MANAGEMENT STRATEGY – WHAT TO DO

             In a one-on-one relationship (manager-subordinate) the application of a congruent management style is straight forward, but in reality a manager may have a work group consisting of individuals from several levels to manage not only individually but also collectively. We view the Congruent Management

Strategy as consisting of the following stages:

1.      ENTRY (RE-ENTRY) – The manager must establish (or re-establish)
      the initial managerial style. This style must permit each individual to
      perceive the managers role positively and not decrease the group’s|
      productivity.

2.      ANALYSIS – The manager undertakes analysis via stimulus response
      situations to gather clues from each member of the group as to what is
      the individual level operant in the work-professional situation.

3.      CONGRUENCY – Using these clues the manager, over a period of time,
      changes from the initial ENTRY managerial style to the
      CONGRUENCY style for each individual on a one-on-one basis.

4.      GROWTH – The manager introduces elements into the ongoing
      manager-managed relationship that provide at least the opportunity for the
      individual to grow.

          It is clear that the key to the implementation of this strategy is the initial, ENTRY managerial style. What is the “universally acceptable,” ENTRY management style?

THE UNIVERSAL ENTRY MANAGEMENT STYLE 

            The ENTRY management style is Polite Open Authoritarian (POA). It is appropriate at any level other than the A-N and B-O levels which are not found in the work force except in special instances such as sheltered workshops.

The basis of POA are:

Polite – not threatening, firm but fair, plays no favorites, civilized and cultured.

Open – invites true participation of work group members - participatory-
            willing to listen and respond positively in light of the information,
            encourages discussion; seeks ideas, suggestions, comments, and
            criticism from all involved; willing to facilitate to extent subordinate is
            in tune with requirements of the organizational situation.

Authoritarian – clearly communicates that responsibility requires that the final
                       decision is the manager’s and has a general program outlined
                       which will be implemented if no one else has any ideas;
                       knows own and units positions in organization; knows
                       organization mission: competent and capable of management.

           The POA style outlined above is acceptable to all levels and appropriate in any organization – public or private, large or small. It is the managerial style naturally arising from a Cognitive individual. It is situational, realistic, and Informationally oriented. It is important to realize that no other management style is universally initially acceptable. Any other style for ENTRY would result in declining performance, negative subordinate reaction (on the part of some portion of the work group), or both.

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