Introduction to Managerial Roles, Skills & Its Levels

 Who is a manager?

The individual who generates ideas and gets things done for others via the use of

• Planning
• Organizing
• Staffing
• Directing
• Controlling

What does a manager do?

• Planning the work
• Solving problems
• Taking decisions
• Coordination
• Setting target
• Stimulating workers
• Delegating authority

 Transitioning from individual contributor to manager

From individual identity	To manager identity
Specialist, perform specific tasks	Journalist coordinates diverse tasks
Get things done through your own efforts	Get things done through others
An individual actor	A network builder
Works relatively independently	Works in a highly interdependent manner

Management Roles 

               Managers perform three types of roles

                                i.            Interpersonal role

                              ii.            Informational role

                           iii.            Decisional role

Interpersonal roles

1.     Figurehead: -

Representing the organization in formal matters: serving as a symbol of the organization.

2.     Liaison: -

Interacting with peers and individuals outside of organisations: establishing external connections

3.     Leaders: - activities concerned with subordinates, motivating, staffing, communicating, and directing.

 Informational roles

1.     Monitor: -

Receiving and collecting information: entails making use of the channels via which the information is delivered.

2.     Disseminator: -transmitting information within an organization.

3.     Spokesman: - transmitting information to the people outside the organizations.

Decisional roles

1.     Entrepreneur: - introducing change; initiating projects to improve organization.

2.     Disturbance handler: - taking charge when the organization is threatened.

3.     Resource allocation: - deciding which and how resources will be allocated.

Negotiator: - involving organizations with other organizations.

What are managerial skills?

   Simply put, managerial skills are the knowledge and competence of people in positions of authority to carry out certain management actions or duties.

·       This knowledge and ability can be learned and practised. They can, however, be obtained through the practical performance of essential actions and tasks.

·  Therefore, you can develop each skill through learning and practical experience as a manager.

·    There are many definitions of skills that talk about talent. A talent is something particular to an individual that demonstrates a natural gift from nature regarding something within that gifted person.

·      All persons cannot be artists: - usually, artists are born with the gift of art, but despite their talent, they continue to develop their talent to improve their art skills.

·      When we talk about managerial skills, we talk about the skills of a manager to maintain high efficiency in the way how his or her employees complete their everyday working tasks.

·     Because of that, managers will need skills that will help them to manage people and technology to ensure an effective and efficient realization of their working duties.

According to Robert Katz, three sorts of abilities are required for a successful management process: -

Three types of managerial skills are: -

1.     Technical skills

2.     Human or interpersonal management skills

3.     Conceptual skills

 Technical skills

·   They give the managers knowledge and the ability to use different techniques to achieve what they want to achieve.

·    Technical skills are not related only to machines, production tools or other equipment, but also, they are skills that will be required to increase sales, design different types of products and services, advertise products and services, and so on.

·      Technical skills are most important for first-level managers. When it comes to senior management, these abilities are not particularly important.

·    As we go through a hierarchy from the bottom to a high level, technical skills lose their importance.

 

Human or interpersonal managerial skills

·     Human or interpersonal management skills represent a manager’s knowledge and ability to work with people.

·      One of the most critical management tasks is to work with people. There would be no need for management or managers if there were no humans.

·     These skills will enable managers to become leaders and motivate employees for better accomplishments.

·        Also, they will help them to make more effective use of human potential in the company. Simply said, these are necessary abilities for managers.

·       Interpersonal management skills are essential for all hair hierarchical levels in the company.

 Conceptual skills

·       Conceptual skills present knowledge or ability of a manager for more abstract thinking. That is, he can readily perceive the big picture by analysing and diagnosing various situations. In this approach, they can forecast the future of the company or department.

·      As a first, a company includes more business elements or functions as selling, marketing, finance, production etc. All of these business aspects have diverse aims, some of which are diametrically opposed. Managers will benefit from conceptual skills since they will be able to look beyond the aims of their department. As a result, they will make decisions that will benefit the overall corporate goals. 

·  Conceptual skills are vital for top managers, less critical for mid-level managers and not required for the first-level managers.

·       As we go from the bottom of the managerial hierarchy to the top, the importance of these skills will rise.

Also, read about:

• Significance of Management, Management Process and its Functions 
• Concept of Management, Theories and Approaches of Management