Managers carry a wide range of responsibilities across an organization: they are tasked with directly supervising or leading the team, and serving as the middlemen between employees and senior management. And no matter what line of work, specialty, or department they fall on, being a manager requires a certain set of skills to manage people and balance many differing agendas.
For employees eyeing a management position, they need to be able to understand the basic skills and exhibit the right temperament to match the responsibilities required for such a demanding role. Think you have what it takes to be a manager? Here are the five skills you need to demonstrate to land that management role:
1. Communication
Communication is vital for managers. Having strong communication skills enable a leader to effectively delegate his authority and responsibility to others. After all, there can be no directive or instruction without the manager communicating these to his/her employees. An effective leader can also use his/her communication skills to motivate his team to boost morale and achieve organizational goals.
Moreover, being a good communicator is not just limited to verbal skills. Another important part of communication is listening. An effective manager is someone who listens to the ideas and concerns of his employees and has the ability to accept feedback from others.
2. Being adaptive
In fast and highly-dynamic work environments, always be ready to expect the unexpected. Whether you’re dealing with dissatisfied clients, resolving an internal matter, or dealing with external factors beyond control, a manager must always be on top of the situation.
Furthermore, an adaptive manager is someone who is decisive and ready to take charge in times of crisis and unexpected situations, and have the presence of mind to make quick decisions to take necessary courses of action. More than that, managers should be able to have the foresight to anticipate and prepare contingency plans ahead of time.
3. Collaboration
When your job involves leading teams and working directly with people, it should already be a given that managers should also be good collaborators. Whether you’re working on a project, taking part in brainstorms and ideations, or attending meetings, the best managers are the ones who are able to work effectively with the people around them. Moreover, a good leader knows when to either take charge of a project, or when to take a backseat and let others take the lead.
4. Conflict Resolution
Conflict is inevitable. People will always have differing opinions and clashing ideas. And without any proper resolution or intervention, even a simple disagreement can flare up into resentment, and even damage staff morale.
Managers should be equipped with the skill of resolving conflicts between two workers. They should act with accountability and be ready to defend the position of the employees in question, settle disputes and ensure that the team maintains high morale.
5. Time Management
There are moments when it seems there is just not enough time in the day. And countless hours are spent with nothing being accomplished. After all, the unfortunate fact is that being busy is not the same as being productive.
An effective manager knows what to prioritize and where to direct his or her focus and resources to achieve results. Moreover, an effective manager is able to manage not only his/her time, but is also able to coach his/her staff on their managing their time, as well. They do not overpromise and set impossible targets and deadlines, opting instead to effectively delegate his or her responsibilities across the team to help spread the workload evenly in order to save time and maximize efficiency.
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How organizations play a role in managerial development
Organizations place a lot of responsibilities on their managers and as such, it is imperative to clearly state the expectations of the role and identify the people with the right skills and temperament to match the responsibilities.
For organizations, more openness and investment towards learning and development and management training programs also bring about more opportunities, so that their employees can also develop their skills and core competencies to take on future leadership roles.
TeamAsia Training offers credible and comprehensive skill-building, work behavior, leadership development training, and team-building workshops through its roster of expert trainers. Email them at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to schedule one of their trainings today.
