What are the roles of managers in today's organizations?

Managers have as many roles as there are businesses.  The term manager is largely undefined as a finite position in an organization.  Managers fill many types of roles and have varying degrees of responsibility and power.  Their positions are usually outlined strictly within the organization they serve, even similarly titled positions will differ across the same industry.

Managers have two broad categories of service to the organization.  They will handle administrative tasks.  This includes payroll and scheduling...

Managers have as many roles as there are businesses.  The term manager is largely undefined as a finite position in an organization.  Managers fill many types of roles and have varying degrees of responsibility and power.  Their positions are usually outlined strictly within the organization they serve, even similarly titled positions will differ across the same industry.

Managers have two broad categories of service to the organization.  They will handle administrative tasks.  This includes payroll and scheduling at the lower levels to organizing policy and procedure in upper echelon management.  Other administrative tasks include subordinate evaluations, task assignment, and coordination across departments.  The administrative tasks are easier to learn because there are usually guidelines for how to handle the jobs.

Managers also must be leaders in most organizations.  Leadership is a more difficult concept to teach because there are multiple ways to lead subordinates.  Leadership depends highly on a individuals personality and the power they wield in the company.  As a leader, they are responsible for motivating employees, ensuring the goals of the company are met, setting an example and acting as a figurehead for their subordinates.