Management Training Skills
Management Training Skills
The role of manager is difficult to fill: Not only must you possess technical knowledge, consistent with the product and service that your organisation offers, but also you need to have additional personal skills relating to:
- The proper organisation of work, together with
- The ability to inspire the best performance from both individuals and teams
How can you set about the task?
Remember that all "big problems" can be tackled by breaking them down into a series of "small problems."
The process of "breaking down" a subject into its constituent parts is called analysis. (From the Greek meaning "to break up, or loosen").
All important concepts can (and should) be analysed, in order to discover their composition and purpose.
Let us analyse the concept of "manager" and see what we can discover Based on our initial statement, we know that the manager has the following attributes:
- Good technical knowledge, consistent with the product or service your organisation offers.
- Personal skills relating to the proper organisation of work.
- Personal skills relating to inspiring the best performance from individuals.
- Personal skills relating to inspiring the best performance of teams.
Each of these four can be analysed to discover their composition.
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1. Good technical knowledge, consistent with the product or service your organisation offers
Presumably, your organisation exists to provide some kind of product or service to its customers.
In order to manage that process, you must have a certain level of specialised knowledge:
- Your Knowledge must be "Up to date"
- Your knowledge must be sufficient
Your knowledge must be "Up to date" Many fields of knowledge are continually advancing and changing:
For example: The Law, technology and fashion continually change.
It is important to keep abreast of the current law, current technology and current fashion that will affect your customers and organisation, by keeping your eyes open and observing, and by reading.
Your knowledge must be sufficient. Absolute knowledge is impossible; you can never know everything.
But you should try to get as close to perfection as possible, in the restricted context of your field of work.
For example:
- If you are a lawyer then strive to have perfect knowledge of the law.
- If you are a sales rep then strive to master sales techniques and methods of persuasion.
2. Personal skills relating to the proper organisation of work
A manager must be able to prioritise and plan work effectively. Prioritisation is the process of placing work tasks in their proper order, by reference to their value deadline and logical sequence.
- Value: Value is measured by consequences: Ask yourself which tasks, if done, or not done, will make the biggest difference?
- Deadline: Deadline is a measure of the urgency of a task: Ask yourself by what date must this be completed?
- Logical sequence: Logical sequence is recognition of the fact that, if the task is to be done correctly, then subset-tasks must be done in a specific order.
Example: The washer goes onto the bolt, before the nut, (not after it).
To be a better manager, perfect the art of prioritising according to value, deadline and logical sequence.
3. Personal skills relating to inspiring the best performance from individuals
In order to get the best performance from any individual member of the group then you must possess certain additional skills.
These are the ability to:
- Set specific goals for the individual to achieve.
- Communicate the goal in a clear and precise way so that the individual can understand exactly what is being required and why.
- Gather feedback to check whether the individual is making progress or not.
- Give corrective guidance where necessary.
With reference to personal skills relating to inspiring the best performance from individuals; learn to:
- Set and communicate goals.
- Formulate plans.
- Allow the person the freedom to take action.
- Monitor and give corrective feedback.
4. Personal skills relating to inspiring the best performance of teams
A team is a group of two or more individuals who are working harmoniously together in a synchronised way to achieve a common goal.
So, in relation to teams we can say the following:
The team must be a group of people who can work harmoniously together. This means that the team members must complement each other; not clash against each other.
Please note that they don't have to like each other. Many successful teams contain people who don't like each other; but they are able to work together, in a productive manner.
Therefore you, the manager, must keep an eye on the relationships within the team.
Be prepared to act quickly to "nip problems in the bud". Specifically, watch out for any signs of the following:
- Any form of dishonestly on the part of any member
- Any form of laziness on the part of any member
- Any form of menacing or aggressive language on the part of any member
- Any excessive "humour" at the expense of others on the part of any member
You need to set-the-scene that is likely to result in a harmonious work atmosphere.
If there is any:
- Dishonesty
- Laziness
- Aggressive menace
- Excessive "humour"
Then disharmony is more likely to erupt within the team.
Summary
A good manager needs to develop the following attributes:
- Good technical knowledge, consistent with the product or service your organisation offers,
- Personal skills relating to the proper organisation of work,
- Personal skills relating to inspiring the best performance from individuals.
- Personal skills relating to inspiring the best performance from the team as a whole.
To be a better manager:
- Get as close to perfect knowledge as is possible, in the restricted context of your field of work.
- Perfect the art of Prioritising according to value, deadline and logical sequence
- Learn to: Set and communicate goals; Formulate plans; Allow the person the freedom to take action; Monitor and give corrective feedback
- Specifically watch out for any signs of the following: Any form of dishonestly; Any form of laziness; Any form of menacing or aggressive language; Any excessive "humour" at the expense of other
Strive always, to create a harmonious work atmosphere.
Why you should attend a short training course for managers.
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About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years’ experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
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