Types of Skills/Managerial Skills
The term „managerial skill‟
means the personal ability put to use by a manager for the accomplishment of
organizational goals. The job of a manager demands a mixture of many types of
skills, whether he belongs to business organization, an educational
institution, a hospital or a club. A manager is successful when he is able to
make a smooth functioning team of people working under him. R.L.KATZ has given
three types of managerial skills:
(i)
Conceptual skills
(ii)
Human skills/Behavioural skills, and
(iii) Technical skills.
Some experts have added two
more skills to this list.
(iv)
Analytical Skills
(v) Administrative Skills
The three types of skills are
inter-related and all managers require them. However, the proportion or
relative significance of these skills varies with the level of management.
1. Conceptual Skills: Conceptual skill is the ability to see the
organization as a whole and it includes recognizing how the various functions
of the organization depend on one another. Conceptual skills are used for
developing thinking in an abstarct form and to visualize and understand the
future. Through these skills inter – relationships among different functions of
the business and external forces are recognized to effectively guide the
organizational efforts. They are used for abstract thinking, and for the
concept development involved in planning and strategy formulation. Conceptual
skills involve the ability to understand how the parts of an organization
depend on each other. A manager needs conceptual skills to recognize the
interrelationships of various situational factors and, therefore, make
decisions that will be in the best interests' of the organization.
2. Human Skills/Behavioural
Skills: Human skills are essential to
work with others and achieve their cooperation. Human skills are the abilities
needed to resolve conflicts, motivate, lead and communicate effectively with
others. Since all work is done when people work together, human relations
skills are equally important at all levels of management. Every manager should
be able to communicate effectively and understand what thoughts others are
trying to convey. By using behavioural skills, a maanger may establish good
rapport, warmth relationships and conductive interpersonal relations with his
subordinates. Human relation skills are needed for providing dynamic and
effective leadership and building a team spirit among employees.
3.
Technical Skills: Technical
skills refer to specialized knowledge and proficiency in handling methods,
processes and techniques of specific jobs. It also includes knowledge about
jobs and job contents and logical sequence of procedures needed for performing
it. These skills are most important at lower levels of management and much less
important at upper levels. A production supervisor in a manufacturing plant,
for example, must know the processes used and be able to physically perform the
tasks he supervises. In most cases, technical skills are important at lower
level because supervisory managers must train their subordinates in the proper
use of work-related tools, machines and equipment.
“Skills Requirement at Different Levels”
4.
Analytical Skills:
These refer to abilities to proceed in a logical, step – by – step and
systematic manner, to examine the various aspects of specific issues and to
understand complex features of a phenomenon. It is the ability to break down a
problem into its components and to critically examine its dimensions.
Analytical skills are needed for problem solving and decision - making and to
manage complex situations.
5.
Administrative Skills: It refers to abilities used for coordinating various activities,
seeking effective utilization of allocated resources and getting things done by
subordinates. In applying these skills and performing managerial functions, a
manager takes into account the basic realities and behaves like an "administrative
man‟ with a practical approach.
