Explain Managerial Skills.

To be effective, managers need various abilities ranging from technical to design skills. Moreover, the relative importance of these skills varies according to the level in the organization.

Robert L. Katz identified three kinds of skills for administrators. We suggest fourth-the ability of design solutions.

Managerial Skill and the Organization Hierarchy

1.                  Technical Skill is knowledge of and proficiency in activities involving methods processes, and procedures. Thus it involves working with tools, and supervisors should have the ability to teach these skills to their subordinates. Similarly accountants apply specific techniques in doing their job.  

2.                  Human skill is the ability to work with people, it is cooperative efforts: it is teamwork: it is the creation of an environment in which people feel secure and free to express their opinions.

3.                  Conceptual skill refers to the ability to see the “big picture”. To recognize significant elements in a situation; to understand the relationships among the elements.

4.                  Design Skill connotes the ability to solve problems in way that will benefit an enterprise. To be effective, particular at upper organization levels, managers must to be able to do more than see a problem. They must have, in addition the skill of a good design engineer in working out a practical solution to a problem. If managers merely see the problem and become “problem watchers,” they will fail. Managers must also have that valuable skill of being able to design a workable solution to the problem in the light of the realities they face       

The relative importance of these skills may differ for various levels in the organization hierarchy. Technical skills are of greatest importance at the supervisory level. Human skills are also help full in the frequent interactions with subordinates, associates, and superiors. Conceptual skills, on the other hands, are usually not critical for lower-level supervisors. At the middle management level, the need for technical skills decreases; human skills are still essential: the conceptual design and problem-solving skills gain in importance. At the top management level, conceptual, design and problem-solving abilities as well as human skills are valuable, but there is relatively little need for technical abilities. It is assumed, especially in large companies, that chief executives can utilize the technical abilities of their subordinates. In smaller firms, handover, technical experience.

 Analytical and Problem Solving Abilities     

One of the most frequently mentioned skills desired of managers are analytical and problem-solving abilities. But as Alam Stoneman, former president of the Purex Corporation, used to say “We have no problem here; all are opportunities; all problem should be is an opportunity.” In other words; managers must be able to identify problems should, analyze complex situations, and by solving the problems encountered, exploit the opportunities presented. They must scan the environment and identify, through a rational process, those factors that stand in the way for opportunities. Thus, analytical skills should be used to find needs of present customers-or potential one-and then to satisfy these needs with a product or service. It has been amply demonstrated that this opportunity-seeking approach can mean corporate success. For example, Edwin H. Land of Polaroid filled the needs of people who wanted instant photographs, Similarly, Heinz Nordhoff of Volkswagen satisfied those customers in the late 1940s, 1950s and 1960s who wanted a low-cost, reliable, and fuel-efficient automobile. But problem identification and analysis are not enough. Managers also need the will to implement the solutions; they must recognize the emotions, needs and motivations of the people involved in initiating the required change as well as those who resist change.

Personal Characteristics Needed by Managers             

In addition to the various skills that effective managers are thought to need, several personal characteristics are also important.” These are (1) a desire to manage (2) ability to communicate with empathy, (3) integrity and honest, and (4) the person’s experience –his or her past performance as a manger-which is perhaps the most significant characteristic and which should be carefully considered.

Desire to manager The successful manager has a strong desire to manager, to influence other, and to get results through team efforts of subordinates. To be sure, many people want the niceties of the managerial positions, which include high status and salary, but they lack the basic motivation to achieve results by creating an environment in which people work together towards command aims. The desire to manager requires effort, time energy, and usually long hours of work.         

Communication with empathy Another important characteristic of managers is the ability to communicate through written reports, letters, speeches, and discussions. Communication demands clarity, but even more, it demands empathy. This is the ability to understand the feelings of another person and to deal with the emotional aspects of communication, Communication skills are important for effective intragroup communication, that is, communications with people in the same organization unit. As one goes up in the organization, however, intergroup communication becomes increasingly important. This kind of communications is not only with other departments but also with groups outside the enterprise: customers, suppliers, governments, the community, and of course, the stockholders, in corporate business enterprises.  

Integrity and honest   Manager must be morally sound and worthy of trust. Integrity in managers includes such things as honestly in money and material matters and in dealing with others, effort to keep superiors informed, adherence to the full truth, strength of character, and behavior in accordance with ethical standards.

            Many of these qualities, and others, have been cited by top executives of major companies. Henry Ford II, former chairperson of Ford Motor Company, mentioned as appealing qualities honestly, condor, and openness. Similarly, Donald M. Kendall, chairperson of PepsiCo, Inc., listed work ethics and integrity as essential characteristics of executives. Noah Dietrich, who ran the Howard Hughes Empire for 32 years, placed honestly and condor as the top qualities of his subordinates. His attitude was, “I cannot do my job if the executives who reports to me do not tell me the truth about their operation”

Past performance as a manager   One of the very important characteristics for selection is past performance as a manager. It is probably the most reliable forecast of a manager’s future performance. Of course, and assessment of managerial experience is not possible in selecting fir-line supervisors from the ranks, since they have not had such experience. But past accomplishments are important consideration in the selection of middle-and upper-level managers.