What Are The Skills Of A Good Manager? (With Explanation)

Updated 1 February 2023

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Managers are an integral part of an organisation and they have a key role in its operations. A manager is responsible for leading their team to achieve certain target objectives and contribute to the overall organisational goals. The skills of a manager enable them to take on higher responsibilities and supervise the employees. In this article, we discuss what are the skills of a good manager, explain the different types of managerial skills and how to improve them and provide ways to highlight these skills effectively.

What Are The Skills Of A Good Manager?

The skills of a good manager are the abilities a professional possesses while taking a leadership role in managing a team or a department under them. These skill sets enable the individual to effectively lead the employees and fulfil their responsibilities towards the organisation. A good manager utilises these skills to successfully oversee the work done by their team, encourage employee engagement, improve productivity and bring about a conducive work environment.

Related: What Is The Role Of A Manager?

Examples Of Good Managerial Skills

Skills of a good manager include soft skills that showcase their interpersonal attributes and hard skills, like technical competency. Listed below are skills essential for a good manager:

Communication skills

Communication skills are necessary to interact with the team in an effective and unifying manner. Good communication skills may help managers clearly articulate themselves. It can improve your ability to adapt to different styles and channels of communication as the situation requires.

Listening skills

Listening skills are important for effective management and form a crucial part of communication. Active listening can help managers positively motivate the employees and assure them that their insights, suggestions and feedback are of value. Good listening skills can contribute to a healthy working environment and improve employee satisfaction.

Delegation

Delegation is the skill of assigning tasks based on specific indicators and constraints. A good manager typically knows how to effectively delegate tasks by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the individual and giving them their share of the work accordingly. Strong delegation skills can help save time and enable the manager to manage larger teams successfully.

Decisiveness

The ability to make decisions intuitively is a skill that can help managers make important choices promptly. As a manager, be decisive about various matters like delegating tasks, hiring, departmental issues and scheduling. Being decisive can reflect your clarity of thought and provide a sense of direction to the employees.

Time management

Effective time management skills enable you to keep track of the time you put to work and improve your ability to utilise it optimally. It can help you focus on the tasks that are of high priority and set time-based objectives for the team. Good time management skills also help managers set realistic, achievable deadlines for the tasks.

Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is an essential skill for a manager to effectively exercise work decisions and judgments. Managers with good emotional intelligence understand their own emotions and those of the employees in an objective manner. These skills can help you develop empathy and sensitivity about the issue at work.

Attention to detail

Having a keen observation and attention to detail can be very helpful to managers. These skills can enable them to identify areas that require intervention or improvement. Attention to detail can also help them identify the employee's strengths and weaknesses to delegate tasks accordingly.

Team building

Team building is an essential skill for a good manager as they can utilise it to build and develop a cohesive team. These skills can help managers lay a special emphasis on teamwork, collaboration and elevated productivity among the team members. Team building initiatives also enable better understanding among the employees and foster good working relationships.

Conflict resolution

Conflict resolution is an essential skill for a manager to address unresolved issues. It is common for workplaces to experience disputes and misunderstandings between the employees and conflict resolution skills can help here. These skills can enable managers to resolve any discord diplomatically and fairly, which may encourage a healthy work environment.

Scheduling

Scheduling is the ability to set up the work processes of the project that the team or department may follow. It involves activities like documentation, concept estimation, staffing, costing and procurement. It can help managers streamline the various operations of the team and aim at completing the work in a viable and hassle-free manner.

Software skills

Software skills are essential for a manager to improve work efficiency and productivity. Software tools and solutions help managers effectively delegate tasks, maintain work notes and keep track of the progress made by the team. It can also assist them in remotely managing the affairs of the team and managing the various aspects of their work.

Budgeting

Being effective in budgeting is an essential skill for a good manager. Budgeting skills include budget creation, budget tracking, financial analysis and forecast. An understanding of the operating and employee expenses can help the manager mitigate any potential risks and arrears.

How To Improve Managerial Skills?

Here are some points you may consider to improve your managerial skills:

1. Complete training courses

Consider signing up for training courses and workshops to develop your managerial skills. These courses include seminars, conferences and webinar sessions that may focus on a broad range of subjects or specific skill sets essential for effective management. You may also consider going through the course materials you receive from these training sessions and using them for revising your skills.

2. Shadow successful managers

You may improve your managerial skills by observing and emulating successful managers who are competent in their practice. You may approach managers within your organisation and engage in productive discussions with them and seek guidance when required. This may help you reflect on your work and improve your competency as a manager. You may also connect with successful managers through online forums and social groups.

3. Acquire feedback

As a manager, you may develop your managerial skill sets by obtaining feedback from your colleagues and the team you manage. Feedback can be a great way to receive constructive points of view and this can help you improve upon your practice as a manager. You may also consider getting feedback from your clients as it may help you identify areas of improvement and take well-informed decisions in the future.

Good Managerial Skills In The Workplace

You may consider the following points for using good managerial skills in the workplace:

Lead by setting an example. As an effective manager, you may focus on guiding others through action-oriented leadership. By setting an example, you may positively influence your team through your behaviour.
Have an assessment criteria. As a manager, you may build your team and delegate tasks based on specific criteria. A standard criterion can provide the necessary information to the team and convey the expectations of the organisation.
Identify skills crucial for your workplace. To effectively manage a team, you may adopt skill sets that apply to the circumstances. If you may delegate technical tasks, you may require the necessary hard skills, while communication skills may be essential if you lead daily briefings.
Set realistic and achievable goals. As a manager, it is crucial to set targets and goals that are feasible and realistic. You may identify your team's strengths and constraints and set objectives accordingly to keep the workflow hassle-free.

Highlighting Good Managerial Skills

When creating a list of skills for your resume and job interview, highlight those you know to be your strengths. Consider your previous experiences if you are unsure about which skills to share. Here are some tips you may consider during the application and hiring process:

Manager skills for a resume

You can highlight those skills that are relevant to the job description. As a confirmation of your expertise, you may highlight specific achievements which emphasise these skills. You may prioritise the hard skills required for the role before you mention your soft skills.

Manager skills for a cover letter

You may consider highlighting specific skill sets that simply fit the job criteria for a better impression. Include at least one of your well-developed skills that shows why you are a right fit for the role. You may also highlight how this skill aligns with the values of the organisation.

Manager skills for a job interview

Your interviewer may ask you about your professional experience and the skills that you can bring to the role. You may use this opportunity to phrase your answers based on specific skill sets for which the organisation is actively looking. You may also convey how these skills made you perform well and accomplish tasks in your previous job.