5 Must-Have Skills for Managers
The skill requirement for managers is different from an average work position. If you have no one below you, you are only really responsible for yourself and your own work. As a manager, though, your job is to ensure the workplace is running effectively. That involves setting goals, motivating staff, and planning the workday. Whether you are a manager wanting to improve or you are looking to climb the ladder to a leadership role, here are five must-have skills.
1: Leadership
The most crucial must-have skill for managers is leadership. Leadership means inspiring, motivating, and guiding a group of people toward success. It is far more than barking orders. In fact, the best leaders don’t have to raise their voices at all, as they naturally command the respect of the room. Good leadership skills mean being there when needed and knowing how to delegate jobs properly. Some people are natural leaders, whereas others have to work hard to get there. If you want to boost your leadership skills while proving to employers that you have what it takes to manage a team, pursuing an Excelsior MS in Management online is an excellent option.
2: Decision-making
Making decisions is part and parcel of being a manager. It’s not enough to make a snap decision based on nothing – you must weigh up the information and hand and make the best decision all around. A lot of the hard decisions in the workplace fall on the manager, which is a big responsibility, so you must be able to handle that.
3: People Skills
Excellent people skills are a must for all managers, as they spend their day communicating with multiple people. That means you must be able to have positive interactions with everyone around you. Without people skills, staff won’t feel as comfortable coming to you for advice or guidance. Some more crucial skills that fall under people skills include:
Communication: Both written and verbal communication must be of high quality to maintain professionalism. Make sure you take the time to perfect this.
Empathy: Managers are responsible for the whole group, which means understanding each person is crucial. With empathy, you will find it easier to get to the root cause of issues and build strong relationships with staff.
A Sense of Humor: Consistent jokes aren’t necessary, but having a sense of humor and seeing the brighter side will help you relate to your team. Learn to assess when it is appropriate to use humor and when not.
4: Forward-thinking
It’s not just the work in front of you that you must complete when you’re a manager. As you are responsible for the team, you must be able to think ahead. That means every decision you make, whether that’s delegating tasks or setting goals, must be done so while considering the future. Predicting outcomes is an important part of that.
5: Confidence
To be a great manager that can lead a team to success, you must have unwavering confidence. Even throughout the more challenging times, you must stay motivated and confident in your and your team’s abilities. Your confidence will rub off on your team, and they will pursue tasks with more belief that they will get it right. Plus, without confidence, few people would take you seriously – something that’s imperative for any manager.
Being a manager is a challenge. With these five skills, however, the role becomes much easier to excel at. The first step should always be to enhance your education as you can gain many of these skills while earning your degree, often without you even being aware of it at first. Work on these outside of your degree for the most success.
