Explain the tasks of a professional manager.

Explain the tasks of a professional manager. Describe the tasks which are more challenging in terms of survival and growth of the organization. Illustrate with the help of examples from an organization you are acquainted with. Briefly describe the organization you are referring to.

CHECKLIST OF ROUTINE MANAGERIAL DUTIES

• Analyze, on a periodic basis, workload and personnel needs of an organizational unit. Recommend changes in the staff level of the work unit.
• Review documentation for new positions and positions that have been revised. Obtain approval to modify positions. Interview candidates for employment and make hiring decision or recommendations. Orient new subordinates concerning policy and procedures, work rules, and performance expectation levels. Review position responsibilities.
• Plan, delegate, communicate and control work assignments and special projects concerning subordinates. Establish and maintain specific work goals and objectives or quantitative and qualitative work standards to be achieved by subordinates. Train, develop, and motivate subordinates to improve current performance and to prepare for higher level jobs. Determine significant changes in responsibilities and major duties of subordinates by reviewing their job responsibilities on a regular basis. Evaluate the performance of subordinates. Document and discuss present and past performance with each direct report. Keep supervisor informed of results.
• Review salaries of subordinates and recommend changes according to policy and procedures. Recommend personnel actions such as promotions, performance awards, demotions, etc., according to budget guidance and policy. advise superiors and subordinates of developments that impact job duties. Ensure proper communications. Maintain discipline, recommend and administer corrective action according to policy and procedures. Communicate and administer personnel programs in accordance with design and objectives. Maintain proper documentation on all subordinates.
• Direct the business activities of the company for the achievement of short and long term business/policy objectives, increased profit, production activity, or market share. Establish the business's objectives, policies and programmes within the context of the overall corporate plan and, where appropriate, recommend standards and set targets (may include manufacturing, sales, marketing, distribution and administration). prepare, or arrange for the preparation of the business's budgets, reports and forecasts, and ensure they are presented in a timely manner to the management.
• Appraise the activities of the business according to overall strategies and objectives, and monitor and evaluate branch and division performance, the efficiency of staff, procedures and production costs. Co-ordinate subordinate staff to optimize the use of human and material resources to achieve goals. Consult with subordinate staff and review recommendations and reports.

Professional Manager Tasks
Providing direction to the firm: The first task, envisioning goals, is one of the tasks that should never be delegated. This is the ability to define overarching goals that serve to unify people and focus energies. It’s about effectively declaring what’s possible for the team to achieve and compelling them to accomplish more than they ever thought possible. Managing survival and growth: Ensuring survival of the firm is a critical task of a manager. The manager must also seek growth. Two sets of factors impinge upon the firm’s survival and growth. The first is the set of factors which are internal to the firm and are largely controllable. These internal factors are choice of technology, efficiency of labour, competence of managerial staff, company image, financial resources, etc. The second set of factors are external to the firm like government policy, laws and regulations, changing customer tastes, attitudes and values, increasing competition, etc. Maintaining firm’s efficiency: A manager has not only to perform and produce results, but to do so in the most efficient manner. The more output a manager can produce with the same input, the greater will be the profit. Meeting the competition challenge: A manager must anticipate and prepare for the increasing competition. Competition is increasing in terms of more producers, products, better quality, etc. Innovation: Innovation is finding new, different and better ways of doing existing tasks. To plan and manage for innovation is an on-going task of a manager. The manager must maintain close contact and relation with customers. Keeping track of competitor’s activities and moves can also be a source of innovation, as can improvements in technology. Renewal: Managers are responsible for fostering the process of renewal. Renewing has to do with providing new processes and resources. The practices and strategy that got you where you are today may be inadequate for the challenges and opportunities you face tomorrow.
Building Human Organization: Man is by far the most critical resource of an organization. A good worker is a valuable asset to any company. Every manager must constantly look out for people with potential and attract them to join the company.
Leadership: Organizational success is determined by the quality of leadership that is exhibited. "A leader can be a manager, but a manager is not necessarily a leader," says Gemmy Allen (1998). Leadership is the power of persuasion of one person over others to inspire actions towards achieving the goals of the company. Those in the leadership role must be able to influence/motivate workers to an elevated goal and direct themselves to the duties or responsibilities assigned during the planning process. Leadership involves the interpersonal characteristic of a manager's position that includes communication and close contact with team members. The only way a manager can be acknowledged as a leader is by continually demonstrating his abilities.
Change management: A manager has to perform the task of a change agent. It’s the manager’s task to ensure that the change is introduced and incorporated in a smooth manner with the least disturbance and resistance.

Selection of Information technology
: Today’s managers are faced with a bewildering array of information technology choices that promise to change the way work gets done. Computers , the Internet, intranets, telecommunications, and a seemingly infinite range of software applications confront the modern manager with the challenge of using the best technology.

Example
A professional manager or a chief administrative officer for a city has duties which include meeting with elected council to determine polices that are determined by the council and to notify council members and citizens about the local government operations. Discussing of certain reforms, installing a bridge, setting up new traffic plans, or proposing a new building-all these and many more things which can affect community life are some of the responsibilities of the professional manager in a township. He is also responsible for preparing the annual budget, presenting it to elected officials for sanction and then implementing it, after it is approved. Listening to citizen grievances with regards to administration, civic problems, law and order and presenting the matter to the elected officials for appropriate actions are some of the tasks of a professional manager who is in charge of the administration of a city.