MANAGERIAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT

UNIT - I
Managerial skills - Technical, Human Relation, Conceptual skills - Managing
environment - Human and Non-human Factors - Applicative Domains of Managerial Skills.
Managerial Skills:
Management is the most challenging task in present business world. It needs certain skills
to beat such challenge. Therefore every manager must possess essential skills for doing better
management. These managing abilities are termed as managerial Skills. Managerial skills enable
managers to maintain efficiency in the way how employers performing working tasks. Managers
must have a skill to manage people and technology with the purpose of effective and efficient
fulfilment of their tasks.
Robert Kaz has classified three types of skills that are necessary for a successful
management process such as technical, conceptual and human skills.

Technical Skills:
Technical skills must be possessed by managers to accomplish organizational tasks.
These are not meant for working on machines, but can be used for sales and marketing.
Basically, a technical skill is the capability to do assigned job. Technical skills assist the senior
and middle level managers to use different machines and tools. It also helps them to use various
procedures and techniques. The low-level managers must be proficient with such technical skills
to give high performance because they must have to perform task in field. A technical skill is the
aptitude in the performance of particular tasks, in particular skills involving methods, specialised
techniques and equipment involved in specific functions, for example manufacturing and
engineering. Technical skills also include specific knowledge, logical ability and the proficient
use of tools and techniques to crack business issues (Samson, and Daft, 2003).
Conceptual Skills:
Conceptual skills are talent or understanding of managers for abstract thinking to assess
whole situation and identify different states and to foresee the future state of the business.
Conceptual skills is the ability of a manager to envisage the organisation as whole, distinguish
interrelationships and be aware of how the organisation fits into the civilization, community and
the world ( K.N. Bartol). Conceptual skills exploit the ability of a human to form concepts. Such
skills include thinking creatively; formulating abstractions, analysing complex situations, and
solving problems. Such skills assist management team to understand the major causes of the
problems and not the symptoms. Mangers that have mastery over these skills are in a position to
solve the problems and enhance productivity of organisation. It also helps the manager to
establish goals for organisation and devise plan for every situation. Prof. Robert Katz describe
that conceptual skills are needed by the senior management because they are involved in
planning, organising and problem solving tasks. In the business filed, these skills are necessary
for managements to operate business successfully. Conceptual skills are used in planning and
dealing with ideas and abstractions. Such abilities enable manager to make good decision which
is a characteristic of all managers (Katz, R. 1974).
Human relation Skills:
Understanding about human skills for managers to extract work from employees. The
most significant role for managers is to effectively manage people in organization and to give
best output. Human relations skills are also called Interpersonal skills. It is a capability to work
with individuals. It assists the managers to comprehend, converse and work with others. It also
helps the managers to lead, encourage and develop team strength. Human relations skills are
necessary by all managers at all levels of management. All managers have to work together.
These skills will allow managers to become leaders, to inspire employees to do best and
complete task successfully. Some of human relation skills include Sensitivity to others, treating
people fairly, Listening intently, Communicating warmth, Establishing rapport, Understanding
human behaviour, Empathy, Tactfulness, Cooperative team member, Avoiding stereotyping
people, Feeling comfortable with different kinds of people, Fun person to work with, Treating
others as equals, Dealing effectively with conflict, Helping clarify misunderstandings, Creating
an environment of social interaction.
Besides above skills, managers must develop other skills for smooth management in
organization.
Communication Skills:
Communication is an important process, which involves organising, selecting and
transmitting symbols in correct way to ensure that listener perceives and recreates in his own
mind the intended meaning of the communicator. Communication involves the initiation of
meaning in the listener, the transmission of information and thousands of probable stimuli.
Communication skills are congruently necessary at all levels of management. Managers must
have capability to communicate the plans and policies to the workforce. Correspondingly, they
must listen and solve the problems of the workers. They must promote a free-flow of
communication in the organisation.
Administrative Skills:
Senior level executives must possess administrative skills. The top-level managers should
recognize how to make plans and policies. They should also know how to complete work with in
timeframe. They should be able to organize different activities of the organisation. They should
also be able to control the all organisational functions.
Leadership Skills:
Leadership skill is the capability to influence human behaviour. A manager must develop
leadership skills to stimulate the workers. These skills assist the Manager to guide workers and
encourage them to do work in timely manner. Leadership is the ability to empower others to
create new management or human systems to efficiently accomplish change through
organizational goals and decision making. Max DePree stated that "leadership combines the
unpredictability of the future with the gifts of individuals" (1992). The path for managers to
embark upon to grow and develop leadership skills begins with the discussion and
operationalization of these essential skills. Managers have the power to get things done within
organizations, but this is not enough. DePree (1992) suggests that "good leadership includes
teaching and learning, building relationships and influencing people, as opposed to exercising
one's power".
Problem Solving Skills:
Problem solving skills are also known as Design skills. A manager must be proficient to
identify a problem. He should also acquire an ability to explore the best solution for solving any
particular problem. This requires intelligence, experience and up-to-date knowledge of the
advanced technological developments. Six steps make up the problem solving process: Defining,
Identifying, Understanding, Generating Solutions, Analysing, and Choosing.
Decision Making Skills:
Decision making skills are essential for business success. The quality of decisions
determines project manager's capability and leader. Managers have to take many decisions
frequently in organizational set up. Most of these decisions are unimportant and can be made
using "common sense". However, some of these decisions have major impacts on the project,
team members, or the business in general. For these cases, making a perceptive, gut feel decision
can result in a poor choice with significant harmful consequences. To minimize negative
consequences, decisions that are complex or have a high impact should be made using a
systematic decision making model. Decision-making skills are also needed at all levels of
management. Though the top-level of management take major decisions but middle and lower
level executives must possess to take decision in critical business situations. A manager must
have an ability to take quick and right decisions. He must also be able to execute his decision
intelligently. The success or failure of a manager depends upon the precision of his decisions.
Some of the factors that make a decision complex are several alternatives, significant
uncertainties, multiple stakeholders, factors that make a decision high impact are financial
Consequences, life-or-Death Consequences, Business Perception or Reputation. Improving skills
in decision making will help managers to determine whether an intuitive or analytical approach
should be used.
When analysing managerial skills, Katz proposed that technical skills are less important
as manager moves into higher levels of management. A first line manager is a manager at the
lowest level of the organisation who manages the work of non-managerial employees and is
directly involved with the production or establishment of the organisations products and services,
and in addition responsible for the smooth daily operations in search of organisational goal
(Bergman et al., 2006).
While, human skills are needed in all hierarchical areas of an organisation, usually
middle managers apply this skill in performing task. A middle manager is a personnel who works
at the middle levels of the organisation and is accountable for the work of lower level managers.
They are mainly responsible to implement overall organisational plans to accomplish
organisational goal. They are expected to establish healthy relationships with workers in the
organisation to support team work and resolve clashes (Samson, 2003).
Katz proposed that conceptual skills are necessary for senior executives because upper
level managers often deal with abstract ideas whereas lower level managers usually deal with
recognizable objects and processes (Bergman et al., 2006). Top managers are in-charge for the
entire organisation (Bergman et al., 2006).
To summarize, basically successful management is dependent upon three basic skills.
Technical skills must be possessed by manager to accomplish the mechanics of a particular job.
Human skills, which are vital for working with others in order to be an effective group member
and develop strong relationships among employees and to be able to build cooperative efforts
among the team he/she leads. Conceptual skills, which are basic characteristics and enables
managers to perceive the organisation as a whole and be able to make abstract decisions which in
turn will result in the best outcome for the organisation and its employees (Katz, R. 1974). The
relative importance of these skills seems to vary with different levels of managerial
responsibility, nonetheless conceptual skills, coupled with technical skills, human skills and a
sound knowledge base, are all crucial elements in organisational performance (Bartol, et,al.,
2003).
Managing Environment:
Human Factor and Non-Human Factor
1. Human Factor:
Human factors are less tangible factor which originate internally and they constitute the
personal characteristics or attributes. Some factor are more tangible than the others. They are
used for productive purposes. Human factors play a vital role in creating a satisfied and a
successful individual. The potential of human resource is often not realized and they tend to be
overlooked. Some of the important human factors are Knowledge, Abilities, Skills, Interest,
Attitude, Energy etc.
Knowledge:
 Knowledge is a human factor which can constantly be built up and utilized in every
sphere of activities. For example: the home maker’s knowledge goes a long way in determining
the success of managing a home. A home maker can use this human resource in meal planning
for the family to meet the quantitative an qualitative standards of the nutritional requirement. Her
knowledge about latest techniques of achieving goals with least expenditure of money, time and
energy, help her to achieve her goals.Knowledge is a resource when it is used by the homemaker
for selection and buying appropriate food at suitable times of the year, an understanding of the
use of time and energy saving equipment’s. Purchasing of goods, commodities, furniture’s and
furnishing proper places and brands.
The home maker should have knowledge of repairing minor electrical, learning how
taxes are to be paid how to get maximum interest from saving, running her home economically
with new techniques, giving admission to her children, knowledge about handling and repairing
household equipment which will enhance their value and use etc. Knowledge as a human
resource can help the homemaker to manage her home properly.
Abilities and Skills:
Abilities and skills are important human factors by which the family can achieve the
goals. For example: abilities and skills of the homemaker and the other members of the family
can range over wide areas from cooking, knitting, sewing and other domestic activities. Some
skills can either be inherited or learned by practice.
New skills can be learnt or old skills may be improved to achieve family goals in relation
to self development and effective use of leisure time. Skill of sewing and embroidering can not
only give one a sense of satisfaction of indulging in something creative but also help to save
something in terms of money and time by preparing dresses for the different members of the
family. Thus the tailoring bills can be cut short, e.g. Housewife may use her tailoring skills for
making inexpensive curtains or dresses for her family.
The skills and abilities of repairing electricity, leaky taps, doing minor carpentry and
painting work by the homemaker or any member of the family can become the genuine resources
by which the family can achieve the goals. Gardening skill is a fruitful use of leisure time and
space available. Cheap and fresh vegetables and fruits are also available to the family. The
housewife can learn new ways of cooking or preserving foods thereby improving the quality of
food, she gives to her family.
Interest:
Interest is also a human factor. Members of the family posses different types of interest.
For e.g. the daughter may be interested in cooking and sewing while the father or the son may be
interested in gardening or painting. All these interests of the family should be developed and
made use of for the benefit of the family which are important human resources. Interest in
interior decoration also becomes a wonderful resource to decorate the house with minimum
expenditure.
Attitudes:
 Attitudes are the opinions and feelings which can stimulate or retard a particular action.
Positive attitude helps one to fulfill the aim of life. The men with positive attitude becomes
successful in every field while negative attitude prevents in reaching goal. So the negative
attitude of the members of the family must be changed by different ways.
It is very important which helps them to improve. For e.g. Attitudes to bring about the
change in the food habits of people, to consume common, inexpensive and seasonal vegetables
are the resources of the family. By these positive attitudes the housewife can provide nutritious
food with her budget and without spending much time and energy to search for different types of
unseasonal vegetables and foods.
Many traditional attitudes which the families posses must be changed by means of
education as they act as hindrance in achieving family goals. Optimism, willingness to
experiment or try out new ideas and to accept change are some examples of positive attitudes
towards the situations one meets in life which are the resources of the family.
Energy:
Energy is an important human factor. This is defined as the ability to do the work. All
activities like personal works as standing, sitting walking, climbing stairs and other household
activities as dusting, cleaning, washing, and cooking, repairing works require human energy.
When energy of different members of the family is wisely utilized for household activities to
achieve the family goals, then they are considered as resource of that family.
All the members of the family should use minimum energy for maximum benefit by
proper management. The home maker needs energy to carry on with her daily activities. Lack of
energy makes her unfit for both mental and physical activity. She should learn to use her energy
resources wisely. All human resources should be made use of in managing family. They help the
family in achieving short term as well as long term goals if utilized properly.
2. Non-Human factors:
Non-Human factors are time, money, properties, goods, services and community
facilities. These are also known as material resources. These are easily identified and are
essential for the achievement of most of the organisatinal goals.
Time:
It is an important non human factor for an organizatin for achieving the goals. Time is
such a resource which is available in equal amount to each and every member. Every individual
has twenty four hours a day to complete his job. For the proper utilization of time, basic
awareness along with practice is necessary. Time is the most easily perishable of all the
resources.
Time and energy are closely related to each other. Using the right amount of energy and
vigour to complete a task, saves time and energy for other activities in the home. One must
always be conscious of time available and time needed to carry out various activities. Time is a
useful resource not only for occupational activities but also for rest and leisure. Planning the wise
use of time enables the homemaker to achieve more by reducing tension and worries.
Money:
 Money is the most important factor of each and every organization. It has the purchasing
power. It can be exchanged for goods and services. As money is not available equally and is
limited, the managers must carefully manage it to achieve goals of the families.
Properties:
Material resources of the organizatin include immovable property like buildings,
machines, land etc. and movable property like money, vehicles, equipment, furniture’s and
furnishings. These are the assets of the organization by the use of which a organization can
achieve the goals.
Goods and Services:
Material goods may be durable and long lasting like air-conditioners, cars, system, other
furniture’s or they may be consumable, item like stationeries. These goods are generally acquired
by the organization by the use of money. The quantity of goods and commodities in a
organization is limited by the availability of money, which is an important non human resource.
All these goods and commodities must be utilized properly to become a resource.
Services are utilized for doing different organizational activities.
Community Facilities:
The most important factor of the community which the organizational makes use of are
hospitals, libraries, marketing, parkings, water and electricity supply, playgrounds, transportatin
etc. Utilization of these resources often helps to provide a organizational with services and goods
at a reasonable cost. While making use of the limited organizational resources the important goal
of the well being of the whole organizational should be kept in view.