Whether you are managing an operation or people in your job, the true key to effective management is finding a balance between the entire corporation’s stakeholders.
If you are at a top managerial level, you will always find customers asking for lower prices, while the corporation seeks a higher profit and employees look for higher salaries; this is the time when balance is needed to make the most satisfactory decision for all the stakeholders.
Balance is not only made between the corporation’s stakeholders, it’s also made between different scopes which is the hardest part in the equation. If we take a simple example of a flat organization that has only three managerial levels: line managers, middle managers and top managers; we will find that line managers are the ones in touch with business operations the most. Therefore, their decisions are based on market needs, customer satisfaction and competition…etc., which means that they are focused only on the operational level.
On the other hand, top managers are concerned with the financial budgets, market entry or exists, expenses and total revenue…etc., so their decisions are focused only on a strategic scope.
As for middle managers, they have transparency and work on both points of view; they can see the strategic objectives seen by top managers and the operational ones seen by line managers. That’s why middle managers are usually in the position of making the most satisfactory decisions not only to stakeholders but also for different levels. Such decisions often benefit the two levels.
Simply they have the best seat in the hall, so if you’re a middle manager, enjoy it.
By: Ahmed Gawdat
Photography: Mahmoud Mansi
Editor: Nada Adel Sobhi