Presenting the interview with MR. ANDY LEE.

Name: Andy Lee
Age: 47
Designation: Commercial Manager
Company: Ocean Master Engineering Private Limited

Describe your job responsibilities as a Manager.

• Manage and supervise 5 stuff
• Do quotations and tendering for projects
• Control costs
• Monitoring creditors and debtors
• Negotiation with customers, suppliers and sub-contractors
• Set guidelines for staff
  

What is your management style?

• More on dedication of job and allowing workers to do it independently
• Do checks on them regularly- oversee their work
• Supervise and instruct staff
• Dialogues with them to find out about their problems
• Have regular informal meetings with staff
• Will talk and chat with them
• If staff commit a mistake, I will highlight to them instead of scolding them
• Dedicate work and tell them areas to take note of

Mr. Lee uses Theory Z. He talks to his employees to find out about their problems and at the same time asserts his authority by dedicating work to them. This shows that although Mr. Lee and his subordinates are friends, there is still a certain boundary that they must not cross. However, after office hours, they have a more friendly and less professional relationship with Mr. Lee.

What are the difficulties you face as a Manager?

• Hard to motivate staff
• Difficult to recruit correct staff for the correct job because of experience
• Unreasonable and demanding customers
• Balancing between customer's needs and company's interest

Based on Mr. Lee's answer, I can see that he uses another of the management style. It is Scientific Management- he selects the right employee for the right positions and also trains and develops the workforce. Out of the 4 principles in Scientific Management, Mr. Lee is able to make use of 2. Principle 2- Scientific selection, training and development of first-class workers. Principle 3- Co-operate with workers to ensure that all work is done in accordance with the principles of the science that has been developed.

How do you overcome these difficulties?

• If I am unable to recruit the correct staff, I will try to train up in-house staff
• If I really cannot give in to the customers, then I will try my best to explain to them why I am unable to help them. If I can give in, I will give in
• However, I have to always look out for the company's interest first because that is my main priority.
• However, if the customer is an important client that brings in a lot of deals for the company, then I will have no choice but to give in to them.
• Therefore, it all depends on the situation, company's interests and the customer.
  

From his answer to this question, I know that he is very experienced and practical. Because he mentioned that the company's interest is his main priority and depending on the customer, he will decide whether to give in to the client or not. In the working industry, the boss will only look at how much money and value you can bring to the company. Hence, I suppose what Mr. Lee is trying to say is that if keeping the customer happy will help bring in money to the company then he will go all out to keep the customer happy. However, the same concept applies the other way. If keeping the customer happy will cause the company to lose a huge sum of money, then i guess, they just have to let the customer go.

In your opinion, what makes a good Manager?

• Someone who always sets good examples for staff to follow
• Someone who is committed and dedicated to their work
• Someone who is able to take care of their subordinates welfare

I agree with this answer too. But, I think that a Manager should also be responsible and respectful to all employees and subordinates. :)