Management's Mindset is different from Employee's point of view

Over the weekend, I took my Level 400 Accounting and Finance class through the Strategic Management Course at the University of Cape Coast’s Distance School. I have been a course tutor for over five years, having taught and lectured to more than six different batches.

I have lectured on Electronic Commerce, Business Finance, International Finance, Organizational Behaviour, Consumer Behaviour, Client Relationship Management, Production Management, among others. However, each time I enter a new class, I feel the need to impart knowledge beyond the lecture slides.

During my interaction with the class, I mentioned that strategies typically originate from top management. I explained that since strategic decisions cut across several areas of a firm’s operations, they require top management's involvement. Normally, only top management has the perspective needed to understand the broad implications of such decisions and the authority to authorize the necessary resource allocations.

In sharing my practical experience with the class, I offered viewpoints from my time as a Relationship Manager at a branch and then a slightly different perspective when I became a Branch Manager. As an RM, my focus was on ensuring my team made a profit, growing our current and savings account balances (CASA), and meeting account opening targets. This approach was more myopic and transactional in nature.

However, when I became a Branch Manager, my perspective became more strategic. I was not only focused on the branch's profitability and deposits but was also deeply involved in operational efficiency, branch security, customer experience excellence, and people and team management, among other areas. This illustrates how strategies are developed: they are holistic in nature, aimed at achieving a particular goal of success.

You may be a junior staff member today, complaining about every management decision regarding conditions of service, salary increments, product modifications, and so on. There is nothing inherently wrong with that. However, sometimes, if you find yourself in management, some of the things you previously advocated for may now seem unreasonable or inappropriate due to the broader perspective you now have.

We are all continuously learning on this career journey.

I hope these few words shared have been beneficial and useful.

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