The understandable tendency for many managers is to think of their management responsibilities as being limited to their department, plant, or company.
At times the above perspective is stretched when a company or plant is part of a larger organization. In such cases the smart manager recognizes that individuals in the larger organization have control over the local group and as a result should be appropriately managed.
Trying to learn from “head office” types may be seen as being counter cultural and may be met with disdain or disgust from co-managers or workers. However, such disdain is a parochial view that in the long run will prove to be a career-limiting attitude.
Managing the Outside Organization
Although little thought is given to the concept of “managing” head office, even less attention is given to trying to manage outside organizations, whether they be customers or suppliers.
Every manager having relations with an external organization must consider as to how he or she can most effectively conduct business with the other entity.
What is necessary to manage outside the organization?
Understanding the important issues of the other organization’s business is a good starting point. Set out below are the type of questions that need answering.
Does the other organization value quality standards?
Does output dominate at the expense of all other matters?
Is cost so important that quality, dependability, and service are virtually ignored?
Does having correct documentation govern everything and when it is not properly completed, does process come to a grinding halt?
Until one understands the issues most important to a customer, it is impossible to be sure you as a manager are taking the right approach in your dealings with the external organization.
Equally important when managing external relations is to gain an understanding of the other organization’s culture.
Let’s look at a few examples:
i) In a bureaucratic organization, one can expect that everything has to be done in a prescribed manner. If your organization is more of a “seat of the pants” -style company dedicated to getting a first-class product delivered on time and doesn’t pay a lot of attention to “crossing t’s and dotting i’s” you may find that your culture and that of the outside organization are in conflict.
As a manager, it is your job to recognize the culture of the other group and adapt your way of doing things to that of the customer.
ii) If the external organization that you are dealing with is driven by the achievement of formal objectives while your organization’s mantra is to do a good job without formalized objectives, misunderstandings may occur.
Persons in the other organization may have a significant amount of their compensation based on achieving objectives. If your performance impacts on whether or not they are successful it will have an important bearing on your relations with the other group.
To be successful in your relationship you have to manage the situation so that you and or your company are not having a negative effect on the external group or its managers’ compensation.
iii) Managers often find it very frustrating when they can’t get a quick decision from the outside organization that they are dealing with. They know that if they were faced with the same issue in their organization they could make the decision themselves or could get a decision within a few hours.
In such instances their boss may believe that they are stalling in giving bad news since she knows how quickly that decision is made in your company.
If a manager realizes that the organization he/she is dealing with has a lengthy and slow decision making process then they will be better prepared to communicate the resulting delays in achieving their own internal objectives.
Summary
Today, business is too complex and integrated for managers to limit their management responsibilities to what happens within the four walls of their own establishment. They need to manage outside relationships.
However, even if you as a manager understand the need to manage externally, your challenge doesn’t stop there. You must also ensure that your employees manage external relationships well. All your efforts may go to waste if one of your employees manages an external contact with an abusive or insensitive attitude.
Fred Pamenter
PPBDconsulting@aol.com
