10 Common Management Roles (With Skills And Tips To Improve)

Managers perform multiple duties beyond serving in leadership roles for one or more departments. They ensure that operations are running smoothly and also address the logistics of a business operation and interact with its stakeholders. Reading about the duties that managers perform can help you better understand what the daily responsibilities of a managerial role are like, and help you determine if you would like to pursue this line of work. In this article, we explore what a manager does, list 10 common management roles and offer tips for improving your management skills.

10 Common Management Roles

Management roles may pertain to running a particular department, a group of departments or a company as a whole. This is a list of 10 of the most common roles in management:

1. Leader

A manager may lead their staff by providing employees with a vision or long-term goal to achieve. Employees rely on managers to provide direction and decide on courses of action. An effective manager inspires team members to reach both short-term and long-term goals, for their own professional development and for the growth of the company.

Related: Leadership Roles (With Examples And Functions Of Leadership)

2. Spokesperson

A manager may serve as an advocate of the company or organisation's interests. By communicating positive messages about the company, managers inform the general public about an organisation's overarching goals and philosophy. Managers work to promote the organisation and may assist the public relations team in marketing the company's products to potential stakeholders or investors, while attending events and giving speeches.

3. Entrepreneur

Managers often solve problems and brainstorm new business ideas for a company or a department. Using their vision, they engineer the change they want to see in the company by developing new projects or modifying existing projects. Managers may be passionate about their company and open to taking calculated risks to develop better and effective business solutions.

Related: 10 Entrepreneur Characteristics That Lead To Success

4. Trainer

As a manager, you may help train new hires and existing employees. This may involve facilitating on-site training and development opportunities, or leading training sessions. Managers may also provide hands-on supervision to the employees as they learn new skills. When there is an introduction or updates on new technologies, managers help employees learn and adjust to changes.

5. Representative

A manager may be a representative of the company in formal situations and meetings. This may require them to appear at community and social events such as a lunch with a client, an employee's wedding or a charity fundraiser. It is important for a manager to represent the company in a positive manner at such events.

6. Liaison

A manager may serve as the connection between different departments in a company and also with external organisations that affiliate themselves with a company. Managers may also network on behalf of the company to build contacts in the community or within an industry. Managers can act as messengers for executive leadership, such as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and deliver information to employees on their behalf.

7. Monitor

Managers may monitor the productivity and well-being of their employees. They can keep track of what is being done and look for anything interfering with productivity. Managers also stay up-to-date with news and information relevant to the company and its employees.

8. Policy enforcer

A manager may implement company-wide policies and make employees accountable for their actions. When violations occur, they may discipline employees. This includes enforcing rules and regulations to ensure that similar misconduct or deviations do not occur in the future.

9. Mediator

Managers can resolve and control internal or external conflicts. This may include conflicts between two employees, a customer complaint or conflicts between employees and administrators. Managers may act similar to a judge in resolving problems and stopping minor issues from escalating.

10. Resource allocator

Managers often allocate funds and resources within their office or department, such as equipment, in the most efficient and cost-effective way. They may plan the most effective way to complete projects within deadlines and set budgets. Managers may assign projects to employees and monitor those projects to see if they have to reassign work as specific needs arise.

What Do Managers Do?

Managers plan, direct and control resources to achieve a company's overall vision for growth. Setting clearly defined goals, managers may help motivate employees to achieve success and provide mentorship for professional growth. A manager's role has three components:

• Interpersonal: Managers often interact with a variety of people, including employees, company leadership and the public.

• Informational: Managers may have a role in providing information to employees and the public.

• Decision-making: Managers may hire new employees, conduct evaluations of current employees and make decisions that affect business operations.

Related: What Is Management? Definition, Functions And Levels

What Are Some Essential Managerial Skills?

Being a successful manager requires you to master a number of skills. Whether the role is an entry-level supervisory job or an advanced one, managerial positions demand impeccable technical skills and strong conceptual and interpersonal skills. While the importance of various skills differs between job roles and organisations, the basic set of skills required to perform well as a manager remain the same.

Throughout your managerial career, employers may expect you to communicate abstract ideas clearly, use and manage time efficiently and help your team come up with solutions and well-rounded decisions. A few skills you may use through your career as a manager are:

• Technical skills: You usually learn these skills during your formal education in college and may use them extensively depending on your job role. These skills help you oversee the performance of other members on your team.

• Interpersonal skills: As you move ahead in your career as a manager, you may rely on other professionals to set and achieve goals for your organisation or company. Interpersonal skills help you develop healthy professional relationships with people, foster values such as trust and teamwork, encourage improvement and address issues that arise along the course of various projects.

• Communication skills: All managerial roles require good oral and written communication skills that are fit for both formal and informal situations. To ensure proper communication, you may require good command over languages and grammar and the ability to draft error-free documents and messages.

• Time management skills: As a manager, you may prioritise tasks for yourself and your team members, to focus on important items first. While conducting meetings, it is essential to stick to the agenda so that meetings start and end on time.

• Decision making and problem-solving skills: Managers may analyse problems and take important decisions to identify and select the best possible solutions. It is essential to develop these skills so you can visualise different outcomes of a business situation and advise your team or company on the best route to take.

• Conceptual skills: Managers in top positions may be responsible for deciding what is best for the company or organisation over the course of time. This requires the ability to reason and analyse various situations and think creatively to arrive at solutions.

Related: Management Skills: Definition And Examples

Tips To Improve Management Skills

Below are some tips to help you develop your management skills:

• Build confidence. Having confidence in yourself can give you the ability to use your authority and take charge of a team.

• Develop communication skills. Being able to communicate with employees and leadership can help you gather information and make decisions.

• Practice networking. Networking skills can help you interact with other departments and others within the community or industry.

• Pursue management education. Taking courses, reading books and attending relevant workshops in your industry can give you the knowledge you require to become an expert in your field.

• Get organised. Find an organisation system that works for you, whether on an online platform or in a physical planner, to help manage and prioritise your tasks.

• Improve problem-solving. Initiate brainstorming sessions where you try to come up with a solution or solutions to a problem, to help build confidence and improve your problem-solving abilities.

Related: How To Develop Effective People Management Skills

Benefits Of Having A Functional Management Team

Having a strong and functional management team is important for the sustained success of a business organisation. A team working under an effective manager provides several advantages to the company, such as better strategy and creativity, good time management and organisation within the team and increased productivity and motivation. A well-managed team also has a lesser frequency of conflicts among members and improved employee relations. An effective manager also helps team members break down differences, foster honest and open communication and contribute more creative ideas and solutions.