In_Our_Leisure_Time_We_Are_All_“Managers”_Now’

In our leisure time we perform tasks and use skills without giving a thought to the word ‘manager’. To understand ‘management’ I will begin by explaining the theories of the management process by Fayol (1949) and Mintzbergh (1991). Then make the connection between the management processes using my own examples, to understand why ‘even in our leisure time we are all “managers” now’. Fayol thought there were five management processes. These five processes have been used as management ‘principles’ and overtime are now recognised as the ‘classic’ approach to management. Fayol states the five processes are ‘planning, organising, leading, coordinating and controlling’ (Fayol, 1949, cited in Lucas et al., 2007, p. 21). These skills are recognisable in the workplace and are often used. However Mintzbergh argued the management processes are far more complex than Fayol’s reasoning. Mintzbergh case study during the 1970s explained the complexity of a managers demands (Mintzbergh, 1991, cited in Lucas et al., 2007. p. 22). He states there are ten roles, which he grouped into three main sections of manager responsibilities. These three main sections are ‘interpersonal, informational and decision making’ (Lucas et al., 2007, p. 22) although the practicing of each role in the workplace varies depending on the organisation and individual. Within Mintzbergh’s ten roles he refers to leadership, which was studied long before management, although it is argued whether leadership is a skill you are born with or a skill you develop. Nevertheless, good leadership is the ability to motivate others by establishing what motivates individuals to perform. People are often motivated by different things, generally they will have ‘intrinsic’ and ‘extrinsic’ attributes (Lucas et al., 2007). So can these theories be applied to our roles in leisure time' In the following examples, there is evidence to show that in my leisure time links can be made to the theories discussed earlier. Firstly, as a parent I am often organising, who is going to look after my child whilst I am working' What activities does he have booked, at what time and where does he need to be' What hours will I be required to work' Who can take him where he needs to go if I am unable to change my plans' I then have the same set of questions to ask myself for the end of the day! These questions have to be answered before I can do anything. If I did not organise myself and my time, that would impact on the functioning of my family. Therefore as Fayol (1949) mentions, the ability to organise in order to carry out tasks is apparent in organising my own family. My Second example is a booking time away with a friend. To do this, time had to be booked off work to coincide with one another. Then flights, hotel accommodation, car parking and insurance arranged. By coordinating and bringing together different components we now have a holiday booked. Coordinating is one Fayol’s five roles, it requires the combination of activities that may have individual relevance but by bringing them together they make something entire, in this case it is a holiday. Planning is also one of Fayol’s roles and my third example. Planning involves thinking ahead and being prepared for events that may happen. Every week before I order my shopping, I plan evening meals to fit in with my working hours. On Fridays I discuss with the family our whereabouts, planning meals around those whereabouts (ordering the food online). If I am working late, I plan to cook something simple and quick. If I am finishing early then I plan and cook a more elaborate evening meal. The fourth example is how I allocate money, bills have to be paid, food has to be put on the table, and my car has to be kept on the road. Allocating is one of Mintzbergh’s (1991) ten roles under decision making. Allocating is having the ability to distribute things according to a plan or requirement. Dividing money and budgeting for known requirements and allowing for the unexpected is a process I do regularly. My final example leading, this is included in Mintzbergh’s (1991) ten roles and Fayol’s (1949) five roles (Lucas et al., 2007). I enjoy dancing and it is a very sociable activity. Encouraging others to learn, enjoy themselves and continue dancing happens without any thought to ones behaviour. Helping others by guiding them, encouraging and making them feel involved are all elements of leading. Although it could be argued that I do not fully understand what motivates a person to attend dance class, therefore I only use a small part of leadership. We often behave in certain way to allow our lives to function with no thought of the role we are undertaking. As can be seen in the examples what we do in our leisure time can be linked to the management roles discussed by Fayol (1949) and Mintzbergh (1991). It is also important to understand to what degree we use those behaviours, just like in management they can vary from person to person and each situation. When we undertake non-work related activities it may not be apparent that it is a ‘management role’ without looking at the complexity of situation. Breaking down that complexity it becomes clear, in reality we do function as managers, therefore my conclusion is, we perform tasks and use skills in our leisure time that means we are all managers now. Word count – 906 (not including the title) Referencing Lucas, M., Friel, M., and Hughes, J. (2007) Understanding Management, Milton Keynes, The Open University.