Introduction
The world has witnessed radical changes in information and communication technology. As of now, through teleconferencing, individuals from different countries are able to hold a conference from the comfort of their homes or offices without having to travel. Changes in the transport industry has also made is possible for individuals access every part of the globe very fast.
Fast jets have made it possible that one can manage to visit all continents of the world within one day. All this changes translate into a different approach to management. Unlike in the traditional setting where geographical constraints limited management scope, the modern manager requires skills to be able to respond to global concerns.
In this report, I intend to examine competencies and skills of an effective manager in the global context. Through the analysis in this report, I will evaluate my management skills, in order to determine whether I am an effective manager or not. Moreover, based on the analysis of my management skills, I formulate an action plan that I am to implement towards becoming a more competent and effective manager in the global context
Time Management
Most of the managers, who have excelled in their duties, are efficient time managers (Dalziel & Schoonover, 1988). Organizations operating across the globe can only succeed if managers pay close attention to time management.
This requires taking into account time zone differences and being able to plan so that there are no inconveniences in operation. Efficient time management means that one is able to allocate time properly both in their professional life and in their personal life.
I used to be a victim of poor time management. I was generally a last minute person, which could make my work strenuous and poorly executed. However, over time and through lessons from this module, I have been able to realize the power of excellent time allocation. Currently, am able to work stress free due to planning. Consequently, I am able to execute tasks well in my work place.
Time management is an important component in personal organization. Personal organization dictates the manner one assigns oneself to tasks (Dalziel & Schoonover, 1988). Proper personal organization is not possible without scheduling or time budgeting. However, personal organization goes beyond time management; it encompasses even dressing and how one plans own work desk or home.
Proper personal organization skills help one to accomplish tasks in a systematic manner, and in a timely way. I have always taken personal organization seriously because through it I am able to deal with activities and schedules properly.
From experience, I know that time management skills are important towards good emotional as well as physical health and stability at work. In all the places that I have worked, I have excelled because of excellent time management. I manage to balance my social life with work life due to proper time management.
Through the management module, I am now armed with more scientific ways that I can apply towards enhancing my time management skills. I realize that proper time management helps busy employees to create enough time to address to other personal needs e.g. social and emotional needs.
Even though I am excellent at time budgeting, I realized that I would plan but fail in following through with the plans. From the module, I have learned that it is important to have a diary that allows me to plan and stick to the plan made. Moreover, in case I do not meet my diary specifications, I am able to strategize on how to make up for lost time.
Critically, I have learnt to differentiate plans in terms of short-term plan, middle-term plans, and long-term plans. By so doing, I am able to avoid mixing issues and prioritizing. This aspect is very significant because it has enabled me to have a daily time management strategy that does not jeopardize my long term or midterm needs.
Project Management
In this module, I have managed to learn more on the management functions, which are vital to the field of project management. As Witzel (2003, pp.96-101), discusses, project management is a very dynamic undertaking.
There are many project management tools that I have been able to learn from this course. For example, I have leant how to apply Gantt charts, mind maps, as well as knowledge development to ensure project success. Project management is taken seriously globally due to increased demand for managers to respond to competition and other market trends (Meredith & Mantel, 2010).
Apart from the tools used in project management, the module has helped to appreciate the dynamics of managing an international project. In day-to-day operations of an organization, managers often rely on ad-hoc information to make tactical decisions on matters that require immediate response.
In a global context, this means managers have to institute proper feedback mechanisms and invest in information technology. Information technology tools would help a project manager of a widespread project to remain in touch with project assistants. This is pivotal, as there are often urgent decisions that have to be made.
Stress Management
Another critical skill I have learnt during the model is how to go about stress management. I realize that many people labor with effects of stress and yet as Lazarus and Folkman (1984) point out, stress is something that one can control. From the module, I have learnt that stress comes because of many factors.
The common causes of stress include problems in personal relationships, financial difficulties among others. Stress can emerge due to insecurity in one’s jobs, problems in controlling staff, or other issues to do with family or work roles.
Learning on how to manage stress is mandatory for every effective manager because normal day to day work experiences translate into forms of stress (Bower & Segerstrom, 2004, pp.9-11). As illustrated in the module classes, planning is central to the management of stress. Therefore, to avoid stress, I ensure that I plan and handle my assignments in good time.
Further, I have come to understand different ways of coping with others especially when working in groups. Sometimes, working in groups may lead to delays in the accomplishment of the required assignments. In dealing with others, I have learnt ways of detecting signs of stress and thus I am able to act upon them fast before they turn me into a stressed individual.
Interpersonal Skills
Management in a global context often means working with people from different nations. A cultural difference across nations means that different people approach business and even social interactions very differently. Therefore, managers in a global context have the challenge of being able to transform cultural diversity into a strength rather than a weakness; cause of conflicts in the organization.
Effective management is about weaving together a dream team or being part of a dream team than helps an organization to achieve its objectives (Dixon, 2004). Interpersonal skills are poignant in ensuring a good working relationship with others. I belief I have very excellent interpersonal skills that I have demonstrated through my various encounters with people at organizational level.
In my daily encounters, I find it easy to communicate freely in groups. I am also capable of establishing rapport quickly with people, which always puts me at an advantaged position in as far as working with others is concerned.
However, this module has endowed me with deeper insights into the realm of interpersonal skills, by making me realize that I can as well use my interpersonal skills to enable other group members who are introverts to express themselves and share their own opinions before any group. Furthermore, I have learned about the various barriers to effective interpersonal relationships, and ways to overcome those barriers.
Another aspect that normally puts individuals at loggerhead with others is not knowing how to ask questions in groups (Dixon, 2004). This is because at times some questions can send out negative signals, hence barring effective interpersonal relationships. I have realized that what I need to improve on is my listening skills so that I can be able to learn from other people.
Conclusion
Managing in a global context requires one to have dynamic skills due to the challenges resulting from global diversity. It is imperative for a manager in the global context to have sharp interpersonal, project management, time management and stress management skills.
As presented in this report, it is clear that I have learnt a lot from the management module. From the module, I have come to appreciate the complexity of a global managing context.
However, I am encouraged because I have also learnt a number of techniques that will help me become a competent and effective manager in the global context. In line with the course content, I have been able to reflect on my strengths and weaknesses. Based on such an analysis, I have come up with an action plan, which will enable me to improve and increase my competence.
Action Plan
I appreciate that I can be an effective manager but there are areas in which improvements are necessary. The following action plan looks at what steps I am going to take to ensure the journey of growth continues. To better appraise my strengths and weakness, below is a SWOT model of the same.
Growth Objectives
Based on the SWOT model presented above, the following are my growth objectives
- To work on time management skills
- To improve my listening skills thus improve my interpersonal skills
- To practice with project management skills so as to become competent in their use
- To learn more about how stress management programs are organized in multinational corporation
Short Term Actions
Interpersonal skills are elementary for any effecting manager. I believe that I am an extrovert and thus I tend to dominate others whenever in groups. To start with, when it comes to performance management there is the temptation to manage people’s performance from a personal perspective. This means that they regard their own competencies and skills as perfect.
However, owing to the class module, I have learnt that it is critical to open up to others’ ways of doing things as long as they stick to the organizational objectives. Consequently, I will work tirelessly towards being someone who appreciates other people’s point of view.
I will begin this through, on a daily basis, trying to empathize and understand others in the context of their competencies. Rather than manage performance by harassing others based on their capability, I have to learn how to motivate them and encourage optimism so they may bring their best to the fore. This I kind of disposition I plan to build by practicing the same consciously until I internalize the same.
Reflecting on my capability to manage stress, I also have enough that I ought to look into. I am happy that I have learnt a lot about how to identify stressors and manage stress at a personal level. However, I need to learn more in terms of how to design and institute stress management mechanisms in organizations that are operating internationally.
All managers have to learn not only how to effectively deal with stress at a personal level but also in an organization. On a daily basis, I plan to come up with a personal program of managing stress. If the program works for me, then I could easily transform the same into an organization wide stress management program. However, I am well aware that people are different.
Away from stress management, my action plan is not complete without considering how I am going to improve my project management skills. In the module, I learnt more about how to handle projects. However, effective use of given tools comes with experience.
I have to start practicing how to employ tools like balanced scorecard and other qualitative tools necessary in management. Using readily available scenarios, I plan to continue applying the tools with the aim of internalizing the same. While the other activities require daily efforts, on the use of the tools, I plan to exercise using them at least once every week.
Long Term Action
I need to grow interpersonal skills especially in appreciating how cultural diversity may become a barrier to effective management. In the globalizing management setting, managers have to interact with people of different nationality and cultural backgrounds.
Therefore, I have to continually learn about other people and their way of life. By so doing, I will be able to know how to approach and interact comfortably with them. I plan to start reading more about how people from other cultures do business and how they respond or interact.
When it comes to time management, my long-term plan is augment long-term planning in my time management schemes. Through strategic planning, I am able to take a panoramic approach to operations thus guaranteeing that nothing of value is excluded from my priorities.
In relation to stress management, my long-term plan, as an effective manager, I will keep learning more about stressors and what kind of programs can help in eradicating the given stressors. I plan to take time to identify case studies on stress management towards better understanding of how the same is handled in other companies.
Finally, in relation to project management skills, my long-term plan is to enroll into institutions o learning at a later stage to augment my knowledge and skills in the use of different skills.
References
Bower, J. E, & Segerstrom, S. C., 2004. “Stress Management, Finding Benefit, and Immune Function: Positive Mechanisms for Intervention Effects on Physiology”. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, vol. 56, no. 1, pp 9–11.
Dalziel, M., & Schoonover, S. C., 1988. Changing Ways: a Practical Tool for Implementing Change within Organizations. Amacom: New York
Dixon, R., 2004. The Management Task. 3rd edn. Butterworth-Heinemann publications: London
Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S., 1984. Stress, Appraisal and Coping. Springer: New York
Meredith, J. R., & Mantel, S., 2010. Project Management: a Managerial Approach. 7th edn. John Wiley and sons: New York
Witzel, M., 2003. Fifty Key Figures in Management. Routledge: New York