Introduction
The daily roles a manager fulfills within an organization are numerous and diverse. Although certain skills, such as emotional intelligence and communication, are innate for some managers, many, including staff management and oversight of personnel performance issues, must be learned. In this chapter, one of the most important roles of a manager is explored, the supervision and care of humans. As managers of human resources, we need to recruit, develop, and retain people with the knowledge and skills necessary to function at a level that will aid in achieving organizational goals (Jones et al. 2010a).
What Is a Manager?
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines management as “the act or skill of controlling and making decisions about a business, department, etc.” (Merriam-Webster 2015b), whereas the Oxford English Dictionary defines management as “the process of dealing with or controlling things or people” (Oxford Dictionaries 2015). Yet another definition was coined by Mary Parker Follett, a pioneer in the field of organizational behavior in the early 1900s. She defined management as “the art of getting things done through people” (Reddy and Tripathi 2008). Although there are slight differences in the definitions above, the central theme of accomplishing tasks is pervasive. Based on these definitions, one is able to intuitively assume that a manager is someone with responsibilities in both personnel and task management. In this chapter, the focus will remain on the personnel aspect of a manager’s job.
Central to managing people is the theory of emotional intelligence. This concept is “the ability to perceive emotions, to access and generate emotions so as to assist thought, to understand emotions and emotional knowledge, and to reflectively regulate emotions so as to promote emotional and intellectual growth” (Swijtink 2016). In layperson’s terms, managers should be able to perceive, understand, use, and manage emotions through self-awareness, self-regulation, social skills, empathy, and motivation (Swijtink 2016). While emotional intelligence in inherent for some managers, it may be a learned trait for others.
In addition to emotional intelligence, there are many other traits that are desirable in a manager, including diplomacy, tact, and fairness. These traits, along with personal attitudes, behaviors, and actions, determine a manager’s individual style. No single recipe for the perfect manager exists. Management style is often influenced by existing infrastructure, such as the location, size, and type of institution (e.g., academic, government, military, pharmaceutical, or contract research); the type of labor force (e.g., contract or union); and the goals of the organization. Regardless of infrastructure type, a manager who is able to establish a positive working environment, empower and encourage employees, provide for the development of staff, and acknowledge and appreciate staff contributions will realize a sizable return on investment in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, and loyalty. However, several caveats exist: What is effective at a large pharmaceutical firm may not be the case at a large university. Loyalty may be evident with a union labor force, but not with contracted, temporary staff. What is efficient at a large institution may not be practical in a smaller one. Each manager must determine what works for him or her and which style abides by the culture of his or her workplace environment.
An important delineation must be made between the management of groups and individuals, as the two are often handled very differently. To ensure uniform treatment of staff, most institutions have developed policies, guidelines, or procedures for handling tasks, such as recruitment, discipline, and performance reviews. Often, these procedures are in place to ensure consistent treatment of all staff. However, the application of established protocols should be adapted to both the individual and the situation. For example, one employee may find directness intimidating, while another finds it refreshing. Thus, a manager must learn to effectively interact with individuals while treating all employees equally and fairly.
Management Activities
The activities in which managers engage are too numerous to individually identify in a single book chapter. This section breaks these activities down into core concepts and how the resulting activities may be measured.
According to the Institute for Certified Professional Managers (ICPM), there are four main activities in which managers engage: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Although these activities may occur individually under certain circumstances, they often occur in the order listed above. When planning, managers identify strategies, goals, and courses of action. Additionally, they allocate resources to aid in achieving set goals and objectives. When organizing, managers work to establish good working relationships between coworkers, enabling them to cooperate and collaborate. Leading occurs when managers motivate employees and teams. Finally, when controlling, managers evaluate, measure, monitor, maintain, and improve the performance of outlined objectives (Jones et al. 2010b).
Two key, recurring management concepts are efficiency and effectiveness, both of which may be used to measure performance in the attainment of goals. Efficiency focuses on how well resources are used, while effectiveness focuses on both the appropriateness and degree of achievement of organizational goals (Jones et al. 2010c). These are common concepts in popular management strategies, including Lean Management™, Six Sigma™, and ISO 9000™, all of which emphasize continuous improvement in value, efficiency, and quality.
Training for Managers
In the field of laboratory animal care, it is not unusual for employees to advance through the ranks without formal training in the skills necessary to be successful managers. However, it is essential that managers receive training to support success in fulfilling their new roles and responsibilities. One of the most common sources of training is through the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS), where various certifications may be obtained. These levels ascend in hierarchy based on length of time in the field, education, and experience. They include the assistant laboratory animal technician (ALAT), laboratory animal technician (LAT), laboratory animal technologist (LATG), and Certified Manager of Animal Resources (CMAR). Another source of management training offered by AA...
