Management Skills Made Easy

Good management is a vital resource in all organizations. It is the manager’s role to oversee the performances and behavior of their designated department and ensure that company standards are maintained. There are many different approaches to the position depending on the scope of the position and the personality of the person with the job, but certain high-level managerial skills consistently appear in the best managers. Here is a breakdown of the most important management skills and what factors comprise great leadership.  

What are the 5 Principles of Management? 

Henri Fayol was a French mining engineer and executive whose writings would serve as the basis for classic management theory. In his 1916 book Administration Industrielle et générale, Fayol defined the 5 principles of management as this: 

Planning

Fayol’s theory deems this the most difficult of the five functions, but coming up with a suitable schedule and plan of action is a must for any organization.  

Organizing

A chaotic organization will never reach its full potential. It is management’s job to make sure that all company resources are being used wisely to maximize production.  

Commanding

Fayol stated that managers must be able to deliver clear instructions to employees so they can fulfill their responsibilities on time.  

Coordinating

Management also must work to create a positive culture that brings the best out of the group.  

Controlling

Fayol’s final management principle opines that managers should have the perspective to evaluate performances and determine if employees are performing up to established performance standards. If not, corrective measures could be implemented.  

What are the 5 Ms of management? 

Another good guide for developing managerial skills is the 5 Ms of management. These are the central factors that impact the scope and success of a business. The 5 Ms are: 

Money

One can’t start or sustain a company without an influx of cash.  

Manpower

All of the personnel employed by the organization use its resources effectively.  

Materials

The raw goods that are used to create the final products the business sells.  

Machines

The equipment used to convert or assemble raw materials into finished products.  

Methods

These are systems used to keep an organization running efficiently.   

What are Some Top-Level Management Skills? 

Great leadership can be the difference between a thriving workplace and one where talent is far too eager to seek greener pastures. It has been proven countless times that people deliver better work when they enjoy coming to the office (virtual or otherwise), so to ensure that they get the best results, managers should look to embrace these top-level abilities:  

Leadership 

Let’s start with the obvious: good managers need to exude a sense of authority and charisma that can convince a group of people to work towards the same goals. 

Emotional Intelligence 

Recognizing the mental state of yourself and the people around you wasn’t always an important management skill, but a high level of emotional intelligence is now a must in modern times. Leaders should practice healthy self-awareness of their feelings and have the capacity for self-regulation so that they remain calm in all situations. Empathy is also necessary to connect with fellow workers or customers. 

Strategic Thinking/Critical Thinking 

A certain level of foresight is necessary in quality management. Senior leaders must combine their knowledge with decisiveness to put plans in place that best suit both the present and future goals of the organization. It is also imperative that managers are open to constructive criticism and adapt on the fly when circumstances change. 

Expertise 

If you’re in a position of power in an organization, it sure helps to connect with employees if you understand the subject matter.  It’s important to demonstrate that you are well-versed in the specific department you are managing and how it intersects with other sections.   

Active Listening 

Good communication is a two-way street. It’s not enough to articulate your point of view and expect others to follow. You also have to be willing and able to engage with people on the other side of the conversation. Listening to your colleagues or customers isn’t just an act of common courtesy. Hearing other perspectives on the business will help you learn to make better decisions in the future. 

What are the 7 Main Functions of Management? 

The main goal of management is to fulfill the organization’s ambitions while using its resources in the most efficient manner possible. Inspired by Fayol’s writing, Luther Gullick and Lyndall Urwick coined the term POSDCORB, an acronym that serves as the basis for traditional organizational theory, in a 1937 paper. The duo defined the functions of management as Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing, Co-Ordinating, Reporting, and Budgeting. Critics deemed POSDCORB to be an oversimplification of the role, hailing other elements as equally important.  

Most of these management functions carry over from Mayol’s writings, but the added elements are: 

Staffing 

Managers must hire the right workers who fully fit the requirements for each position. If any staff member is underperforming, it is on management to train them properly, help them improve, or replace them with another worker. It’s also important to be aware of the workload on existing staff and to create pathways for promotions to reward good performance.  

Directing 

Good management delivers clear information and guidance to others that helps them work to the best of their abilities.  

Motivating 

It’s hard to overstate the importance of finding motivation as a management skill. Everyone wants to hear that they’re doing a good job. The efforts of a department under a person’s leadership reflect management’s influence on the group. There are many tangible and emotional ways to motivate people.  

Companies can offer bonuses or awards as incentives for people to work at a high level consistently. In some cases, sincere acknowledgment of a worker’s labor is enough to stave off burnout. Whatever methods a manager chooses, they must result in a positive reaction.  

Develop Your Management Skills at University of the People

Wherever your professional career takes you, managerial skills that make for good leadership are always valuable. You can learn to harness these skills with the help of our business Administration programs. At UoPeople, we train students to lead with aplomb, solve business problems in the best possible manner, and confidently operate in marketing, economics, accounting, and finance. Our programs are 100 percent remote and tuition-free. Apply now!