Who is a manager? A manager is someone who has responsibility over other people. A manager will use their skills to guide and direct other people to work together to get a job done. This occurs often - but not exclusively - in the workplace.
But what skills does a good manager need? Below, you will find an answer to that question.
The skills of a good manager.
1. People skills.
A good manager needs to be able to get along with people, to listen to their concerns, to communicate well, and also to direct and guide them. A good manager will be a ‘people person’ as well as a firm and fair leader.
2. Training.
Management is a skill or craft that needs to be learned. It can be said that, in order to be a good manager, one must be well trained in the art of management, for instance by taking a university course or a diploma in management studies.
3. Knowledge of the rules.
In the workplace, managers need to have a firm grasp of all of the relevant rules and regulations.
4. The ability to use power fairly.
Managers are given a certain amount of power: power to direct other people and tell them what to do. Managers often also have power over resources: they may, for example, be placed in charge of finances for a project. As such, managers need to be upright, fair and honest people who use their power for the good of others.
5. Good timekeeping.
In order to get projects done on time, managers need to be great at scheduling. Moreover, a good manager will not only manage their own time. They will also be adept at managing the schedules of other people, and keeping them on track with whatever tasks they need to do.
6. Passionate.
How can you be a good manager unless you are passionate about management, passionate about the team you are working with, and passionate about the project that you are all working on together? A good manager needs to be motivated by such passion, and driven to make a success of their work.
7. Good communication skills.
Managers need to be able to communicate clearly just what it is that they want their team to do. Good communication is as much about listening as it is about speaking, though. Thus, a good manager also need to be very skilled at listening to the other people on their team, so that they can appreciate their concerns and take them on board at all times. Managers need to be receptive to criticism or questions from the people that they are working with, as well as being able to deal out constructive criticism to others in their turn.
Conclusion.
Do you have what it takes to be a good manager? Learning some managerial skills could actually help us in other aspects of our life as well. These skills are transferable and we can use them to ensure that we are (for example) better communicators in our friendships and better at managing our time when we are working on our own personal projects.
Laura