Property Management Professional Manager

Author: Chen Cailin / Country:
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-01-01
Features: II. The Role Positioning of Chinese Professional Managers
We propose the role positioning of professional managers not only from the perspective of the general issues that need to be addressed in manager positioning but also from the specific needs of Chinese managers. As mentioned in the previous section, Chinese managers are produced in an environment different from Western economic development, and most of them are not yet fully professional managers. In addition to addressing issues such as the modern enterprise system, the role positioning of managers must also resolve two fundamental problems.
1. Breaking Free from Administrative Roles
Administrative roles have been performed by leaders of Chinese enterprises for decades. When managers begin to break free from old institutional constraints and step onto the path of economic development, they are also undergoing a painful role transformation—this is how to transition away from their past administrative roles. An administrative role is one where the individual is a member of a national administrative body, obeys the will of administrative leaders, enjoys treatment based on administrative ranks, and fulfills tasks assigned by administrative authorities. The rise and fall, promotions and demotions of administrative positions are the trajectory of their lives. Administrative roles instill in leaders an administrative mindset, which is essentially a "official-centric" consciousness. Some may have entered the corporate world, but the official-centric mindset in their heads has not been completely eliminated. They still like to compare their positions with their former administrative positions: whether they are higher or lower, whether they have suffered losses or gained advantages. Clinging to administrative ranks and being emotionally attached to them is a lingering mindset among many managers of state-owned enterprises. If the consciousness of administrative ranks is merely a lingering awareness in the mind, not directly impacting work, then the influence of administrative consciousness in corporate management on managers is far more complex. The so-called influence of administrative consciousness means that corporate management is completely subordinate to superiors' administrative decisions, or even to the will of a specific superior. Due to the historical and current realities of state-owned enterprises, which are under the leadership of superiors, and where superiors have absolute power over the promotion, demotion, and dismissal of managers, this situation is not surprising. As soon as the government administration issues a policy or regulation, our state-owned enterprises immediately adopt the same policy or regulation. For example, if the government sets a monthly reimbursement limit for administrative leaders' mobile phones at 200 yuan, state-owned enterprises quickly follow suit with the same limit for all managers, regardless of their size. Whether this 200 yuan aligns with the actual needs of the enterprise is irrelevant. This is a typical example of administrative dependence. Its direct impact is that managers are not fully present as market-oriented decision-makers, making it inevitable that some of their decisions deviate from market realities. Therefore, solving this problem is the primary issue in the role positioning of Chinese professional managers. Professional managers are business managers, and they differ fundamentally from administrative officials. They must take the market as their fundamental starting point and destination, and all their plans, decisions, and directives must be tested by the market. What aligns with market needs is correct, and what does not must be corrected. In this sense, the role positioning of professional managers is to define their place in the market.
When evaluating the leadership of state-owned enterprises, we often comment that certain leaders "lack market awareness and insufficient pioneering spirit." In reality, the essence of these problems lies in unresolved role positioning. Due to unresolved role positioning, they are accustomed to following the instructions of superiors, and once deprived of such guidance, they are unable to operate in the market. We acknowledge that completely eliminating the administrative consciousness of state-owned enterprise managers depends on the popularization of modern enterprise systems and the perfection of market mechanisms. However, we cannot wait for this moment to arrive; instead, we should proactively seek this transformation. Breaking free from the framework of administrative consciousness and finding one's place in the vast market by leveraging professional expertise and innovative spirit in corporate management, proving oneself through outstanding performance—this is the fundamental essence of role positioning for professional managers.
2. Transitioning from the "Boss" Role
The "boss" role is a special role formed by leaders of Chinese enterprises under specific conditions. For a long time, although factory managers and directors of state-owned enterprises did not own the enterprise, they had no authority over corporate assets and could not even terminate severely disciplined employees in some cases. However, on the other hand, their power was significant enough to allow them to freely use corporate funds for personal gain. As a result, people affectionately referred to them as "bosses." For decades, the term "boss" has been widely used, becoming a buzzword. With the decentralization of power in state-owned enterprises, their "boss" consciousness has gradually intensified. Therefore, the role positioning of professional managers must transition away from this "boss" consciousness.
As analyzed earlier, professional managers are not owners or shareholders; they are employees, albeit at a high level. The existence of managers holding shares in many enterprises does not negate their role as employees, as the position of manager remains appointable. Therefore, they must be accountable to the shareholders' meeting and the board of directors, fulfilling the tasks and targets assigned to them. If they fail to meet these targets, they will lose their managerial position. If managers are seen as "bosses," they fundamentally misunderstand the situation. If managers themselves perceive themselves as bosses, they fundamentally misposition themselves. Recognizing the employed role of managers is essential for understanding the power they possess. Managers must operate within the scope of authorization granted by the shareholders' meeting and the board of directors. This is the fundamental distinction between managers and owners. All managers must be fully aware of this. If they exceed their authority without correction, they will not be able to continue in their managerial position.
3. Emotional Control
Emotion is an aspect of personality, the psychological state a person experiences during activities. Psychological states vary widely, including excitement, anger, pessimism, and negativity. Everyone has emotions—positive emotions uplift, while negative emotions bring down; emotions fluctuate with circumstances, some changing rapidly like tides, while others remain steady. Practice has shown that emotional volatility is detrimental to achieving set goals, especially for leaders. If a leader's emotions are overly expressive—what people call an "emotional leader"—they often leave subordinates confused. Therefore, the ability to control one's emotions is of great significance for effective leadership.
Leaders' emotional control is multifaceted. Positive emotions can be beneficial within certain limits, but they must be managed appropriately. For example, the excitement of mobilizing teams toward goals can inspire subordinates and boost morale; the high spirits of celebrating victories can uplift spirits, but excessive excitement can lead to recklessness and "rejoicing to the point of sorrow." The grief of parting from teachers or friends can inspire others, but excessive grief can also have negative effects. The key to emotional control is managing various negative emotions: controlling reluctance when facing difficulties, controlling frustration when encountering setbacks, controlling negativity when feeling wronged, controlling pride when achieving success, and controlling anger when dealing with frustrations. It must be understood that leaders' emotions have a significant impact on subordinates: when you are reluctant, subordinates lack determination; when you are frustrated, subordinates lack initiative; when you are negative, subordinates lack enthusiasm; when you are proud, subordinates lack rationality; when you are angry, subordinates lack calmness. Leaders' emotions not only affect subordinates but also extend to the work, having a profound impact.
The best way to control emotions is through rational thinking. Rationality and emotion are opposing forces—when emotion rises, rationality diminishes, and when rationality rises, emotion is controlled. A person's life is a continuous process of being led by both rationality and emotion. For example, when someone reports a problem to a superior, rational thinking should be: "This is exercising democratic rights, which is normal. If their suggestions are valid, I will correct them. I should be a broad-minded person and not hold grudges." If you think this way, potential negative emotions like resentment, anger, and negativity can be controlled. Redirect or detach negative emotions. This means shifting one's attention to other matters, allowing negative emotions to separate and minimize their impact. For example, when encountering frustrating situations, try to think about happy things instead, while reminding yourself that your intelligence should not be wasted on trivial matters. It is better to be slow and distant from such issues. By doing so, frustrating emotions gradually fade away. Some people resort to actions like slamming tables or throwing things when frustrated or angry, which is a form of emotional release but also highly damaging. If you find it difficult to suppress such emotions, you can control yourself by adopting alternative release methods, such as taking a walk, running, or shouting in an empty place to vent your frustrations. This is also a viable approach that can reduce impact, allowing you to calm down and address the issue later.
Taking proactive measures to resolve conflicts is a more sophisticated way of controlling emotions. For example, if you have conflicts with others, directly communicate with them to resolve the issue, which also helps resolve your own emotions. This is the fundamental way to solve problems. Of course, such communication should not escalate into arguments—if the purpose is to argue, it will only increase conflicts, making your emotions worse instead of improving them.
4. Cultivating Interests
A leader with broad interests and diverse talents plays a significant role in improving leadership and promoting work. The public admires knowledgeable and versatile leaders. The wider a leader's interests, the richer their knowledge, and the more comprehensive their abilities, the better they are suited for important managerial roles. Therefore, managers should strive to engage in various fields—politics, economics, military, history, geography, literature, art, sports, and more—using these as effective ways to enrich leadership capabilities. Broad interests can cultivate one's character and contribute to the cultivation of the inner world. Opening a new field is like opening a window to life, allowing us to learn more about the external world and broaden our horizons, enrich our minds, and expand our knowledge. It helps us set higher ideals, maintain vibrant emotions, and lead more fulfilling lives. Broad interests can also bridge the gap between leaders and subordinates. As the saying goes, "Birds of a feather flock together." Everyone has their own interests, and shared interests create common language. If your interests are diverse, you will have more common ground with your subordinates. The more common ground you have, the easier it is to achieve unity in thought and understanding. Broad interests can enable us to view and analyze problems from a higher level, which is very meaningful for making correct decisions and advancing work. "Standing taller allows for a broader view," and similarly, due to the leader's broad interests and rich knowledge, they can observe and examine issues from multiple perspectives, making more profound and accurate judgments than others.
Of course, multiple interests should also be prioritized and pursued within one's capacity, without neglecting work in favor of hobbies. If the main is replaced by the secondary, it will lead to the opposite of our intention, which is not the true purpose of advocating for broad interests. Leaders should choose the right time and place to properly balance work and leisure activities based on actual circumstances.