Management skills examples to help you prepare for a promotion

Effective management involves a lot more than just telling people what to do. People with the best management skills in business not only understand the needs of the organisation but also have a good grasp on trends in the broader market and what it takes to help everyone work together successfully.

Here are some of the key considerations to make when moving into management.

Leadership vs management skills: Are they the same thing?

Although the terms are often used interchangeably, leadership skills and management skills aren’t one and the same. While both involve problem-solving, decision-making, planning, delegation, communication, and time management, leadership tends to focus more on motivating and supporting subordinates, while management is about organisation, driving success, and “getting things done”.

With that in mind, not all good managers make good team leaders, and vice versa. Employees with the skills to be both an effective manager and leader are highly sought-after in most organisations.

Examples of management skills

If you’re gearing up for a promotion to a management position, here are some of the key skills hiring managers are likely to be looking for:

Planning

The most successful managers have the ability to see the bigger picture and put actionable plans in place to achieve short-term and long-term goals. Often this involves juggling many different working parts and staying agile enough to be able to shift priorities as needed. This involves:

·       Flexibility

·       Problem-solving

·       Organisational abilities

·       Time management

·       Process guideline creation

·       Logistics

·       Project management

Decision-making

As a manager, you will often have the final say when it comes to making business decisions. This means should be able to analyse situations with many working parts and propose a solution even in situations where there is no ideal approach. This includes:

·       The ability to analyse and parse complex issues

·       Strong research skills

·       Assertiveness

·       Communication skills

·       Critical and strategic thinking

·       Technical knowledge, in some cases

Delegation

Although good employees can work autonomously most of the time, there will be situations when you, as a manager, will need to tell people what to do. Mastering delegation is all about giving clear direction without micromanaging. This includes:

·       Training and development

·       Emotional intelligence

·       Motivation

·       The ability to provide constructive feedback

·       Communication

Oversight

Overseeing your team and the broader business is critical to be able to keep things running smoothly and rectify issues quickly before they get out of hand. This involves keeping an eye on everything from employee engagement to process efficiencies and budgets. Skills include:

·       Process management

·       Team and individual goal-setting

·       Succession planning

·       Team-building

·       Financial reporting and budgeting

·       The ability to monitor and interpret data

With these skills in tow, you’ll be in a great position to push for a promotion and move up to management.