Skills of a Manager

Running a business is not just about doing whatever it takes to keep things going. In order to turn your business from an ordinary one in an extraordinary one, you need to take control. That means acquiring the leadership and management skills required to help you avoid crisis situations before they ever occur. Whether it’s planning, delegating, or communicating, the skills you need to have as a manager are some of the most crucial in the business world.

First of all, as a manager, you need to have excellent decision making skills. If you’re the kind of person that seeks others’ approval before being able to act, then managing is not for you. You need to be able to take charge and give the final order both in everyday situations and in times of crisis. Part of being able to do that requires the ability to think critically and deal with complexity. Be ready for having to make tough decisions – decisions that may not always be popular with your colleagues – becoming a regular part of your job.

Another important set of skills you need to acquire as a manager are communication skills. This isn’t just about writing clear and professional letters. You need to be able to listen well. That means much more than just taking the time to hear what other people are saying. That means really being willing to listen to people, to listen and acknowledge what they are trying to tell you. One of the most valuable things I have learned from my own experience so far is that listening to someone is usually far more important to that person than having you agree with them.

A third important component to management skills is knowing how to both work in and build solid and cooperative teams. This means not just getting together a group of people that have fun together. This means constructing a group that is both able to have fun and be productive in getting things done. It is your job as manager to make sure that this sense of teamwork is alive at all levels of your company.

Of course, we all know that things never run smoothly 100 percent of the time, and that is where the fourth component comes in: having conflict management skills. Conflicts are inevitable, but what matters is how you, as manager, deal with those conflicts before they become destructive. Do you have what it takes to nip conflicts in the bud before they begin? Do you have the ability not to take sides but to mediate impartiality?

Management skills are crucial but nevertheless difficult to acquire and perfect. Even the best and most experienced manager can often find themselves tested in difficult situations. Remember that you’re not alone and that no matter what stage of the game you’re at, there is help should you need it. From coaches to courses, there are resources you can take advantage of to gain the skills you need to succeed.

Management might not on the face of it appear to be that difficult compared to the technical aspects of the role. Yet succeeding as a manager is as much about who you are and how you behave as it is about what you do. So what are some of the key management qualities?

Quality 1: Honesty

You will have to deal with many problems and challenges. From time to time you will have to make some tough choices. Those that you manage will look to you for re-assurance that everything will be okay. It is not always going to be possible to do that so learn to be honest with people.

Quality 2: Act with integrity

Acting with integrity is about behaving in a way that demonstrates professionalism. There will be times, especially when under pressure where you might be tempted to breach your own standards. Notice when this is happening and catch yourself before you say or do something that conflicts with your values.

Quality 3: Reliability

Your team will look to you for support and help when things are difficult for them. Be there for them and show them that they can rely on you through good and not so good times.

Quality 4: Being accountable

Part of the deal of being a manager is being accountable for what is and what is not delivered. If you are happy taking the rewards that comes with a management role, it is important to make sure that you are willing to take responsibility for results.

Quality 5: Resilience

Good managers have a knack of bouncing back from setbacks and disappointments. In other words they are resilient. They believe in themselves and what they can achieve and see setbacks as an obstacle to overcome.

Quality 6: Determination

Getting results requires both inspiration and determination. Determination is a willingness to keep looking for ways to get the result you want, even when the odds appear to be stacked against you.

Quality 7: Common sense

The final quality that good managers have in abundance and is often overlooked is common sense. When faced with a host of challenges, it is all too easy to lose sight of the obvious solutions.