Management (skills)

MANAGERIAL SKILLS
A skill is an individual’s ability to translate knowledge into action
and is manifested in the performance.
People can be born with certain skills but it is very much possible
to develop them through appropriate training and experience.
In order to discharge roles successfully a manager should
possess the following three skills:
1. Conceptual skills,
2. Interpersonal skills and
3. Technical skills.

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 Conceptual Skills
• Conceptual skill is the ability to think analytically and solve
complex problems. It involves the ability to break down
problems into smaller parts, and to recognise the influence or
implications of any one problem on others.
• Managers are increasingly required to deal with more
ambiguous problems, that have many complications and long
term consequences.
• The ability to understand the external and the internal
environment, conceptualise the issues involved directly and
indirectly and come out with a decision or solution.

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 Human Relations Skill
Human relations skill is the ability to work well in co-
operation with other people at all levels.
This skill develops in the manager an ability:
1. To recognise the feelings and sentiments of others,
2. To anticipate and judge the outcome of various actions
envisaged to be taken.
3. To examine his own concepts and values which may
enable him to develop correct attitudes

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Technical Skills
• A technical skill is the ability to use a special proficiency or expertise
in one’s work.
• Engineers, doctors, tailors, accountants, market researchers for
example possess technical skills.
• Technical skills can be initially acquired thru’ formal education and are
further developed by training and experience.

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 Skill –mix at different management levels.

Lower level Middle Level Top level

managers managers managers
Conceptual skills-the ability to think analytically and achieve
integrative
Problem solving.

Human skills-the ability to work well in cooperation with other

people

Technical skills-the ability to apply expertise and perform

Special tasks with proficiency

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MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATION

Organisation

action information

Management processes
DECISION MAKING
 DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5

Find and Generate and Select Implement Evaluate

define evaluate preferred solution results
problem alternative solution
solutions

Recycle process
as necessary
FACTORS INFLUENCING DECISION-
MAKING
Information
(sources and technology)

Uncertainty

Alternatives

Objectives Decision-making
Decision

Constraints

Interests
(stakeholders, ethics and culture)
OBSERVABLE AND CORE CULTURE

Stories
OBSERVABLE CULTURE
tales about events
conveying
core values

Rites and rituals CORE CULTURE Heroes

Core values
Celebration of heroes People (past and
and events displaying beliefs about the right present) who
core values way to behave display core values

Symbols

Language and other

symbols conveying
core values
 GROUP DECISION MAKING

PROBLEM SOLVING
Communication

Information

Alternatives

Power Group
Objectives Decision
Decision-making

Interests

CONFLICT RESOLUTION Conflict management

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLES

High assertiveness Competing Collaborating

Compromising

Avoiding Accommodating
Low assertiveness

Low co-operation High co-operation

Assertiveness: party attempts to satisfy own concerns and goals

Co-operation: party attempts to satisfy the other party’s concerns and goals
SOURCES OF POWER
Sources of power
Power of the position
Based on things managers can
offer to others
Rewards: ‘If you do what I ask, I’ll,
give you a reward’
Coercion: ‘If you don’t do what I ask
I’ll punish you’
Legitimacy: ‘Because I am the boss,
you must do what I ask’
Power of the person
Based on the ways managers
are viewed by others
Expertise: as a sources of special
knowledge and information
Reference: as a person with whom
others like to identify
ADMINISTRATIVE CONCEPTS

Decentralisation

Business Flexible
concept concept

High degree Low degree

of formalisation of formalisation

Bureaucratic Authority
concept concept

Centralisation
Planning ( a management function )
 Takeaway 1: Why and How Managers Plan

• Planning : The process of setting objectives and

determining how to accomplish them

• Plan : A statement of action steps to be taken in

order to accomplish the objectives
 Takeaway 1: Why and How Managers Plan

• Steps in the planning process:

• Define your objectives

• Determine where you stand vis-à-vis objectives

• Develop premises regarding future conditions

• Analyze alternatives and make a plan

• Implement the plan and evaluate results

The roles of planning and controlling in the
management process
Takeaway 1: Why and How Managers Plan

• Benefits of planning:

• Improves focus and flexibility

• Improves action orientation

• Improves coordination and control

• Improves time management

 Takeaway 1: Why and How Managers Plan

• Personal time management tips:

• DO say “no” to requests that distract from what you should be
doing
• DON’T get bogged down in details that can be addressed later

• DO screen telephone calls, emails, and meeting requests

 Takeaway 1: Why and How Managers Plan

• More personal time management tips:

• DON’T let drop-in visitors instant messaging use up your time

• DO prioritize your important and urgent work

• DON’T become calendar bound by letting others control your schedule

• DO follow priorities; do most important and urgent work first

 Takeaway 2: Types of Plans Used by Managers

• Types of plans
• Long-term plans look three or more years into the
future
• Short-term plans typically cover one
year or less
 Takeaway 2: Types of Plans Used by Managers

Most of us
• 3 month time
frame

A few of us
• 1 year time frame

Very few of us
• 20 year time
frame
 Takeaway 2: Types of Plans Used by Managers

• Strategic plans — set broad, comprehensive, and

longer-term action directions for the entire
organization
• Vision – clarifies purpose of the organization and
what it hopes to be in the future
 Takeaway 2: Types of Plans Used by Managers

• Tactical plan – helps to implement all or parts of the

strategic plan
• Functional plans – indicate how different operations
within the organization will help accomplish the
overall strategy
• Production plans
• Financial plans
• Facilities plans
• Logistics plans
• Marketing plans
• Human resource plans
 Takeaway 2: Types of Plans Used by Managers

• Operational plans — identify short-term activities to

implement strategic plans
• Policies are standing plans the communicate guidelines for
decisions
• Procedures are rules that describe actions to be taken in specific
situations
• Budgets are plans the commit resources to projects or activities
• Zero based budgets allocate resources as if each budget were brand new
 Takeaway 3: Planning Tools and Techniques

• Forecasting
• Attempts to predict the future

• Qualitative forecasting uses expert opinions

• Quantitative forecasting uses mathematical models and

statistical analysis of historical data and surveys
 Takeaway 3: Planning Tools and Techniques

• Contingency planning

• Identifying alternative courses of action to take when

things go wrong

• Contingency plans anticipate changing conditions

 Takeaway 3: Planning Tools and Techniques

• Scenario planning
• A long-term version of contingency planning
• Identifying alternative future scenarios
• Plans made for each future scenario
• Increases organization’s flexibility and preparation for
future shocks
 Takeaway 3: Planning Tools and Techniques

• Benchmarking
• Use of external and internal comparisons to plan for
future improvements
• Adopting best practices: things people and organizations
do that lead to superior performance
• Staff planners assist in all steps of the planning process
Takeaway 4: Implementing Plans to Achieve Results
A sample hierarchy
 Takeaway 4: Implementing Plans to Achieve Results

• Goal Alignment Between Team Leader and Team

Member
• Jointly plan: set objectives, set standards, choose actions
• Individually set: perform tasks (member), provide support
(leader)
• Jointly control: review results, discuss implications, renew
cycle
 Takeaway 4: Implementing Plans to Achieve Results

• Participatory Planning
• unlocks the motivational potential of goal setting
• management by objectives (MBO) promotes participation
• when participation is not possible, workers will respond
positively if supervisory trust and support exist
Figure 8.3 How participation and involvement help
build commitment to plans