Inheriting the Future
Observations on the evolving role of middle management within the Australian gaming industry; a paper co-authored by Michael Ferris and Andrew MacDonald.
By Andrew MacDonald, Senior Executive Casino Operations
and Michael Ferris
Adelaide Casino, 1995
Introduction and Terminology | Pit Boss – Caretaker or Policeman | Mental Models | “If It Isn’t Broken – Don’t Fix It” | Pioneers Versus Settlers | The Challenge of Change | Bridging the Gulf between the Theoretical and the Practical | From Personal Realm to Professional Sphere | Means of Selection for Promotion | The Formation of Particular Management Structures | The Impact of Promotion upon Candidates Themselves | The Criteria for Selection | Unified Professional Ethic | Pit Boss Job Description | Code Of Ethics (Noblesse Oblige) | The Company Mission Statement | Empowerment of Staff | Implementing Change | The Human Consequences of Change | Walking Backwards into the Future | Bibliography |
Consultation and collaboration with middle management is the key to successfully implementing Change. It is difficult to successfully force changes of this nature and magnitude through a resistant middle management level. Management must be encouraged to willingly participate. For this reason, we deliberately eschew the powerful message and passive audience approach known as the Injection Theory of Communication. To assume that if the message is powerful enough, and that if the audience plays a passive role, that we can simply inject our message into the minds of our middle managers is a dangerous fallacy. It ignores the fact that the audience plays an active role in communication. Thus, the crucial question is what will our audience do with our message? Through careful explanation of the relevance of the changes to the managers themselves, by reinforcing the important role the managers play in this process, and by sustaining a high trust relationship with our middle management, it will be possible to sidestep many of the problems commonly associated with such initiatives.
As part of the move towards these changes, formal training programmes were conducted for the entire middle management group to ensure uniformity of vision and to suggest techniques for self-empowerment. Every middle manager is entitled to know what exactly is required of them and then the individual must be given a period of time to formulate their own responses and put them into action. Cell groups were formed which allowed small groups of Pit Bosses to meet on a regular basis to discuss and compare ideas on the evolution of their role. These working parties permitted an open and honest two-way flow of information between senior and middle management.
Additionally, an open information and education programme which encompassed all members of staff was undertaken. Materials were made available through staff notice boards explaining the precise process of reform we had embarked upon. Such a process is crucial in order to orientate the next generation of middle managers from amongst the ranks of our present Inspectors.
Finally, counselling facilities were established by professionals within the Human Resources Department so as to assist any member of middle management struggling with any aspect of this reorientation process. This support mechanism was rarely called upon, but provides a worthwhile safety precaution given the nature of the proposed changes.
