Soft Skills For Managers

What Soft Skills Do You Need to Succeed?

Everyone knows that managers need certain hard skills in order to be successful. They must have an understanding of budgets, project management and marketing strategies, for example. But what are the so-called “soft skills” managers need in order to succeed?   They’re just as important, but arguably more difficult to master.

Here are some of the soft skills you need in order to thrive in positions of management:

Communication Skills

Managers need to be able to communicate their vision, inspire workers and collaborate with other managers on new company initiatives. Good communication is the foundation of all these activities. In fact, it’s one of the three basic skills all business people need to be successful, according to Stanford University scholar Bob Sutton. The other two are the ability to plan and execute strategies and a grasp of basic math.

People Skills

Man managers must have a deep understanding of their employees’ strengths and weaknesses, goals and motivations. Successful managers go beyond a person’s technical skills and consider his or her social needs, values and personal goals.

Creativity Skills   Perhaps you’ve never thought of this before, but a manager is a creative professional. Ideally, managers should be able to set the agenda for the group they’re leading and inspire others to rally around their vision. They must also be able to work through challenges and barriers, develop alternatives and choose the best solution.

Problem Solving Skills

Have you ever thought about where managers get their ideas for managing problems? The truth is, they probably don’t come from other managers; likely, they come from these employees at all levels of the company. These are the people who often help managers solve problems and succeed.

Managers must be able to listen to their employees’ concerns, analyze root causes and come up with creative solutions that benefit everyone involved. When employees see that you can handle challenges in a responsible way, they’ll start to trust your judgment and respect your authority. This is an invaluable soft skill that, fortunately, can be learned with the right training.

Dependability

Can you be trusted to be where you are supposed to be, to do what is required of you, and to perform what you promise? You won’t succeed if your employer can’t trust you. It’s critical that your coworkers and underlings feel confident in your ability to deliver. Without it, they won’t provide the assistance you need if you are out of town, or they won’t depend on you to contribute your fair share.

Here’s a good way to tell if you have the right soft skills for success: Ask yourself whether your employees and coworkers can count on you to do what is expected. If the answer is no, then it may be time for some self-reflection and perhaps some training.

Attention-to-Detail Skills

Employees need to know that managers will consider their individual needs and opinions, even if they are only a small fraction of the whole. Managers who can give attention to detail regardless of how big or small the issue may be will inspire loyalty and commitment within their teams.

This skill goes beyond the purely administrative ability to keep good records and stay organized.

Teamwork Skills

Research has shown that some companies are actually more productive when their employees are engaged in teams rather than on an individual level. This is because team members often share resources, information, feedback and emotional support that help drive productivity up. Managers with good teamwork skills are able to motivate their employees, delegate tasks effectively and maintain a cohesive flow of work through the organization.

Creativity

There are some managers who consider creativity an unnecessary luxury for businesses that need to keep their focus on the bottom line. Although it’s true that most companies require profit first and foremost, managers must also be able to encourage their teams to think outside the box and come up with new ways of doing things.

Managers who can inspire creativity within their employees will be able to bring fresh ideas and new solutions to challenging problems. Look for a company that encourages your creative side, as many employers now understand the benefits of being creative both inside and outside of work.

Leadership Skills

Managers don’t need to lead everyone who works for them, but they must be able to step up and take the lead when necessary. An effective manager can provide vision and direction, motivate employees to move forward with their ideas, keep morale high and encourage people to collaborate toward a greater good. Leadership skills are essential to success, both for the business and for you as an individual.

Work Ethic

Do you work hard or do you sit back and let others do the job? Are you the most productive member of your group? If that’s not the case, it’s time to improve. No one wants to work for a slacker. Your peers and your employees need you to be hard working so that they can push themselves, too.

It’s not always about the quantity of work you produce but also the quality. If you can do high-quality work in less time than it takes others to complete an average task, then you’ve got a bit of an edge.

A good work ethic is about commitment, consistency and responsibility. It’s not necessarily about hours logged or tasks completed, but rather how you approach your responsibilities every day. And it’s important to be happy in what you do.

Professionalism

Maintaining professionalism may be tough for leaders who get along with many of their staff, but maintaining the distinction between work and personal life (and balancing the two) is essential. If you have friends at work, set clear boundaries; treat all underlings in a fair manner regardless of friendships; and avoid any special treatment or favors.

Listening

Managers, in particular, need to be good listeners. Being an “active listener,” that is, truly listening to what someone else is saying and absorbing their ideas before formulating a response, shows respect for others’ ideas and beliefs. Being a good listener ensures that you have all of the information before making a decision or attempting to solve an issue.

Delegation

Managers are frequently advised on how to delegate tasks effectively. It’s impossible for any one person to handle all activities, but failing to delegate may lead to micromanagement and other issues in the department. Managers must not only be ready to delegate responsibilities, but also who they should delegate them to and when, as well as motivate those individuals to move forward with ideas and tasks.

Being a manager is about having the ability to lead others, as well as push them to do more than they think they can. A good boss also knows how to delegate effectively because it doesn’t make sense for one person to handle everything; employees need training in order to complete certain projects or accomplish goals.

Critical Thinking

Managers who excel at identifying potential problems and making judgments based on a variety of factors and viewpoints are known as good managers. As the speed of business has increased, being able to think critically has become more important, and managers face more complex decisions every day. Being willing to question ideas, look deeper than the surface, and discover potential in every scenario is critical for success.

Being able to think critically doesn’t mean that one should question everything and never take action, but managers need to be open-minded and willing to observe and process information in order to make good decisions in the best interests of both employees and customers.

Time Management Skills

Time is the most important resource a manager will never have enough of. To be a successful manager, it’s critical that you develop and maintain your time management skills. You must also be able to optimize what you do achieve in the limited amount of time you have.

Goal Setting

Managers who are good at making decisions and setting objectives are able to see what has to be done and set goals for themselves and their team. Don’t just go through the day doing whatever comes your way. Prioritize. Determine what must be done and establish specific objectives for yourself as well as your team.

Trustworthiness

You can’t effectively lead others and encourage them to accomplish things if you aren’t trustworthy. Managers must be honest, open, and willing to acknowledge their errors in order for others to do the same.

Networking

Managers must work across departments, liaising with others to put plans and create methods into action. As the number of companies that operate in a cross-functional team setting grows, the importance of networking and establishing working relationships with individuals throughout the company increases. Networking proactively and getting to know other executives may help you advance your career.

Employee Recognition

A great leader is one who can recognize a job well done and give credit where credit is due. A simple “Thank you” may go a long way toward inspiring a team, but publicly recognizing and celebrating accomplishments improves loyalty and commitment.

Managing Discipline

Even in the most productive teams, there will almost certainly be issues with employee performance and discipline. It’s critical for executives to deal with disciplinary difficulties effectively and justly since ignoring it may jeopardize their power. Effective leaders tackle problems as soon as they arise, utilize established procedures, develop remedies for fixing the problem, and follow through on those solutions.

Mental Agility

Look for the individual who is one step ahead of me in the interview since they will be the same way when hired. These individuals are quick to pick things up. They have a thorough knowledge of business and their specific industry. They’re good thinkers and problem solvers.

Flexibility

Every day, we face new circumstances. Legal and regulatory environments are ever-changing. New goods are released by rivals. calamities occur. Good managers have the ability to adapt to constant change. Good managers expect it and plan for it accordingly. As a result, they are better positioned to handle unanticipated events. Their flexibility allows them to react more quickly to change, allowing their companies to make more effective decisions earlier.

The ideas of flexibility and stability are often portrayed as being at odds with each other. However, the most effective managers are able to balance these two qualities by anticipating problems instead of simply reacting to them after they happen. Leaders who pay attention ahead of time will be able to better deal with stress and change.

Managing Stress

All managers will experience periods of high stress and pressure. As a result, the best managers are able to deal with pressure when they must in order to maintain the highest level of performance from their workforce. How well you manage stressful situations is just as important as how effectively you plan for this eventuality.

Self-Awareness

Being able to recognize your own strengths and weaknesses, the best managers are more adept at managing themselves. They can more easily set their strengths into motion and minimize their impact of their limitations in a positive way. The ability to admit when you’re wrong or in over your head is critical in leadership positions.

Takes Direction Well

In the eyes of many, a manager’s job is to figure out what has to be done and get it done. There are times when managers must be informed to do something, and although this might seem like a contradiction, there is much truth in it. Whether it’s an organizational shift or coaching on their performance, a competent manager should be able to listen and take direction from their employers.

An effective manager is able to make decisions with minimal input whenever possible, but they are also adept at understanding the needs of other employees and taking them into consideration when developing their own plans. Having an open mind helps managers understand how best to move forward in different situations.

Motivation

Managers must be able to inspire their employees. This necessitates a deep understanding of your team, as well as what they care about and why they do what they do. Motivational leaders keep workers informed and encourage them to see their role in the organization’s success. They offer development possibilities and create meaningful reward and recognition systems to keep staff motivated and engaged.

The best managers bring out the best in those around them, keeping morale high even when times are tough. They see their employees as an extension of themselves and do everything possible to drive people forward toward a common goal, whether this is a new product launch or consistent revenue growth.

Motivation is critical for any manager to succeed. Fostering a productive work environment is vital for the long-term success of any company. A motivated workforce will be more likely to adopt new policies and procedures, keep up high productivity rates, and remain loyal to their employers when difficult situations arise.

Negotiation

Most leaders are in negotiations all day, with clients, workers, and friends and family. The most effective negotiators maintain a neutral tone while pushing for their objectives.

Tip: Appeal to their emotions by looking at the problem from their perspective, being willing to give multiple alternatives, demonstrating that you’ve heard and comprehended the other side, and offering to assist in any manner to demonstrate that you’re a team player.

Delivering Criticism & Feedback

Giving constructive criticism to employees who may not be functioning at their maximum capacity is critical in maintaining high standards and producing work that meets those standards for leaders overseeing staff who may not be performing at the optimum level.

Tip: Don’t point fingers, don’t sugarcoat the problem, give criticism in a private setting, be specific about what you want to change, and ask for the person’s input so they feel like they’re involved in finding a solution.

Critical observation

Data may be meaningless if you don’t know how to use it. Is there a pattern to be seen? What else should you keep an eye out for? Being a critical thinker can help you improve your performance in every area.

Organizations require critical thinkers—people with a unique viewpoint and practical ideas to assist the firm gain an advantage over the competition or enhance internal procedures.

You must be able to analyze data and apply it in order to be a critical watcher. Try looking for patterns in your office behavior. Is your manager, for example, actually reading the weekly sales reports? In the staff meeting, what was her response when terrible news was delivered? What is the best time of day to ask your manager a question?

Conflict resolution

“Any time you bring more than one individual together in an organization, there will be conflict,” says Robinson. “It’s human nature.” As a result, being able to resolve issues with coworkers will aid you in maintaining friendships and working more effectively.

Someone who can work through conflicts with others shows maturity as well as leadership potential. Someone like this contributes to the healthy and cooperative atmosphere in the workplace.

The greatest approach to address conflicts between coworkers is to deal with them straight but gently. So, when you step in as a mediator, allow both parties to speak their minds freely and then work together to arrive at a solution.

Conclusion

If your employer can’t spot these skills in you, then maybe it’s time for training or some self-reflection on how to build soft skills that will take you far with your company. Soft skills are valuable assets that can help managers become more effective leaders within their organizations. With the right focus and a little bit of work, you can gain your employer’s confidence and inspire those who work for you to do their best.

The first step is to understand what soft skills are and how they relate to success as a manager. Next, look at common soft skills that employers value most and try to determine whether or not you possess them. Finally, read through the list of qualities your employees want in a manager and apply those to yourself as well. Self-reflection is critical if you want to do the best job possible for both yourself and your employer.

These are just some of the soft skills managers need to be successful — but they’re by no means all-inclusive. Which soft skills do you think managers must have? How would you rate your own abilities in each of these skill categories? You should also take a look at our other blog posts on this site to see other qualities that managers need to be successful, as well as other career advice for those who want a satisfying and rewarding business career.