Mintzberg's Managerial Roles
By: Jared Daniels & Sydney Bell
Interpersonal Roles
Interpersonal roles focus on communication skills between the manager and team members.
Figurehead
- Managers perform ceremonial functions such as greeting company visitors, speaking at the opening of a new facility, or representing the company at a community event. Managers want to be the main face of their organization.
Leader
- Managers need to inspire workers to achieve organizational goals. Managers do this through words of encouragement and open communication.
Liason
- Managers serve as liaisons when communicating with employees outside of their team. Managers must communicate well because they spend just as much time communicating with people that aren't in their units.
Informational Roles
Informational Roles require managers to obtain and deliver information to team members.
Monitor
- Managers monitor their environment and contact others for new information. In the monitor role managers stay up to date by reading local newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal. They do this to become aware of changes affecting their business such as competitors, customers, and technological advances.
Disseminator
- Managers disperse new information they have collected from their team members and others in the company. They disperse this new information to others within their department.
Spokesperson
- Managers give out new information they have collected from their team members and others in the company. They share this new information with other departments in the company. They could potentially contact other people outside the company with this information.
Decisional Roles
Decisional Roles require managers to share and obtain information to help them make good decisions
Entrepreneur
- Managers need to make decisions in order to adapt to changing external conditions. They also need to help their team adapt to these changing conditions so everyone is on the same page. In other words, managers must always be on their toes, and expect the unexpected.
Disturbance Handler
- Managers must be able to handle pressure well. Problems typically arise and need to be addressed quickly. Managers often have little time to come up with effective solutions.
Resource Allocater
- Managers must decide which employees need certain supplies and how much they get. They have strict budget restrictions and cant afford to waste unused materials.
Negotiator
- Managers need to be organized and plan ahead. There are many projects, goals, and employees that they have to take care of. Managers are also responsible for creating schedules for their team.