can make the same contribution to market research and market analysis.If he was not forced to spend most of his time on his subordinates and their work, he could even make greater contributions.
According to the traditional definition, that is, a manager is a "person who is responsible for the work of others", we should say that he is a "manager of market researchers" rather than a "market research manager";However, our usual title is "market research manager".This is the correct title after all, because it fully describes what the responsibilities of the management position are and should be, and how to measure the performance of the person holding the management position.
This traditional definition is out of place. It has become an obstacle to effective management, effective organization and real performance.The fastest growing among enterprises are all kinds of professionals who make personal contributions.They all have a significant impact on the company's ability to create wealth, the development direction of the enterprise and its performance.However, they are usually not bosses and are not responsible for the work of others.In this sense, they are obviously not managers.
Although this kind of person firsttechnical study The field of work has emerged as a unique group, but it is not limited to this field of work.Advanced in LabChemistTake great responsibility and make great decisions, many of which are irretrievable.The same situation also applies to those who have thought deeply and formulated the company's organization and designed various management positions, regardless of their title of organizationPlannerorManagement developmentDepartment director.In addition, there are advancedcost accountingHe decides and allocates the costs.He isAdministrationDevelop measuresEnterprise performanceIn fact, to a large extent, it determines whether to maintain or abandon a product.Other people in the same category are responsible for developing and maintaining the companyProduct quality standardPeople;The person responsible for establishing the company's sales system;And the advertising director, who may be responsible for the company's basic marketing policiesAdvertising informationAnd its application means andAdvertising effectMeasurement of.
stayorganization structureIn China, professionals who make personal contributions have become a problem, as well as a problem for themselves.This is largely due to this traditional definition.The title, remuneration, functionsCareer opportunitiesAll of them are confused and become a cause of dissatisfaction and friction.It is necessary to arrange the personnel of the management group to various task groups, working groups and others more flexiblyOrganizational unitGo to the middle.This organizational unit does not conform to the traditional concept of "linear organization", that is, an organization in which one person is the boss and the other is the subordinate.
In other words, in reality, although the traditional definition of "manager" is "boss", sometimes it has to be arranged in a specific team.Professionals who are not managers in the traditional definition become team membersleaderHowever, the "manager" in the traditional definition has become a supporting role in the team.Therefore, the traditional division of "manager" and "non manager" is no longer applicable to today's reality.
New definition
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Therefore, it is time to study the new definition of "manager".In the early 1950s, for the first time, someone tried to solve this problem.That's GM[1]Electric company.They added a new definition to the definition of manager: "a professional who makes contributions in a personal way", so that professionals have "parallel development opportunities".It is possible to pay a person who is engaged in "professional" work an appropriate remuneration, but it is not necessary to promote to a "manager" position, that is, to be promoted to a position responsible for the work of others before getting a higher remuneration.
However, this approach has not completely solved the problem.Companies adopting this approach say that the dissatisfaction of professionals has not been completely eliminated;At best, it is only a slight easing.Professionals believe that the real way of "promotion" is still to enter the "management circle" as the standard, and still to serve as the "boss" as the standard.According to this new definition, although professionals who make personal contributions are among theManaging the WorldYes, but the management world is divided in two.Half are managers who "do their own work", and the other half are managers who "manage the work of others".The result of this division still emphasizes rights and powers rather than responsibilities and contributions.
Outside the United States, the problem may be even worse.In Japan, those who make contributions in a personal way have no chance of promotion at all.The seniority regulations force the senior Japanese to become aAdministrative personnel——As a result, the most capable journalists were forced to stop writing, and the most capable scientific researchers stopped their research and became "research managers".
Therefore, in determining an organizationManagement responsibilityIt is more appropriate to emphasize that its primary symbol is not the command of personnel, but the responsibility for contribution.Clear signs and organizational principles should be functions rather than powers.
But what should these people be called?Many organizations have proposed some new definitions or tried to give some old terms new meanings.Perhaps the best way is not to create a new term, but to continue to use the popular name, called "management group".In the management group, some people's functions are in the traditional sensemanagement functions, responsible for the work of others;Others undertake some special work without taking responsibility for others' work;The third kind of person is somewhat ambiguous and in between, whose position is either the leader of the working group or task group.This is not a very good, let alone perfect solution.In every organization, there are always people who are real professionals. They are just ordinary staff members and do not regard themselves as part of the management group.They are willing to continue to be a professional, but basically do not care about the whole to which they belong.They focus on their technical or professional skills, not their organization.A psychologist in a personnel department sees himself as a professional -- a member of his academic profession -- rather than a member of a companyManagers。
In view of the above situation,DruckerIt is suggested to call all members of the management group executive, while there are only four levels in the whole organization: junior managers, managers, senior managers, and company managers;So we have a hierarchy system that includes both managerial positions and non managerial positions.Then, we can describe a person's status in this way, such as "senior engineer of heat treatment"“cost controlManagers "to distinguish between levels and functions.Such a system may be more successful than trying to establish a "parallel ladder" system.
Functional benefits
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---The traditional definition of manager also means that since a manager is a "boss", he must get more money than the person who reports to him and is considered as his "subordinate".This isassembly lineIt makes sense in work and paperwork.It also applies to primary knowledge workers who have not yet reached the level of professionals and cannot take full responsibility for their own goals and contributions.However, there is no reason for real professionals, that is, those who are considered as leaders in their fields and standard setters in their fields of expertise.For him, the rules of "performing artist" and "sports star" should be applied.
---No one is surprised that a baseball star gets more money than his coach or even manager.No one will be surprised that an opera heroine gets a higher salary in a performance than the manager of the troupe.Everyone is very clear that first-class sports stars or excellent singers need a manager - but their contributions are different, and these different contributions are reflected in different remuneration.Therefore, people who are "subordinates" in the organization get more money than their "superiors", i.e. managers.The salary of the manager of a unit composed of various operators or experts should, of course, be higher than that of the vast majority of the personnel in the unit.However, if there are one or two "stars" in the unit whose salary is higher than that of the manager, it cannot be considered as unusual, certainly not inappropriate.This also applies tosalesman。A star salesperson can compare regionssales managerGet more money.This also applies to research laboratories, as well as other fields where the achievements of individuals are determined by their skills, efforts and knowledge.
