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17 Speak on the following.

1.Levels of Management.

2.Areas of Management.

WORD LIST

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“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said.” Peter Ferdinand Drucker, management consultant

Unit 3

MANAGEMENT SKILLS

1 a) What do the terms “skill”, “ability” and “competence” mean? What is the difference between them?

b) Discuss the following quotations:

2 a) What do the following management skills mean in the business area?

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b) Read the text and match the skills to certain paragraphs:

Effectiveness of a manager's activity depends on certain important skills. These skills can be divided into seven different categories presented below.

§1 __________ is the ability of a manager to see the "general picture" of an organization. Managers must understand how their duties and the duties of other managers fit together to plan their activity in a proper way and get the required results. This skill is very important for top managers because it helps them plan "super goals" and develop proper strategies for the whole organization.

§2 __________ is the ability of a manager to choose the best course of actions of two or more alternatives. A manager must decide the following:

1)What objectives and goals must be reached?

2)What strategy must be implemented?

3)What resources must be used and how they must be distributed?

4)What kind of control is needed?

In short, managers are responsible for the most important decisions which are required to carry out any organizational activity.

§3 __________ is the ability to determine the most important problem of many other problems and identify the causes of each problem before implementing a proper action plan. This ability is especially important for top managers because they have to solve complex problems.

§4 __________ is the ability of a manager to keep to the organizational rules specified for the production process, within a limited budget; and coordinate the flow of information and paper work in his group and in other groups.

§5 __________ is the ability of manager to share his ideas and opinion with other people both orally and in writing. This skill is a decisive factor of a manager’s success. Some investigations show that top managers and middle managers spend approximately 80 % of their work time in communication with each other. The skill enables managers to hold meetings, write clear letters and explanatory notes, make reports.

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§6 __________ is the ability to deal effectively with other people both inside and outside the organization. It is the ability to understand the needs and motives of other people. This skill is very important for good psychological atmosphere, for successful activity in the common work in the future. If the interpersonal relations are good, a manager will be successful in getting a support in the development and implementation of organizational goals.

§7 __________ is a specific competence to accomplish a task. The lower is a manager’s level in the organization, the closer is his connection with the production process. Thus first-line managers have the closest connection with the production process. They need high technical skills to provide technical guidance for the subordinates. The knowledge of technical sphere is useful for all managers.

c)Say in which paragraph(s) the information is about:

production process;

ability of managers to think in general terms;

working with people of other organizations;

paper work;

the importance of different organizational goals.

d)Look through the text and find the words which mean the same.

a.the process of manufacturing;

b.objective;

c.ability ;

d.environment;

e.link;

f.define;

g.divide.

e)Suggest the difference between the words:

i.success – chance – fortune – luck;

ii.composition – note – letter – report;

iii.firm – organization – company – system.

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3 Translate these words and word combinations from the text. a) Into Russian:

Important skill; goal; optional; psychological; needs and motives; technical guidance; subordinate; psychology support; implementation; flow of information; ability; to be responsible for; organizational rules; report; percent; production; action plan; to solve complex problems; to communicate; to enable, to choose; to divide; to distribute; to carry out; to hold a meeting; objective; successful activity; ability.

b) into English:

Производственный процесс, цель, обязанности, требуемые результаты, соответствующие стратегии, хорошая психологическая атмосфера, достигать, распределять, выполнять, знание технической сферы, видеть общую картину организации, иметь тесную связь с, ограниченный бюджет, около, объяснительная записка, достигать целей, определяющий фактор, распределять ресурсы.

4 Read the text again and answer the questions.

1.What skills are important for top-managers?

2.When do managers need knowledge of psychology?

3.Who is closer to the production process of an organization?

4.What should managers do before implementing a proper action plan?

5 Ask five questions to the text.

6 a) Explain the words given in italics. Make up sentences of your own. Use English-English dictionaries to help you.

b)Find synonyms for the words:

Identify, flow, report, group, spend, support, complex, opinion.

7 Complete the following sentences according the text:

1.Effectiveness of a manager's activity depends on … .

2.A conceptual skill is the ability of a manager to see … .

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3.A decision making skill is the ability of a manager to chose the best course of actions of … .

4.An analytic skill is the ability to determine the most important problems and identify the causes of each problem before … .

5.An interpersonal skill is very important for … .

6.A technical skill is a specific competence to accomplish … .

7.The first-line managers have the closest connection with …

8 Translate into English:

1.Психологическое мастерство определяется как способность менеджеров эффективно взаимодействовать с другими людьми.

2.Для хорошей психологической атмосферы такое мастерство имеет определяющее значение.

3.Способность менеджера видеть общую картину организации является одним из важных факторов эффективной работы как сотрудников, так и компании.

4.Концептуальное мастерство имеет очень большое значение для высших менеджеров, т.к. без него нельзя спланировать и разработать стратегии для организации в целом.

5.Административное мастерство - это способность менеджера исполнять организационные правила для процесса производства.

6.Менеджеры проводят большую часть своего времени, общаясь с людьми.

7.Менеджеры должны постоянно делать доклады и предоставлять отчеты о своей работе.

8.Менеджеры, имеющие отношение к производственному процессу, должны владеть техническими умениями.

9.Менеджеры контролируют работу подчиненных.

9 Some phrases were taken out from the text, so insert them into the appropriate gaps. Read and translate the text:

a)not made;

b)different physiological potential;

c)learnable and teachable;

d)good managers;

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e)natural endowments;

f)generally incorrect;

g)come close;

h)mature skills.

DEVELOPMENT OF MANAGERIAL SKILLS

Many people believe that, 1) … like some good athletes, are born, 2) … . Yet research has indicated that this belief is 3) … . Even though it cannot be denied that people are born with 4) … and that they are endowed with unequal amounts of intelligence. An athlete who is not equipped with natural physical advantages is not likely to run a hundred yards in record time. On the other hand, many individuals who are "natural athletes" have not 5) … to that goal either.

Most superior athletes are individuals with some natural endowment, who by practice, learning, effort, sacrifice, and experience have developed their natural endowment into 6) … . The same holds true for a good manager; by practice, learning, and experience one develops 7) … of intelligence and personal characteristics into the mature skills of a good manager. The skills involved in managing are as ` … as are the skills in playing tennis. But it takes time, effort and determination for a supervisor to develop managerial skills.

10 Match the terms and their definitions:

11 Read Behavioral Management Interview Questions and comment upon them as if you’ve faced them in real life.

If I were to interview the people who have reported to you in the past, how would they describe your management style?

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If I were to interview your reporting staff members, how would they describe your strengths and weaknesses as a manager and supervisor?

Give an example, from your past work experiences, about a time when you had an underperforming employee reporting to you. How did you address the situation? Did the employee’s performance improve? If not, what did you do next?

Rate your management skills on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 representing excellent management skills. Provide three examples from your past work experiences that demonstrate your selected number is accurate.

Describe the work environment or culture and its management style in which you have experienced the most success.

Tell me about a time when you had a reporting employee who performed very well. The employee exceeded goals and sought more responsibility. Describe how you handled this situation day-to-day and over time.

Describe three components of your philosophy of management that demonstrate what you value and add, as an individual, to an organization’s culture and work environment.

What factors are crucial within an organization and must be present for you to work most effectively?

Tell about a time when you reorganized a department or significantly changed employee work assignments. How did you approach the task? How did the affected employees respond to your actions?

One of the jobs of a manager or supervisor is to manage performance and perform periodic performance reviews. Tell me how you have managed employee performance in the past. Describe the process you have used for performance feedback.

When you have entered a new workplace in the past, as a manager or supervisor, describe how you have gone about meeting and developing relationships with your new coworkers, supervisors, and reporting staff.

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As a manager or supervisor, one of your jobs is to provide direction and leadership for a work unit. Describe how you have accomplished this in the past.

12 Puzzle out the crossword:

1 – решающий; 2 – приблизительно; 3 – подчиненный; 4 – навык; 5 – процент; 6 – среда; 7 – определенный; 8 – поток; 9 – предписывать; 10 – сложный.

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