Entry 1: The Manager

The criteria for this assignment is to interview someone who holds a management position in a company. So the first person i turned to was my dad!! He has been working with SIA Engineering Company since he was 17, being an engineer was his first job. :D So he has worked in SIA Engineering Company for... * my mathematics isn't that good, takes me awhile* ... oh! 34 years! (:

So these are his details... this is my dad :D

Name: Tan Cheow Soon

Age: 51

Designation: Assistant Manager, Fleet Management Division

Company name: SIA Engineering Company

As i continue, i shall address my dad as Mr Tan. Sounds nicer and more serious :P oh yes, and my thoughts are in purple while interview is in black, easier to identify and not so messy this way.

a. a. Briefly describe your job responsibility as a manager

My responsibility as an Assistant Manager is to take care of the customer’s airplanes to ensure that they maintain an airworthiness condition so that the airline can concentrate on the airline business.

b. b. What is your management style?

I believe that it is important to lead by example. Thus it is important to set a good example to our employees so that one can be a good role model. This is especially important when you are the one who the people listen to and follow. If we are bad role models, it will mean our employees would not be as efficient as compared to the other department.

To me, having good relationship with employees and respecting each other regardless of our position in the company are also very important.

Also I would set up processes and set targets with timelines for my employees. This is to ensure that everything goes according to planned and we will not miss and deadlines.

[ From this, it can be seen that Mr Tan practices theory Z and abit of modern approaches are also involved. Firstly is theory Z, Mr Tan ensures that there is interpersonal relations between workers and managers. Secondly it involves modern approaches because Mr Tan sets goals and timelines for his employees and shares it with them. This is under Management Effectiveness.]

c. c. What are some of the difficulties you face as a manager?

The difficulties I face includes, not being able to find competent staff. These would result in some staff not being sure of what they are supposed to do and doing their assigned task very slowly. Sometimes, the department would also face unpredictable circumstances and the responsibility lies on the managers to solve the problem. (Sometimes in a very tight schedule) This can be quite stressful at times.

Working in a volatile environment is also another difficulty faced.

d. d.How do you overcome these difficulties?

We can overcome these problems through proper training of staff. Like sending them for courses so that they are more familiar with what they are doing and thus allowing productivity of work to be higher. Once they are familiar with what they are doing they would naturally be more comfortable with the tasks assigned to them.

[By doing as stated above, Mr Tan is following one of Henri Foyol's 14 principles which is division of work. This is where work is given to an employee according to their specialization. Making their job easier for them.]

Another way is to always plan ahead and be prepared for whatever we might face in the future.

e. e. In your opinion, what makes a good manager?

I think the most important thing is that a good manager must be a good individual and a good leader. Also, a manager must learn how to listen and be able to make decisions without relying on others. ( this also involves theory Z, where the management should make the key decision in an organization and the management must maintain a strong sense of authority.)

A good manager must also understand the needs and welfare of his employees instead of only focusing on how well the department is doing. This is because they are also one the major sources that keeps the department going.

In conclusion, we can see that Mr Tan's style of management is more towards the Human Relations School of Management. This is because his way of solving difficulties faced shows that he believes that productivity is affected by the human aspects of work and not the physical conditions, Hawthorne Studies. ( He said that he would send them to courses to increase their productivity and familiarity.) His management style is also closely related to theory Z which is under Human relations School of Management.