MGMT E-4000 Harvard University
Organizational Behaviour 2014 , Extension School

Mid Term Paper

Essay – OPTION I (6 pages): New managers have a difficult job, and there is a lot to learn.
Luckily, you have been taking an Organizational Behaviour course at Harvard Extension, and feel well prepared to hit the ground running in your new role. You take some time to consider your goals: what kind of manager will you be? What have you done to prepare?
What are some expected challenges and how do you plan to deal with them? Write out a plan for your first six months in your new position. Think about the start, the middle, and where you expect to be at the end of this time period. Be sure to include an individual, group, and organizational perspective

HUID: 20913797
Akshit Bansal
I work for ZS, a sales and marketing management consulting firm, headquartered in the United States. On a typical working day, I have seen a lot of coordination is required where employees are involved in a lot of group discussions, coordinated work, deliverables to clients with last minute hick-ups by making the apt use of technology and knowledge. Looking at the complexity involved, the situation demands for an effective manager in order to get things right.
“If Employees are the pillars of an Organization, then managers represent the rooftop”. Managers are people who provide direction to an Organisation in order to meet its objectives by making rational decisions. The overall role is inclined towards accomplishing goals. In order to be a successful manager, one needs to be aware of frameworks and theories of Organisational behaviour and there practical usage within Organisations.
If I got an opportunity to lead a team with an organisation as a newly promoted manager, I would work towards being an ethical, charismatic, effective and competent leader for effective management. It’s not an easy take on at all. Linda Hill quotes “The earliest test of leadership comes with that first assignment to manage others. Most new managers initially fail this test because of a set of common misconceptions about what it means to be in charge” (Becoming the Boss, 1). Being in charge of not only one person, or a particular task, but rather the entire complexity involved within the organisation as observed on a typical business day keeping in mind the long term vision.
Managers are a part of Management. Today, the role of a manager has become very sophisticated and needs to be self monitored. Key aspects like leadership and management are important for a manager to grow. John Kotter of Harvard Business School states that “management is about coping with complexity where as Leadership, in contrast, is about coping with change” (Robbins, 150). I would focus on the few characteristics Robbins mention about a “charismatic leader like having a Vision, willingness to take risks in order to achieve that vision, sensitivity to employees needs and showcasing extraordinary behaviour” (Robbins, 157) in order to set short, medium and long term goals for the team, individuals and myself. A six month plan could be approximately as a threefold chapter where the first 2 would majorly focus on planning, the next fold on operations and the last fold on a long term vision considering the planning and the operations phase went well.
Short term (Month 1-2): I would define the goals over a timeline showcasing the overlap of interdependency of sub-teams working together to achieve a common purpose. I would share the goals with the entire team before my first face-to face meeting via an email for effective communication as “before it takes place it needs a purpose, a message to be conveyed between a sender and a