The topic might look strange but these days I am having such feeling. I am having a desire of being a good manager and a leader. If you are following my blog, you might have got the idea of about my organization. The major building block/element of any organization is "People" to achieve the goal/objective. Therefore, we have different departments for the proper functioning of our organization. I am working as a civil engineer in a position of "Deputy Manager" "level 7" in Nepal Oil Corporation Limited (NOC). Our organization do have different departments (Internal Control and Monitoring Department, Engineering Procurement and IT Department, Supply and Distribution Department, Quality Control and Monitoring department, Planning Administration and Human Resource Development Department, LPG and Aviation Department, Finance Department). I belong to Engineering Projects and IT department. This department is responsible for the design, operation and maintenance of all the projects of NOC. This department basically deals with public procurement activities.
Mostly we do have so much of departmental related work. Sometimes we have to do overtime in order for timely completion of the project. The department who is responsible and supposed to mange the human resource is Planning Administration and Human Resource Development Department. In Nepal, not just NOC, I think most of the organization lacks in management and development of human resource. Rather than making you human resource an asset organization are making it a liability. In Nepal, organization only focus on the managing and auditing the financial part. But we forgot to manage our human resource. Right person at the right place and at right time can change the whole scenario and convert worst to best and vice-versa. In NOC things are not in the place at least from the place where I am watching it. I can see lots of dissatisfaction among the employees. The reason can be mismanagement. Nobody wants to get full control. The more you want to get control, the more you are worsening the situation leading to the failure of the organization.
Let me make you clear with one example. These days our Planning Administration and Human Resource Development Department (PAHRD) wants to get control over their employee by keeping an eye on them and tracking their activities. It can be done in many ways. But the PAHRD department choose to do in autocratic leader style. They are keeping records of their employee incoming, outgoing, how many times do they come and go, If they are stepping out of the office before lunch or after lunch, who are doing overtime? et cetera; et cetera. For me recording such activities is so irritating. We are in the digital era where we can do our job efficiently within the stipulated time limit. But the autocratic style ruin it all. This system is ruing the working environment. Such controls distract the environment and create a sense of disrespect, unfaithfulness among employees and departments.
That's why I am having second thought of being in the managerial position. The Directors, Deputy Managing Director, and Managing Director (Level 10,11 and 12) forms the management team of NOC. I can do nothing but wait if the scenario changes. I think this situation might have arise because of some employee who are taking benefit of NOC's working environment. But I want them who violet the rules and take benefit to be encounter directly. I feels irritate to ask for writing the name for doing Overtime. I was given a task and deadline. For that I have to do overtime. For a little break time I sometime move out of office for refreshment so that I can work more better, but I have to mention it every time.
There comes a thought in my mind "If I were a manager!". Our organization is following autocratic leadership style which I don't think work for today's world. The more you want to set boundaries, the more you loose control over everything. If I were a manager I would have follow Democratic leadership style (Participative style). I want to solve the problem but it cannot be the case every time. I have to listen to the employee and take decision which is in favor of majority of employee. Of course I cannot make everyone happy but can create a happier and healthier working environment. I believe in applying the theories and concept that you have read in real life too. Being a manager is not an easy task, but we can try out best to reach out to many people and solve the real problem.
If I were in a managerial position or say I were a manger, I would have done many things, such as;
- I would definitely choose a Democratic leadership, also known as participative leadership (It is a type of leadership style in which members of the group take a more participative role in the decision-making process).
- I would probably sort the list of thing I wanted to have control about. For this I would go department wise. I would follow hierarchy. I would reach out to the department head and ask them if there is any problem regarding the planning and functioning of Human resource. Then I will reach out to employee to get to know the problem and the disturbance they are facing.
- Likewise I would apply fishbone diagram to find the root cause and its effect in the office environment.
- I would try to foster positive environment by engaging the employee by assigning activities as I know the empty mind is very harmful for any organization. Anything best I can do is engaging my employees and getting best out of them.
- To motive them, I would provide them necessary training for the development of my organization and making sure everybody gets the chance.
- If we go through today's scenario, we are not maintaining the records of who got the training, whom to give which training, after how much time the next employee will get chance. I will also manage the refreshment training as it is needed the most. The fresh mind works way beyond so the break is much needed and I believe is the right of every human.
- Another thing I would do is maintaining "duty roster" to divide the duty and balance the work load so that a single person does not have to work under person and everybody get equal opportunity for the financial benefit.
- I will definitely follow labor act of nation and foster the positive working environment.
- In some of the unavoidable situation, I will directly encounter the employee those who violet the rules and law.
These are my thought process when I see such cruel rules to solve the unnecessary problem. At least we employee should know the problem that the management is trying to solve so that we can cope with the situation as well. Every organization have problems but we need to solve it in such a way that both the organization as well as employee have win-win situation maintaining mental wellness.
What's your thought on this? Do you have such problem? How would you solve this if you were in the managerial position? Comment your thought in the comment section and share our ideas. I believe in sharing and applying the theories that you have heard or read in real life cases.
That's all in this blog. We will catch up soon in next blog with different and interesting topic.