LearnaBytes

INTRODUCTION

What is the manager’s role? There are many ways to describe what a manager does or what management is? In this session, participants will explore one view of management that describes the role of a manager in three words.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe what the role of a manager is.

WORKBOOKS

• Yes

PREPARATION

• Read through all the documents you need to deliver the course (facilitation guide, workbook and presentation)
• Make sure the participants get a digital copy workbook before the session starts.

PREREQUISITES

• None

INTRODUCE THE SESSION

• Once the participants have settled down, start by introducing the session.
• Display the Slide titled – LEARNING OBJECTIVE.

• Tell them that:
  • In this session, we want to discuss what the role of a manager is.
  • There are different perceptions of what the role of a manager is and what we discuss here is just one perception but one that is helpful.
  • The aim here is for you to gain an understanding of what your role as a manager may look like.
  • I will start off by introducing you to the perceptions of a new manager called Larry before he became a manager and after he became a manager,
• Display the slide titled – LARRY’S PERCEPTIONS

• Click on the slide to display some information and tell them that:
  • Before Larry became a manager this (information displayed on the slide) was what he thought the role of a manager was.
• Allow them to read the information for about 30-seconds.
• Then click on the slide again and say that:
  • Three years after becoming a manager, here are his thoughts about what the role of a manager is.
• Ask whether they agree with any of Larry’s descriptions and whatever their answer is find out what made them answer that way.
• After that, tell them that you are interested in their own perceptions about what the role of a manager is.

• Tell them to type what they believe to be the role of a manager in the chat window.

• Allow them to do the activity for up to 3-minutes.
• As they write their answers in the chat window, read through them silently.
• When the time is up, stop them and get their attention.
• Read out their answers so they can hear and acknowledge each person who contributed an answer by name.
• After that thank them for doing the activity and tell them that:
  • Since the last time we met Larry, his perception of what the manager’s job is has changed.
  • He now believes that he has a better understanding of what management is.
  • From that understanding of management, Larry has also identified three core roles of a manager.
• Here is how Larry now thinks about management. Display the slide titled – A THOUGHT ABOUT MANAGEMENT. Let them read the information on the slide for about 30-seconds.

• After they finish reading the information ask what they think about the statements.
• Listen to them for up to 2-minutes without making any comments about what they said.
• Then display another slide titled – YOUR THREE PRIORITIES.

• When the slide displays it will be blank with just a title.
• Click on the slide to display some information. Tell them that:
  • The first priority is that of ‘Purpose’.
  • Purpose is the outcome your team is trying to achieve also known as the ‘why’ of your team.
  • Purpose is what your team needs to achieve to justify why it exists.
  • If this purpose is missing or unclear, then you may experience conflicts or mismatched expectations.
  • Therefore, the first big part of your job as a manager is to ensure your team knows what success looks like and they care about achieving it.
• Display the slide titled – COMMUNICATING PURPOSE.
  

• Allow them to read the information on the slide for about 10-seconds.
• Then let them that, as managers they must know what the purpose of the team is, show they are interested in it and talk about it often.
• Next, to explore the other two priorities of ‘People’ and ‘Process’ you will get them to do a group discussion.
• Display the slide titled – LET’S TALK ABOUT PEOPLE AND PROGRESS.
  

• Use the ‘Breakout rooms’ feature to split them into two small groups and assign the task shown on the screen appropriately.

• Give them 7-minutes for the activity.
• After 7-minutes, stop them and bring everyone back to the main room.
• Then allow each group to present their answers and listen to them.
• After they finish, thank them for doing the activity and ask if any of the groups want to add to the information that the other group presented.
• If they do want to any extra information, allow them to do so and thank them again for doing that.
• After that, direct everyone to the part of their workbooks titled – WHAT IS THE MANAGER’S ROLE?

• Give them 5-minutes to read the information on page 7.
• After 5-minutes, stop them and get everyone’s attention.
• Ask for their thoughts about what they just read and listen to them.
• After that, thank them and move on to review and close the session.
• But before that ask if they have any final questions or comments.
• Listen to any they have and respond appropriately only if necessary.
• Next, review the session by telling them that:
  • During this session we explored what the role of a manager is?
  • We looked at some thoughts about management.
  • Explored your views of the manager’s role.
  • Then we summarised the manager’s role in three words which are – Purpose, People and Process.
• After that, end the session.

This is the end of the session.