MANAGEMENT AS AN ART
I had never really thought about management as an art; but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Have a look at the information below and see what you think:
Practical Knowledge
Every art requires practical knowledge, therefore the learning of theory is not sufficient. It is very important to know the practical application of theoretical principles. E.g. to become a good painter, the person may not only be knowing different colours and brushes but different designs, dimensions, situations etc to use them appropriately. Reading an article on how to manage conflict in the workplace is not sufficient. Putting these skills into practice is a must.
A manager can never be successful just by obtaining management qualifications; they must also know how to apply various principles in real situations. Everyone has their first management job where experience is not possible, however showing leadership in other positions can aid this.
Personal Skill
Although theoretical knowledge may be the same for every artist, each one has their own style and approach to their job. That is why the level of success and quality of performance differs from one person to another. Management as an art is also personalised.
Every manager has his own way of managing things based on their knowledge, experience and personality, that is why some managers are known as good managers, others as bad. So never question whether you are qualified to do the job and be a good manager. Qualifications are a small part of it; personality, temperament, and people skills such as emotional intelligence and self-awareness are just as crucial. In fact, in my opinion, as an experienced manager involved in recruitment, much more important.
Creativity
Every artist has an element of creativity. That is why they aim at producing something that has never existed before which requires a combination of intelligence & imagination.
Management is also creative in nature, like any other art. It tries to produce sweet music by combining chords in an efficient manner. When all of the elements mentioned in number 2 above converge; that is when a great manager/leader is born and happy and productive teams emerge.
Perfection through practice
Practice makes perfect. Every artist becomes more and more proficient through constant practice. Similarly, managers learn through the art of trial and error initially, but adding to this the application of management principles over the years makes them perfect in the job of managing.
Goal-Oriented
Every art is result oriented as it seeks to achieve concrete results. In the same manner, management is also directed towards the accomplishment of pre-determined goals. Managers use various resources like people, money, material, machinery & methods to promote the growth of an organization.
In summary, then, we can say that management is an art as it requires the application of certain principles. It deals with moulding the attitude and behaviour of people at work towards desired goals. This is both a skill and an art.
So, if you have your eye on moving into management but don’t put your hat in the ring when it comes to promotion – think again! The managers that I coach that struggle the most are those that are qualified but lack the ‘softer’ people skills that are essential when managing a team.
Once we work on these and the skills are implemented, they become not only effective managers but great leaders and from there the sky is the limit.
Jayne Warwicker BSc – Founder of The Lioness Power System
