Question

Provide a thorough review, analysis, and conclusion to the following - How should a technical or business systems department level manager balance skills in Leadership, Management, Strategic Thinking, and Critical Thinking.  What percentage of each, specify particular theories (e.g., Porters Forces) to support and defend your answer with references.

Answer 1

Technical or business systems department level manager should balance skills in leadership, management, strategic thinking, and critical thinking by assessment of the goals and objectives of the business and deciphering the need of the situation. Leadership is required for providing a vision and purpose to the efforts of the team and defining the goals and objectives. Management is required for planning, organizing, directing and controlling the resources of the organization. Strategic thinking is important to evaluate the strategies for long term priorities of the organization and developing the capabilities and resources for achieving the goals of the organisation and business. Critical thinking is required for the problem solving and rational approach in business situations and to identify the pros and cons of each alternative, the risks associated and the inferences from the challenges and opportunities in different contexts. It utilizes analytical and comprehensive approach for implementing the most suitable approach or method to achieve the necessary outcomes.

The percentage of skills in leadership, management, strategic thinking and critical thinking depend on the position of the technical or business systems and department level manager. The positions managing more broad areas of work need more percentage of strategic thinking and critical thinking skills and the roles associated with managing the short term goals or strategies need more percentage of leadership and management for planning, executing, implementing, motivating and controlling. The theories of leadership like Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Herzberg's motivation theory can explain the factors associated with leading the team while the strategic theories like Competition theory by Michael Porter and Core competence theory helps a business to evaluate its options strategically and use critical thinking for evaluating its strategic options. The management theories like scientific management theory and human relations theory explain the need to understand the factors underlying the work and situations for better management. Modern management theory or System theory can define the factors influencing the performance of the employees and teams.