Basic Management Skills

Managers are entrusted with the responsibilities for successfully completing set of business activities leading to the achievement of various business goals and objectives. Manager’s prime responsibility hence includes “getting things done in the right way and meet the objectives”. While the real work and activities will be always done by a team of workers/experts depending upon type of work. Hence every manager or executive with above responsibilities will need   to use basic management skills for achieving the stated objectives.

At a higher level, every manager will need to

1. Plan the work
2. Organize the team
3. Direct the team for doing the work, and
4. Control the progress for effective completion of the work.

Broadly the skill sets required of a manager can be classified as Hard Skills and Soft Skills and can be learned while taking a PMP certification course. Hard Skills may include skills such as planning, controlling, technical and business skills; while the soft skills will include mostly interpersonal skills and working with human resources

Following are some of the basic management skills every manager will need to possess.

1. Planning and Organizing 

Planning all facets of the work to be done, including the content of the work, time duration of the work, resource requirements of the work is very important. Planning also will include planning for the quality of the deliverables, skills sets of team members, other physical resource planning, risk planning, stakeholder management planning and vendor management planning.

Planning also will include planning for how to monitor and control the progress; various controlling tools etc. to be deployed.

It is also important to identify and organize the resources for successful execution of the plan.

2. Team Building & Team Management

Team management and team building is central to successful management. Ensuring each team member’s performance is to the best potential and also ensuring that the team is really functioning as a cohesive unit with immense respect and trust is critical for success.

3. Leadership

This includes managing one’s own self as well as leading others clearly. This will include influencing, motivating, conflict management, decision making and effective delegating abilities.

4. Communication

Communicating effectively with all stakeholders ensuring that the right information reaches the right stakeholder at the right time using written, verbal and non-verbal communication skills is of paramount importance. Communication manages smooth collaboration between members. Communication also includes listening and questioning.

5. Problem Solving & Critical Thinking 

It is important to have the abilities to critically think through the problems and find out solutions to problems at hand. The manager needs to have the ability for conceptual and abstract thinking.

Conclusion 

Managing people and processes is both an art and science that requires technical and experience-blended practice. The above article is a very introductory insight into the management skills needed and importance of the same. But as the old adage goes” you become better only with regular practice”, same is true for these set of management skills. One becomes adept at them only with time and experience and using them for years with dedication and sincerity.