Over the past few years, this column has stressed the importance of good management in meeting today’s business and personal challenges. In these articles, we’ve reviewed and appraised some of the major management issues and problems confronting the mining industry. Smart managers, however, also focus further into the future. They are wondering what it will take to be a successful manager in the next century. This isn’t solely an academic question. After all, the 21st century is only 12 years away. They are wondering what they should be doing now in the way of management training and policy development to ensure success in the next century. The simple fact is that managers in the year 2000 and beyond will need the same skills as their counterparts today. The only difference the future will bring is an even greater need for a harsher, less forgiving climate for ineffective managers. Then, as now, the key will be a more open, rounded management — one that understands and influences the major controllable factors that affect business. Being a successful manager always has required and always will require a good grasp of the basics of management — planning, controlling, organizing and directing. But even today, managing an activity can no longer be carried out in isolation or disregard of its social and economic setting. With international competition and changes in technology and society continuing at a frantic pace, managers cannot bury their heads in the sand. They will have to concentrate much more fully than in the past on all the factors that affect their businesses and they must work to influence these factors. They will have to take a longer-term perspective on prob lems and opportunities. The future manager will be a more rounded individual — at home, in plants, boardrooms and government offices, both in Canada and abroad.
It hasn’t been easy for us to adapt to a more open, well-rounded management style. The North American traditions of individualism and specialization have evolved from the independence and high mobility of our early settlers. These traditions are deeply ingrained in our collective spirit. They are the source of many of our contemporary management problems, such as:
* overconcern with short-term financial results;
* overspecialization, where managers have an understanding only of a narrow area within an overall business;
* distrust of government, sometimes bordering on contempt; 1500
* concentration on the domestic market, with little or no knowledge of international business opportunities; and
* often antagonistic labor/management relations.
But if our traditions have hurt our competitive position in some ways, they have also helped us in other ways. We are creative and hard working. Our society provides room and opportunities for individuals to grow and encourages and rewards risk-taking. We are optimistic and believe in ourselves. Our resource-rich country, our rich capital base and our well- trained and educated workforce also give us competitive advantages. Canada, therefore, has the capability of doing very well in the next century.
What are the characteristics of good management today that will continue to grow in importance into the next century? A recent issue of U. S. News & World Report listed the following four key traits that managers will need to be successful. We need to improve our performance in all these areas, since, even though they are important today, they will be vital in the future.
Despite the fact that we are indisputably in an age driven by new technology, the only machine many executives can operate is the telephone. We have to improve on this record. Managers of the future must be abreast of the latest advances in technology. They certainly must take advantage of any technology that will help them do their job better. Staying on top of technology will allow them to make better products and sharper decisions and to produce more efficiently.
Information will continue to be a critical strategic asset. Clear and relevant management information will be necessary to identify problem areas and assess performance. Information on competitors and markets will also be essential. However, it won’t be enough to understand what others are doing. Good managers will keep at the forefront of change by providing new products and new uses for products. This requires an understanding of emerging and declining markets and competitive position. The level of R&D will have to be increased. Leader/Motivator
The trend today, which will continue into the future, is for fewer managers and employees to be running a company. Already, middle management layers have been reduced through increased use of computer systems and the drive to cost-efficiency. Management in the future will be less detached and more “hands-on.” Knowing the business will be a key requirement of success. With fewer people taking on more responsibility, smart managers will know how to get the most from people. They will know how to delegate decision-making and provide feedback and encouragement. Managers will pay much more attention to developing their most important asset — their people — and encouraging their motivation and creativity. Politician par Excellence Future managers must be on top of the non-market forces that affect a company. They must be informed about legal require ments, regulations and treaties, and government programs. More than simply being informed, they must act to help mold government and social opinion, and not merely react to it after the fact. They will have to be better informed about all sides of issues. They will take part in debates on national issues and not stay in the background as an unheard voice.
Ethical values will continue to be important. Managers must set a good example for employees and the community to follow. They should fight for what’s right, and not for what’s expedient. Global Strategist
The global village is here today, and the future manager must be familiar with the international arena. Global business must become an important part of the business, and not just a sideline. Successful executives in Canada will speak English and French and at least one other language. Comfort with the international scene will help a company seize opportunities by more clearly identifying competition and markets, considerations, and other relevant information. Conclusion
Successful executives in the next century will have to wear several hats. Their background and outlook must be even broader than their 20th century counterparts’. They must understand the global scene as well as the domestic one. They must know how to work with technology. They must understand political and social trends and they must do all they can to mold them. Most of all, they must be leaders and motivators. They must understand the potential of the people under them and make the most of their intelligence and dedication.
These managers of the future will require the same skills as today’s managers, but in even larger measure. Lest we forget, the 21st century is nearly upon us, and our future managers are those young people who are with us right now. If we want to ensure that they have the backgrounds and skills necessary to keep Canada competitive well into the next century, we should be doing all we can to develop their managerial skills right now. For today is the best training ground for tomorrow’s challenges. William Stanley is director of national mine services at Coopers & Lybrand Consulting Services. — 30 —
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