Exercise 14. Comprehension. Say if the statements are true or false. Correct the false variant.

1. To operate effectively managers have only to develop work agenda.

2. A knowledge base means that a manager has all the necessary information about an industry and its technology.

3. Actions of an unskilled manager cannot lead to a desired performance level.

4. It’s insignificant for a manager to know a lot about the company he works for and the people he deals with.

5. Technical skills show that a manager can visualize the organization as part of industry, community, world.

6. Human skills show how well a manager can understand people working with him.

7. Conceptual abilities prevent a manager from taking actions that advance the goals of the organization.

8. Successful managers work harder, not smarter.

9. Time management tools help managers to organize their activities.

Exercise 15. Say what you’ve learned from the text about

a) a knowledge base and its importance for managers;

b) key managerial skills, their definition and significance;

c) managing time.

 

Exercise 16. Discussion.

You can study how well you are using your time during the day by making a list of everything you do and how long it takes you to do it. Stop for a few seconds every fifteen minutes or so and document your time usage for that period of the day. Make your record precise and specific. List all of the significant results accomplished during each quarter hour. Expand the following time analysis chart.

 

Time	Usage	Comments
8:00
8:15

 

After making your last entry for the day on your time analysis chart, categorize each time usage event. Be sure to note if the category is planning (P), organizing (O), directing (D), or controlling (C). For categories other than planning, organizing, directing, or controlling, ask yourself: "Does this task really require my talents and experience, or could someone else do it or be taught to do it?"

 

Time	Usage	Comments	Category (P,O,D,C)
8:00
8:15
8:30

 

- How satisfied are you with your time usage?

- Is each individual task worth the time you are spending

on it?

 

Exercise 17. Crossword puzzle. All the terms are taken from text A and text B.

ACROSS

1. Ability to formulate ideas.

5. Skills of interpersonal relations.

6. The user of a product.

8. Roles of figurehead, liaison, and leader.

9. Roles of monitor, disseminator, and spokesperson.

11. To offer similar products or services.

DOWN

 

2. Ability to use process or technique knowledge.

3. Roles of entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource allocator, and negotiator.

4. Organized set of behaviors.

7. Proficiency in a specific area.

10. Belief in the manager.

 

Exercise 18. Supplementary reading for further discussion.

The key to management style is the relations of the senior executives to the people they are supervising. When they are able to create in those people the need to accomplish plus the feeling of appreciation and to provide them with the proper tools and instructions, the operation will be a success. People really are the most important of all components.

A manager is one who causes to be implemented what an executive has directed. Managers take people, budgets, and time, and work all of them with and against each other in order to accomplish specific jobs. Many people with executive titles are managers.

Executives are the people who create the decisions and the situations that are to be carried out by managers. Executives make decisions which are based on fact, experience, and intuition. The difference between a successful and an unsuccessful executive lies in the ability to communicate.

People are both either executives or managers and it is possible to tell which they are by the time they are 3 years old. This does not mean they will get that title on the door at the proper age.