Management skills

Improve Your Management Skills to Forge a Successful Career as an Executive

In general, essential management skills include Delegation, Leadership, Planning, Motivation, and Problem-Solving. It also helps a great deal if you can build a good relationship with your team. Fans of The Office will doubtless point to David Brent as a prime example of how NOT to behave in a managerial role!

In this article, we will provide a more positive slant and offer several important management skills you can put on your CV.

What Are Management Skills?

A simple management skills definition is as follows: They are attributes a person in a position of authority needs to fulfill specific tasks within a company effectively. Management skills should assist the executive in dealing with co-workers in a fair and understanding manner. A good manager knows their team, and is adept at handling problems when they occur, and spotting potential issues before they happen.

What Are the Top Management Skills?

It depends on who you speak to! Critical thinking skills, technical skills, problem-solving skills, and the ability to create successful strategies are all vital aspects of being a manager. It is a role where you need various types of skills, but we outline several key attributes below.

List of Management Skills

Time Management Skills

You could probably classify it as the ability to plan. As a manager, you will be asked to meet particular objectives, and are held responsible for any failure to comply with them. In this position, you must know the goal, your resources, the deadline, and the budget.

Once you have this information, you have to develop a plan of action which involves deciding who assumes responsibility, and how long each part of a task should take. As you can probably tell, the above also falls under the project management skills banner.

Organisational Skills

Good organisational skills make it easier to complete a plan. It is an understated talent capable of saving companies a considerable amount of time, money, and problems. Associated skills include accuracy, analytical ability, networking, negotiating, and innovation.

People Management Skills

This goes hand-in-hand with interpersonal skills. The most important thing to remember is that management roles are all about people. The most successful managers are outstanding when it comes to building good relationships. They know how to motivate, understand boundaries, and gain the respect of their team.

Communication Skills

Poor communication is the source of most organisational (and day-to-day) problems. As a manager, you are continually speaking with subordinates, superiors, and clients. Those who establish a good relationship with their employees will find it easier to glean information from them. Basic gestures such as showing encouragement and recognising achievements go a long way.

Delegation Skills

One of the greatest stress management skills you can learn is discovering the joys of delegation! It is the act of passing on work-related tasks to other staff members. As a manager, you must understand the strengths and weaknesses of your team so that you can effectively delegate critical tasks.

How to Include Management Skills on a CV?

An increasing number of CVs include skills examples in a separate section. It is unquestionably one of the easiest ways to demonstrate your management skills coherently. However, there is a specific set of skills that hiring managers seek in candidates.

Executives want results-driven managers. They don’t need to tell a goal-orientated person what to do. They point them at the target and walk away. Managers who understand the goal and know how to get there are like gold dust.

Anyone can write down a list of key skills, but how do you prove it? It isn’t enough to say: “I am empathetic, I communicate well, and provide results for my company.” You have to include examples. Here are a few:

• When I left Acme Limited, four of my eight team members followed me to Johnson’s Electricals within six months.
• My team developed a customer service campaign that boosted retention rates by 50% in 12 months.
• I left the car industry and joined construction management, where my team increased company revenue by 55%.
• When the brand’s executives challenged my team to boost revenue by 30% in six months, we increased it by 45%.

You can learn more about what a company craves in a manager by researching it. Check out its website and social media pages to get a better handle on its company culture. Think of it as an opportunity to showcase your research and analytical skills!

How do I Develop My Management Skills?

The first step is to identify your skills. It seems obvious, but how often have you sat down and thought long and hard about what you excel at, and what needs improvement? After this self-analysis, consider the management skills you are lacking and think of ways to turn these weaknesses into strengths. Here are a few ideas:

• Volunteer: Gain valuable experience in leading a team by volunteering at a local charity. As well as looking fantastic on your CV, you gain an understanding of what it is like to take charge of a team. Another great idea is to volunteer as a sports coach. There are tons of sports teams filled with youths just waiting for someone to help them.
• Professional Qualifications: If you don’t have management experience, you can boost your CV by taking on an extra qualification. Examples include a Professional Diploma in Management from IMI or a course with the Institute of Project Management.
• Personal Branding: This is the image or impression that others have of you. When you brand yourself correctly, you get to control the conversation. Think about the image you want to project and take the appropriate steps to get there.
• Improve Communication: If nothing else, improving your ability to communicate with others will work wonders in the world of management. Learn how to listen actively, consider the feelings of others, and take on board feedback. Do so and you are well on your way to becoming a great leader.
• Tackle Challenging Employees: If you are in a management role, dealing with toxic staff is a significant headache. Meet the challenge head-on by scheduling a one-on-one meeting to identify the source of their issues. Ask the opinions of team members, follow up regularly, and, if necessary, make the hard decisions for the good of the team.