Successful Middle Management

The Elements of Successful Organizations

• The opening session provides the foundation of the seminar. The participants develop the critical role of the middle manager in an organization and differentiate the key role of middle management from that of top management and first-line management. This differentiation is not academic. It shows the unique organizational accountability for each member. The job of the middle manager is to manage the organization. This involves three organizational skills:
  
  • “Getting the first-line management to produce results”
  • “Organizational Management”
  • “Opportunity Management”

The Elements of Successful Organizations

• Through a realistic case study, the participants discover the total job of the first-line manager. Work place realities are examined with particular emphasis on the pressures and influences created by higher management. The case is designed to demonstrate the magnitude of the first-line manager’s job.

Creating the “Causal” Atmosphere

• This represents the single most powerful tool the manager has for getting results from the organization. Three types of “atmosphere” are presented: discourage, allow, “causal.” The participants are shown how managers create each type and what they should do, step by step, to generate the “causal” atmosphere by applying these techniques on a case of their own choosing. This exercise demonstrates that managers do not have to change their style to get more results from their organization.

The Managers Apparent Interest Index

• In order to know how well managers are succeeding in creating a “causal” atmosphere, they need a tracking tool. The Manager’s Apparent Interest Index is presented with emphasis on how to use it and how it can help managers determine their own effectiveness and make modifications when and where necessary.

Improving the Organizational Structure

• The opening session provides the foundation of the seminar. The participants develop the critical role of the middle manager in an organization and differentiate the key role of middle management from that of top management and first-line management. This differentiation is not academic. It shows the unique organizational accountability for each member. The job of the middle manager is to manage the organization. This involves three organizational skills:
  
  • Abdication by subordinate managers
  • Authority without responsibility (staff control)
  • Competition between line and staff
  • Elephantiasis (the growth of a ghost line organization)

The Payoff Duties

• The two unique areas of organizational profitability are “organization management” and “opportunity management.” The 4 deadly sins that are common to all organizations that sap the strength and productivity are explained. The participants are taught how to recognize the signs of this problem and also how to use line and staff to prevent organizational failure points. In addition they will learn how to maintain the organizational health and vitality throughout their areas of management.
• “Opportunity Management” is a special technique, which contributes to the profitability of the organization — now and in the future. The principle objective is a basic understanding by managers that it is only secondarily important that managers do things right; the primary job is that managers do the right thing. Peter Drucker’s principle that 10% of any organization’s resources produce 90% of the results is explained and supported to highlight the problem. Participants are shown how to determine the contribution each activity is making through “needs / return analysis” and “objective / realization” and how to restructure those activities to yield the greatest return to the organization.