Management and leadership skills
Managers and leaders need to have specific skills to fulfil their role within the business. Click on the skill to read more about it.
Setting Objectives
Objective setting is an important role within management. Individual objectives need to be set so that the business can meet its overall aims.
Motivation
It is important to be able to motivate staff. Motivated staff work more efficiently and do their best for the business. Staff who are unmotivated are likely to avoid work where possible, take more time off work and leave the business sooner.
Decision Making
It is the leader’s role, ultimately, to make decisions. Even when they take a democratic approach, it is the leader who will have the final say.
Team Building
Team building is an essential part of management but it is not just about putting a team together. It is about relationships within the team and how people in the team work together. This can be done by setting objectives, choosing leaders, making everyone aware of their role and communicating effectively.
Pause for thought
Think about times when you worked in a team.
Did the team work effectively?
What made it effective or ineffective?
Leading by example
A leader is expected to show an example to the rest of the workforce. This will mean being present in the workplace and communicating with people at work rather than being behind a closed door in an office or in meetings.
Consulting
Managers do not make decisions in a vacuum so consultation is an essential element of a managers' everyday work. This can include consulting with employees, other managers or people outside the company, for example.
Problem Solving
Managers and leaders need to identify problems and solve them. For leaders, this may be at a strategic level which concerns the overall direction of the company. Managers, on the other hand, may be concerned with operational problems or things that happen on a day-to-day basis, e.g. staff absence.
Appreciating and supporting others
People like to feel valued by others and effective managers know that the whole team needs support in business. Whilst it is up to management to make decisions, it's ultimately the employees who make those decisions a reality.
Conflict management
From time to time conflicts will occur in any workplace. People may disagree about ways of working, how best to solve problems or have different personalities. Managers and leaders will have to deal with this to ensure that everyone can work together amicably.
Pause for thought
Watch the video about Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru.
Use the CC button on the video for English sub-titles
How do they respond to conflict in teams?
Building positive interpersonal relationships
Management and leadership is about getting the best out of people. In order to do this, it is helpful to be able to build positive interpersonal relationships with the people who work for you.
Using emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence is about managing your own emotions and understanding the emotions of people around you. Managers need to keep their own emotions under control and it is important to be able to read other people's emotions and be able to deal with them in a positive way.
Communication
Communication is one of the main skills of a manager. It is essential to communicate clearly in business situations.
Giving feedback
Managers and leaders will often need to provide feedback. This can be simple feedback in passing or more detailed feedback, both positive and negative.