2.1 Mintzberg's three managerial roles

The managers’ role according to Mintzberg can essentially be divided into ten common roles. These roles or expectations can be further classified into three broad categories which include the interpersonal, the interpretational and the decisional roles. The managers’ role in this case will be in reference to the duty of a Line Manager employed at CT Security, a security firm based in the U.K.

2.2 Interpersonal role

The role of a Line manager as an interpersonal individual requires that the Line manager act as a figurehead. This means that they have to take on the role of performing any social duties such as the welcoming of the visitors and the hosting of receptions, or legal duties on behalf of CT Security such as the signing of legal documents. In this case they are acting as symbolic leaders of CT Security. It is imperative that the Line manager know that as figurehead, the employees look up to him. This is because as a figurehead, they represent the employees. As a good figurehead, the leader should not only strive to create a good reputation, but should also cultivate humility and empathy. This means that they have to learn to set a good example at work(Lussier, 2012, p.12).

This particular role also requires that the Line manager take up the leadership role which includes the directing as well as the motivating of all subordinates. Furthermore under the leadership role it is the duty of the Line manager to train both current as well as new employees. This duty requires that the Line manager learn to interact with all employees in CT Security (Mintzberg, 2013, p. 23).The leader is responsible for the motivation of all employees under their guidance. Thus, an active Line manager, as a leader, will always mean that they have active subordinates. As a leader, it is important that the Line manager know how to select and encourage but also promote and discipline his subordinates. Thus, in this case, the leader should learn how to balance both his subordinates as well as CT Securities’ needs in a way that will optimize efficient operations.

Finally, this role requires that the Line manager constantly act as the CT Securitys’ liaison person both from within the organization as well as outside the organization. This means that they have to act not only as business correspondents but also as participants in any meetings with other organizations (Mintzberg, 2013, p. 25). In a way, the Line manager is seen as an information and communication center.   Interactions in this capacity are important to CT Security for informants will always provide favors as well as information crucial to the thriving of the organization. Thus, it is essential that the Line manager built and establish good networking skills.

2.3 The informational role

The informational role of the Line manager requires that they play a monitoring role. This means that it is their duty to insure that they seek and acquire information that is work related. This includes reading reports and other relevant sources as well as attending relevant seminars and training. In this capacity, the Line manager is in charge of monitoring internal organizational operations as well as external trends events, ideas, and potential pressures. Such Information is valuable for it may help detect changes, problems, and opportunities that may be presented for the organization. Monitoring is about establishing and using an intelligence system (Lussier, 2012, p.12).

As a disseminator, it is the duty of the Line manager to communicate information relevant to the running of the organization to relevant persons and departments. This includes that communication of information/decisions to subordinates through memos and reports (Vaccaro et.al, 2012, p. 29). This requires that the Line manager be shrewd for sometimes the information that must be communicated may be in such a manner that only the Line manager might understand, it is their duty to make sure that that information is properly interpreted, before it can be handed down for integration.

Finally, the Line managers’ informational role involves his acting as a spokesperson whose duty is to transmit information to outsiders (Williams, 2012, p.15). This involves the passing on of relevant organizational materials to the outside world vial reports as well dishing out the organizations progress. In this capacity, the Line manager has to ensure that the key influencers and stakeholders are kept informed of performances, plans, as well as policies. This means that the Line manager must be an expert in the CT Security’s’ business. This means that the Line manager has to take up a human resource capacity in order to sell the organization and its functions (Boddy, 2010).

2.4 Decisional role

The finally duty/role of the manager of any given organization is to play the decisional role. This involves making of relevant decisions that may involve the organization. This requires that the Line manager be able to identify gaps within the organization and in doing so seek to identify ways to fill those gaps. Here, the Line manager has to act as an entrepreneur whose role is to identify new ideas as well as initiate new improvement projects in the organization. This includes the implementation of innovations as well as planning of the CT Security’s’ future (Tengblad, 2006, p.1437). Once the ideas are created, in this capacity, it is the duty of that Line manager to delegate these new ideas to the subordinates for implementation.

The Line manager in this capacity also acts as a disturbance handler. This means that they disputes that may arise from both within and outside the organization and where necessary, they take corrective action. This may involve stepping in to first calm the situation then try resolving the conflict by either re-allocation or removing the problem (Williams, 2012, p.16). This is important for the organization for more often than not they help avert crisis situations in the organization.

Decision making also requires that the Line manager be a resource allocator. This means that they have the power to decide where to apply the CT Securitys’ resources (Rubin & Dierdorff, 2009, p. 208). It involves the drafting and approval of plans, budgets, as well as schedules that run the organization as well as set the organizations priorities. In this capacity, the Line manager is in charge of making all important organizational decisions. The Line managers’ task in this case is to ensure the basic work system is in place and that program staff overloads such as what to do, by whom, and what processing structures will be used is properly arranged.

Finally, as the decision maker, it is the duty of the Line manager to act as the CT Security’s’ negotiator. This means that they are in charge of defending the interests of the organization. This means that they have to participate as well as direct team, departmental as well as organizational negotiations (Lussier, 2012, p.13). This is a very important skill for it is required in the spokesman, figurehead, and resource allocator roles for the Line manager to be able to skillfully navigate his role in the organization.

Conclusion

CT Security is an organization that has been able to grow exponentially over the last few years. This success is not only attributed to the team of employees whose hard work has led to this particular growth but more so the dedicated team of managers under the command of the Line manager. What is evident is the fact that the organization as well as dedicated manner of the Line manager has become a greater asset to CT Security.