Management Skills

Management Skills: A Personal Assessment

Based on the three-skill model of administration/management, I realize that I am deficient in technical skills. As defined by Mukarromah, Mudjito and Purbaningrum (2019), technical skills refer to the ability to analyze and apply processes, techniques or methods in executing special activities and operating relevant equipment. Such skills are mainly used in fields like accounting, production, and sales. Concerning conceptual skills, I would say that I perform fairly well in this area. One of my major strengths is the ability to prioritize and prepare schedules for the tasks I have to do. In addition, I conduct a critical assessment of the risks, benefits, and challenges related to a given course of action before I commit my energy, time and resources to activities. In short, I consider myself to be a conceptually skilled person who does not make quick decisions but takes time to weigh the pros and cons.

Another weakness is that I am not very good when it comes to people skills. Also known as human skills, people skills refer to knowledge regarding human behavior as well as ability to create and maintain healthy relationships with other people. It is measured by the degree to which one can understand other people’s feelings, motivations, and attitudes while also communicating clearly (Katz, 2009). I rate myself as an average listener but I prefer staying alone than be with people who I feel do not add value to my life. In fact, I only have one person who I consider to be a true friend and with whom I can spend hours without getting bored. When I cannot be with that person, I would rather stay home and sleep, watch television or play games on my computer. I also pursue peace only when dealing with reasonable people; when I enter into an argument with someone and it proves that they are not interested in ending the conflict, I walk away.

Realizing that I lack sufficient human skills came as a big surprise to me; I have always viewed myself as a people’s person. If asked to describe myself, I would say I have profound respect for everyone, an empathetic individual who believes in living peacefully with everyone. It, therefore, surprises me that my score in the area of human skills is average. On a different note, I was not surprised that my technical skills are not that Impressive; since childhood I have avoided technical subjects and activities.

In order to improve my human skills, sensitivity training would be highly helpful. According to Pant and Baroudi (2008), interpersonal skills can be taught either in school or in the workplace. Although it may be difficult for a person to change the way he/she treats others, research has shown that sensitivity training programs help managers to deal with people in a better way. Through such programs, I will be helped to become a better listener to all people regardless of whether or not their arguments seem to make sense to me.

Case studies are an effective resource for enhancing conceptual skills (Katz, 2009). Just to reiterate, conceptual thinking entails connecting abstract ideas to generate new ones and deepen one’s understanding of a given issue. In reference to this, case studies help managers to develop solutions to work challenges by studying how other organizations have handled similar problems. By using the case study approach, a manager can learn a lot about effective ways of solving issues that arise, either now or in the future. Lastly, signing up for a technical skill can be a great way of building one’s technical skill. For example, if I want to acquire some basic working knowledge about accounting, it is only prudent that I enroll for accounting classes. These classes would equip me with the basic principles, standards and processes of accounting (Katz, 2009).

Being skilled in each of the three areas described above has a significant impact in promoting a positive culture in today’s global world. To begin with, it is a well-known fact that most organizations today embody the concept of diversity, comprising individuals from diverse backgrounds and with different capabilities, ideologies and orientations (Akinnusi, Sonubi & Oyewunmi, 2017). As such, possessing adequate human skills will help me as a manager to relate well with my colleagues and also build healthy relationships between employees. When it comes to conceptual skills, my ability to conceptualize abstract ideas and formulate solutions to emerging business challenges is helpful in addressing the uncertainties and complexities that define the business environment today. Precisely, I am aware that as a manager, I will regularly be required to chart the way forward for my department in response to the threats and opportunities posed by the macro environment. This is where my conceptual thinking skills come in handy, helping to cultivate a positive culture of embracing change as an inevitable, potentially helpful phenomenon to the organization.

Lastly, there is need for me to work on my technical skills as they have been identified to be indispensable to efficiency of operations in organizations (Katz, 2009). This is because as a manager, I am expected to ensure maximum results at the least costs possible. In other words, improving my technical skills will help to promote a positive culture by devising and implementing ways of reducing costs, boosting productivity and keeping employees motivated to give their best.

References

Akinnusi, D. M., Sonubi, O. O., & Oyewunmi, A. E. (2017). Fostering effective workforce diversity management in Nigerian organizations: The challenge of Human Resource Management. International Review of Management and Marketing, 7(2), 108-116.

Katz, R. L. (2009). Skills of an effective administrator. Harvard Business Review Press.

Mukarromah, I., Mudjito, M., & Purbaningrum, E. (2019). The effect of managerial skills (conceptual, human, and technical) of headmasters to the effectiveness of Islamic senior high schools in Jombang District. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Studies, 1(6), 539-544.

Pant, I., & Baroudi, B. (2008). Project management education: The human skills imperative. International Journal of Project Management, 26(2), 124-128.