3 Perspectives on ‘managing’

The focus in this section is on the diversity of activities that might constitute ‘managing’ – in particular working with others involved in a situation. More specifically, it is concerned with the type of managing a systems practitioner might undertake. In Week 2 you looked at some different meanings associated with the phrase ‘complexity’ but not directly on the matter of managing complexity.

The concern in this section is with managing in all its manifestations and how these are embodied in a particular manager. It is not concerned with just management within organisations, important though that can be. When I think of a manager, I think of anyone in any context who is engaged in taking purposeful action. That includes you and me. Winter (2002) asks the question ‘Why not think of “managing” in more generic terms?’ and illustrates this in the form of Figure 3a. Later he casts the act of managing in terms of a process of relationship maintaining (Figure 3b).

Figures 3 (a) and (b) Perspectives on managing (source: Winter, 2002, p. 67 and p. 83).

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3a: The image shows a circle within a wider circle. In the inner circle is the text ‘Why not think of ‘managing’ in more generic terms?’. In the outer circle are the following phrases, with arrows pointing towards the question in the inner circle: managing change; managing people; managing costs; managing suppliers; managing performance; managing reputation; managing websites; managing knowledge; managing operations; managing learning; managing projects; managing quality. 3b: At the centre of this image is a stick figure. There are arrows pointing away from the figure, all labelled ‘r’, which the key tells us means relationship. At the ends of the arrows are the following words: board members; staff; suppliers; customers; projects; family; office; trade association; the business; environment (e.g. competitors and regulators).

Figures 3 (a) and (b) Perspectives on managing (source: Winter, 2002, p. 67 and p. 83).

The point here is that if I, as a manager, am faced with a complex situation that I am trying to improve then I need to identify key relationships and who else I might need to involve to get a better understanding of that complex situation. But I also need to recognise that I have both a rational and emotional involvement in that complex situation as will all the others involved. This will be different if I have no or very weak prior relationships with those involved in the situation.

Figure 4 Perspectives on managing.

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This cartoon shows a group of people, with two people at the front. Above the main group of people is a speech bubble containing words such as ‘change’, ‘performance’, ‘costs’ and ‘suppliers’. One of the people at the front is saying ‘Why not think of ‘managing’ in more generic terms’ and the person next to them responds with ‘… we manage!’.

Figure 4 Perspectives on managing.