Introduction
Today, the majority of firms focus more of their efforts on enhancing their workplaces and assuring the comfort of their staff, making management challenges an important topic of research (Promes, 2016, p. 22). The world around us is changing quickly, altering how things are done at work, in communities, at home, and even on a personal basis. As a result of their connections with multi-cultural communities that occasionally have different ideas, they are exposed to many people who hold different ideologies. The most common managerial presumptions found in modern Western workplaces are examined in this essay along with their impact on Christian beliefs. Secondly, it looks into how Christians can transform and position themselves in these environments without having their faiths shaken. Lastly, it explores the challenges and conflicts faced by Christian leaders and ways by which they can apply their managerial skills in solving the issues while guarding their faith at the same time.
Organizational Cultures and Managerial Assumptions
Over the years, organizational cultures have cropped up with many organizations developing their own. Such perceptions are unique to each business and most of the time driven by the sophisticated, diverse and progressive workforce from all over the world. Organizational cultures determine the work ethics and morals that guide its personnel towards achieving a common goal (North & Varvakis, 2016, p. 49). Managers play a fundamental role in shaping and the adoption of corporate cultures. For effective leaders, understanding that business principles and managerial assumptions are not limited to morality and ethics, but that they can profoundly affect the culture of an organization.
Theory X and Theory Y Managers
Douglas McGregor through his studies believed that two types of managers existed. McGregor developed two contrasting theories, Theory X and Theory Y, which explain how managers' beliefs about what influences their people and thus affect their management style (Morphet, 2015, p. 43). These arguments are still in use to date and understanding them helps managers in picking the right management style. Theory X consists of managers who believe that their personnel naturally lack motivation, are lazy and despise their work. On the contrary, Theory Y managers, assume that their employees are highly motivated; make independent decisions at work, are organized, and take full responsibility for work assigned to them. Majority of these leaders create a more collaborative and trust-based organization culture that leaves their workers more satisfied.
Impact of Theory X on Christian Beliefs
Managerial assumptions by Theory X leaders never agree with the fundamental beliefs of Christianity. These bosses are authoritarian and therefore believe that the people they supervise need promotions, rewards, and punishments when employees miss goals. Theory X managers reason that such measures ensure timely completion of tasks. The nature of work in such organizations tends to be repetitive therefore limiting or slowing business growth. Firstly, these managers assume that their employees dislike their jobs. Having such an attitude is wrong for a Christian leader since already, passing judgment on them leads to poor treatments as a way of justifying the need for the extra push. The second assumption is that these managers believe that their employees avoid responsibility thus need constant supervision and direction since they already dislike their jobs. Thirdly, such leaders believe that forcing and further threatening such employees works and leads to productivity. Lastly, such managers think that the "carrot and stick" approach motivate their people an often use performance appraisals as methods of gauging employees output. The assumptions stated above are against Christian values with none of them emulating Christ's behavior while on earth.
Transformation of Business Practices for Christians
Again, it is essential for Christians to adopt and transform the way they do business. Further, much emphasis and strategies as a way of ensuring that their religious values remain compatible with the world of business are necessary. For a Christian, this means applying the Bible and its teachings and other resources of the Christian faith as a guide in helping one decide and do what is ethical or moral at work (Perman, 2016). All Christian employees must understand that they are human and that they work with fellow Christians as well as non-Christians. For this reason, Christian employees must love, respect, and value their co-workers. Consequently, these actions will help others learn the real value of Christianity through them. Just like Christ, Christians must exercise tolerance at workplaces and treat each other equally avoiding issues such as discrimination against sex, race, superiority at work or educational levels. Christian workers must work diligently and with honesty. Being truthful with resources allocated to them, be it financial, office assets or time influences their output and improves the overall delivery of goals set out by their organizations.
Challenges Faced by Christian Leaders
Managers face a myriad of issues at the workplaces that could be unique to them (Roche, Teague & Colvin, 2015, p. 12). Firstly, these leaders might have differing views with other non-Christian managers when handling social conflicts thus threatening teamwork. Dealing with diverse employees can be challenging especially when they both have different spiritual doctrines. For example, when dealing with dress code issues where a female employee comes to work with most parts of the body exposed, the Christian leader can employ human psychology and have a positive discussion on the importance of dressing appropriately, thus not tempting colleagues into fornication. As a result, the employer passes the message of the body being the temple of God. Another conflict that a manager may experience is when the organization uses false information to attract customers. In such a situation, the manager can encourage the marketing team into researching the market needs and using the proper strategies when formulating the needed products.
Balancing Effective Management and Christian Values
Many Christians in leadership positions struggle with balancing effective management while holding true to Christian values and doctrines at the same time. When work handling disputes in the office, these leaders must always confront the truth and stand by it (Roberts, 2015, p. 26). As a result, channels leading to discussing the issues leading to the problems become easily identified and talked with the whole team. For example, the leader can pull two parties involved in squabbles aside, have them each describe the situation from their viewpoint and try to formulate a resolution. Secondly, leaders need to have the guts to say no when they suspect things are not right. Keeping quiet encourages cowardice behavior, in the long run, makes these leaders timid. Effective leaders communicate openly and frequently while giving clear instructions while avoiding ambiguity. Above all, Christian leaders must be approachable, supportive and must lead by example.
Conclusion
Lastly, religious beliefs somehow shape the way human being carry out duties. Important to note is that understanding managerial assumptions gives Christian leaders a chance of learning best practices at workplaces. Regardless of whether they supervise a few or hundreds in their company, it is possible for them to be active leaders and perform their roles in Christ ways without being overly critical, condescending or authoritarian.
References
Morphet, J. (2015). Applying leadership and management in planning. Bristol: Policy Press.
North, K., & Varvakis, G. (2016). Competitive Strategies for Small and Medium Enterprises. New York: Springer
Perman, M. (2016). What’s best next. Michigan: Zondervan.
Promes, M. (2016). Change management and organizational learning in a new working environment. Munich: Herbert Utz Verlag.
Roberts, G. (2015). Christian scripture and human resource management. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Roche, W., Teague, P., & Colvin, A. (2015). The Oxford handbook of conflict management in organizations. Oxford: OUP Oxford.
