what are the essential skills of managers?
Answers
Answer:
Interpersonal skills
Management jobs are all about people, and being able to build successful relationships is integral. To lead a team you'll need to earn the respect of your colleagues. To do this, you need to know how to effectively deal with people.
Setting time aside to get to know team members on both a personal and professional level, through social activities or team-building training, while still maintaining professional boundaries, will go a long way to earning their respect.
You need to demonstrate your managerial qualities and authority, while maintaining the ability to play your part as a member of a team.
Communication and motivation
Effective leaders must master all forms of communication including written, verbal and listening skills. As a team manager you're the line of communication between frontline staff and senior management. You'll liaise with a variety of people, from entry-level employees to heads of departments and CEOs, in a number of different ways - via email and social media, over the phone and in presentations, meetings and one-to-ones.
You'll need to establish a trusting relationship with employees so they feel comfortable sharing information with you, and vice versa. To ensure that lines of communication remain open, you'll need to make yourself readily available and accessible to your employees to discuss any issues or concerns that arise. Having an open door policy or weekly or monthly team meetings should facilitate this. Let your staff know that they matter by maintaining eye contact, smiling and listening attentively.
An open, positive attitude goes a long way to creating a healthy work environment. Don't shut yourself off or put yourself on a pedestal. Simple gestures, such as active encouragement, recognising achievements and taking an interest in the lives of your employees, ensures that staff feel valued. A positive workplace creates happy, motivated employees.
Organisation and delegation
As a manager you'll juggle multiple responsibilities, so excellent organisational skills are vital. You'll need to manage your own workload, oversee the work of other employees, attend meetings and training sessions, carry out appraisals and review company policies. Sloppy working practices, tardiness and a general lack of organisation won't be tolerated at this level and will set a bad example to your staff. Effective organisational skills reduce stress, save time and ensure that important deadlines are met.
Many managers ease their own busy workload by delegating tasks to colleagues. To do this effectively you need to analyse and identify the skills of your employees and assign duties to each depending on their skillset. Delegation isn't a sign of weakness, and can in fact multiply the amount of work that a manager can accomplish - while developing the team's confidence and skills.
Forward planning and strategic thinking
It's a manager's job to think of the bigger picture, so as well as focusing on today's tasks and responsibilities you'll also need to plan for the future. This means setting priorities in line with company goals, reviewing systems and policies, and attending training and managing the CPD activities of your team. As a strategic thinker, you'll encourage innovation and change in order to make your team and the organisation as a whole more productive and profitable.
Problem solving and decision-making
You'll be tasked with spotting and solving problems on a daily basis in a managerial position. This requires outstanding attention to detail and the ability to remain calm under pressure. To ensure that your team is productive and that the workflow runs smoothly, you'll have to think on your feet when problems arise. Creative thinking will help you to come up with innovative solutions that minimise the impact on your team and the business as a whole.
Thinking on your feet also comes in useful when you have to make a snap decision about how to successfully complete a task or meet a business goal. Being able to quickly weigh up the pros and cons of a situation and make an informed decision is essential.
Commercial awareness
This skill is in huge demand among business employers. In fact, according to recruiters, commercial awareness is something that the majority of graduates lack.
Mentoring
As well as being business-focused decision-makers, managers also need to play a supportive role. If you've reached this senior level you have a repertoire of experience, knowledge and skills, and it's your job to pass this knowledge on and share your skills with others.