Management Skills
Managers need certain skills in order to perform the duties and activities associated with various functions. Katz found that managers need three essential skills or competencies. They are technical sills, interpersonal skills and conceptual skills. It is reported that the relative importance of these skills varied according to the managers level with in the organization. As managers’ progresses from lower level to senior level, he is expected to acquire more of human relations and conceptual skills.
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| Managerial Skills |
Technical skills
This refers to acquisition of knowledge and proficiency in a certain specialized fields. For example, mechanics work with tools, and their supervisors should have the ability to teach them how to use these tools. Similarly accountants apply specific techniques in doing their job.
First line manger, as well as middle level managers, is required to acquire mastery over the technical aspects of the organizational work operations. Technical skills include knowledge of and proficiency incertain specialized fields, such as engineering, computers, finance, manufacturing etc. Kanz proposed that technical skills becomes less important as manager moves into higher level of management, but even top managers need some proficiency in the organization’s specialty. For example, senior executives with an IT background are required to know the different types of operating systems and the current developments in the software industry to use their IT skills frequently in their position as managers when it comes to handling new projects.
Interpersonal Skills
It is ability to work with people; it is cooperative effort; it is team work; it is the creation of an environment in which people feel secure and free to express their opinions
Human or interpersonal skills represent the ability to work well with and understand others to build cooperative effort within a team to motivate and to manage conflict. These skills are important for manages at all levels. Managers need to be aware of their own attitudes, assumption and beliefs as well as being sensitive to their subordinate’s perceptions needs, and motivations.
It is important to note that theses skills are called as soft skills and it is proved that the organizations nurturing those soft skills within the organization are so successful in their business operations. Some of the important soft skills include communicating, motivating, and leading, delegating and negotiating skills. As managers deal directly with people within as well outside the organization, such types of interpersonal skills are crucial in maintaining effective interpersonal relations. Manager with good interpersonal skills are to get the best out of their people. They know how to communicate, motivate, lead and inspire enthusiasms and trust.
Conceptual Skills
It is the ability to see the ‘big picture’ to recognize significant elements in a situation to understand the relationships among the elements
Managers must also have the ability to conceptualize and to think about abstract situations. They must be able to see the organization as whole with holistic approach and able to see the big picture of he organization. The manager must understand the relationships among various subunits and to visualize how organizations fit into this broader environment. These abilities are essential to effective decision-making, and all managers must involve in making decisions. All managers at all levels need conceptual skills. Katz proposed that these skills become more important in top management positions. The reason for this is that the top management managers often deals with abstract ideas, where as lower-level manager normally spend more time dealing with observable technical day-to-day operational activities.
