Managerial Skills

Job of a manager has become very challenging. Several skills are, therefore required in
order to be a successful manager. The skills of an effective manager may be classified
into FOUR categories as given below:

TECHNICAL SKILLS
It refers to the ability and knowledge in using the equipments, techniques and procedures
involves in performing specific tasks. These skills require specialize knowledge and
proficiency in the mechanics of a particular job. Ability in programming and operating
computer is, for instance, a technical skill. There are two things a manager should
understand about technical skills. In the first place, he must know which skill should be
employed in his particular enterprise and be familiar enough with their potentiality to ask
discerning questions of his technical advisers. Secondly, a manager must understand both
the role of each skill employed and the inter-relation between the skills.

HUMAN SKILLS
Human skills refer to the ability to work effectively with other people both as individuals
and as member of a group. These are required to win co-operation of other to build
effective work teams. Such skills require a sense of feeling for other and capacity to look
at things from other’s point of view. Human skills are reflected in the way a manager
perceives his supervisor, subordinates and peers. An awareness of the importance of
human skill should be part of a manager’s orientation and such skill should be developed
throughout the career. While technical skills involve mastery of ‘things’, human skill are
concerned with understanding of ‘people’.

CONCEPTUAL SKILLS
It comprises the ability to see the whole organization and the inter-relationship between
its parts. These skills refer to the ability to visualize the entire picture or to consider a
situation in its totality. Such skills help the manager to conceptualize the environment to
analyze the forces working in the situation and to take a broad and farsighted view of the
organization. These, also include the competence to understand a problem in all its
aspects and to use original thinking is solving the problem. Such competence is necessary
for rational decision making.Thus, technical skills deal with jobs, human skills with
person and conceptual skills with ideas.

DECISION MAKING SKILLS

Managers particularly at the upper level must also have designed skills. These involve
competency to solve organizational problems in the light of prevailing external
environment in the organization are also called DIAGNOSTIC SKILLS or
ANALYTICAL SKILLS.
Diagnostic skills include ability to determine by analysis and examination, the natural
and circumstances of a particular situation.