Conceptual Skills

The use of conceptual skills in the field of management cannot be stressed enough. In the article below, let us take a glimpse at what these skills are and how they can be used.

Tagged Under: Management Skills

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What goes into making a good manager? Leadership skills, the ability to think straight under pressure, and the trait of being able to come up with quick and practical solutions to problems. Apart from these, one also needs excellent communication skills and a certain level of technical skills too, in order to be a good manager. However, among the list of management skills, there lies one particular group of skills that not all can master. It takes time and a deep understanding of the principles of business and human resource management to develop them. They are conceptual skills in management. To know more about these skills, read ahead. What are Conceptual Skills?

Conceptual skills are probably some of the most important management skills. There are some very basic principles behind conceptual skills. The inputs by people who are hired especially for their exceptional conceptual skills often influence the decision-making process in an organization, be it about something like a change in the employees dress code to something as big as a revamped advertising campaign for a product. Some functions of these skills are mentioned below. They might help you understand it better. Establish Inter-relation

A person who has conceptual skills has the ability to carry out a detailed study of the possible and probable inter-relation between various ideas and 'concepts'. It is a cognitive skill that requires the person to have a deep understanding of what has to be studied, what can be ignored and how to ascertain how much importance should be given to which concept. It also relates to how to use the inter-relation between the various aspects of the matter and come up with a concept or an idea to make it better. It is an integral part of how business management actually goes about. Problem Solving

A conceptual person can combine problem solving with the practice of conceptualizing a practical issue. For instance, if there is group of people who are opposing the construction of a bridge near their houses, the person will go deeper into the problem, find out why it is so, how to convince them without offering them just money, get them to understand how the bridge will in no way harm the peace and harmony of their homes, and finally get them to agree to the construction. Study as a Whole

A conceptual person will not look at the organization as a part of the industry. Using this skill, he will look at it as a whole. The main focus will be on how to study, analyze, and develop new strategies that will enable the smooth and better functioning of the organization as a whole. He may compartmentalize each section within the organization and come up with various concepts to help them individually, but the overall progress of the whole organization is the ultimate goal. Creative Thinking

Apart from problem solving, conceptual skills also play another very important part as far as manager skills are concerned. This involves coming up with creative and innovative ideas and concepts pertaining to the growth of the organization. For instance, a company needs to boost the sales of its new product - a tangy tomato ketchup, with a hint of mint in it. A person with conceptual skills is the one who will treat the 'increase of sales' as a concept rather than a physical target. He will perform the important functions of management. He will study and speculate, he will analyze and comprehend. He will then come up with a concept which will use the distinct 'flavor' of the ketchup as its USP. As you can see from this, the person has come up only with a concept of the flavor being different. The next step of forming a suitable advertisement is the job of the ad department and the technically skilled managers will handle the technical aspect of making the whole concept a reality. You can come across conceptual skills examples in your day-to-day life too. They are not restricted only to top level management in a big organization. They can be as simple as a child wondering why clouds are formed and coming up with his own version of the reason. Developing them is not difficult. You just need to hone the analyzing abilities that you possess.

Why Is Conceptual Competence More Important for Top Managers Than for Supervisors?

Managers are responsible for overseeing the overall division, delegating to supervisors.

Within a corporate organization, top managers and supervisors differ with respect to function, authority and responsibility. Top managers need to be conceptual thinkers because they are responsible for entire divisions, whereas supervisors are responsible for particular groups within the division. The manager's job is developing strategies, methods and tactics, then conveying that vision and associated objectives to supervisors. The supervisor is to implement the strategies and ensure that employees efficiently execute and achieve objectives.

Managers Responsibilities

The manager is responsible for profitability and productivity of divisions within the company. Managers must plan, staff and organize the division, using people with the skills, ability and desire to make the division successful. Delegating authority is an important function of the manager to ensure objects are implemented by supervisors as intended. Failure of the supervisor and employees to successfully execute the plan and achieve specified goals is ultimately borne by the manager.

Supervisors Responsibilities

Supervisors, who rank below and are under the direction of managers, have direct responsibility for small groups but generally lack authority to hire or fire employees. Generally, supervisors have experience in specific tasks or jobs, overseeing employees to ensure productivity and quality standards set forth by the company.

Conceptual Competence

Conceptual thinking, according to Buffalo State College, is the "[a]bility to identify patterns or connections between situations that are not obviously related, and to identify key or underlying issues in complex situations." For an organization to be successful in a globally competitive and complex environment, organizations must hire managers with the intellectual ability to visualize what may not be apparent, then delegate to supervisors the task of strategy execution.

The Importance of Vision

Apple Computers began as a start-up company in 1976 under the management of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. They had a vision, or conceptual thought, that the managers of IBM, the largest computer manufacturer in the world, had lacked. Jobs envisioned a computer in every home and on every office desk across the world. IBM had failed to grasp the connection between computers, people and information. In 2011 Apple is a leading computer manufacturer recently listed as the most valuable public company in the world.

Managers Vs. Supervisors

For an organization to be successful, managers need to have greater conceptual competence than do supervisors, because the manager is responsible for overseeing operations of an entire division vs. the functioning of small teams. For the division to be successful the manager must be capable of envisioning and understanding the primary objectives of each team within the division and how those teams function together to produce the end product or service.

Why Is Conceptual Competence More Important for Top Managers Than for Supervisors?

Conceptual competence is the ability to envision a big picture goal and strategy and subsequently offer direction and leadership in task implementation to achieve it. While managers and

supervisors at all levels benefit from conceptual skills, they are especially important for top managers who provide overall direction for an organization.

Vision

A common leadership trait among top managers is their vision. They have minds that constantly look ahead toward an end goal or company objective. This vision is what provides the framework for the structure and actions of a company. Within a company, top managers normally develop long-term vision and set the course for the company, while supervisors carry out directives in leading their employees on that course.

Strategic Planning

Strategic planning is the periodic process of reviewing company plans of action and updating them when necessary. For instance, a company may have a growth strategy of diversifying its business by adding new product lines and services. Top managers normally lead in the strategic planning process and then convey the tasks required to front line supervisors. They then carry out directives with their employees by delegating tasks to each.

Broad Thinking

A major crossroads in business conception is taking big picture goals and strategies and outlining how each functional department in the organization participates. This is a critical element of conceptual skills that makes good top managers successful. They can effectively communicate vision and strategy to get supervisors on board, and then explain how each functional department participates in the process. For instance, top managers often involve human resource professionals in strategic workforce development to ensure the company meets its talent needs to carry out its goals and strategies.

Stability

A major reason top managers need conceptual skills more than supervisors is that this scenario gives the company more stability. Rather than waffling around with new goals, strategies and task roles, conceptually-skilled managers can keep the organization on the right track and make minor tweaks in strategy and tasks as needed. Employees have more faith in their business when top managers project a good sense of the big picture and the details of the operations. Supervisors are looked to more for task direction and motivation of employees in completing their specific job functions.

Interpersonal skill

The ability to communicate within an organization depends heavily upon people's interpersonal

skills. These are the tools people use to interact and communicate with individuals in an

organizational environment.

Interpersonal Skills

Violet Jones of Intestinal Distress Taco Restaurant has recently hired a brand new assistant manager named Fred Beans. Fred has turned out to be an absolute nightmare supervisor who has no social, communication or interpersonal skills.

Interpersonal skills are the tools people use to interact and communicate with individuals in an organizational environment. There are seven main areas of interpersonal communication that Fred fails at with his workers, and this has led to his immediate termination after working only one month. The seven areas are:

Verbal communication Non-verbal communication Listening skills Negotiation Problem-solving Decision-making Assertiveness

Let's look at the case of Fred Beans to see what happens when employees do not have the interpersonal skills needed to perform at work.

Verbal Communication

Fred failed miserably in verbal communication with his entire staff. The definition of verbal communication is how and what words are used to communicate with individuals. It is the ability to communicate through words with the correct tone and manner.

Fred's initial week with Intestinal Distress Taco revealed that he was not capable of good verbal communication. He mumbled orders and then screamed when employees did anything wrong. Most employees grew to dread working with Fred because they could not understand his directions. He also was not a good non-verbal communicator as well.

Non-Verbal Communication

Another type of interpersonal skill is non-verbal communication, which consists of facial expressions, body language and hand gestures. Fred only communicated with negative non-verbal communication, which consisted of frowns and angry stares.

All of the employees prefer Violet's professional demeanor as she speaks clearly and is animated with positive non-verbal communication. She always has a smile on her face and uses her hands to further explain complicated directions. Two-way communication is essential when developing a set of excellent interpersonal skills.

Listening Skills

Fred also has very ineffective listening skills, which has led to a store crisis happening each week. Listening skills are the ability to hear attentively and process information correctly. Fred was not paying attention when one of the employees told him that they were low on taco meat. Later that week, the store ran out of meat and had to close down temporarily until a shipment was delivered.

Violet was furious at Fred's tendency to ignore important pieces of employee communication. She quickly put him on probation. Fred's behavior continued to decline during the month.

Negotiation

Negotiation is the next type of interpersonal skill that is important to effective business communication. This term means having the ability to discuss and reach an agreement in a professional manner.

Violet excels in negotiation as the employees and customers are always complaining or asking for favors. She is good at listening and discussing situations and then coming up with a fair solution.

On the other hand, Fred ignores any request for discussions and rules with an iron fist. This has caused his employees to view him as unfair and undiplomatic, especially when it comes to solving problems.

Problem-Solving

The fifth type of interpersonal skill is problem-solving. This is a very important skill for business people to have as constant problems are a common result within organizations.

The ability to find a solution to a problem after considerable thought is Violet's forte. She has solved numerous issues for the restaurant, including how to increase monthly sales.

On the other hand, when Fred is faced with a problem, he ends up in a panic. Last week, a customer complained about the quality of their taco meal. Fred took the complaint personally and ended up calling the customer picky. Violet had to intercede by offering the customer an apology and a few free meal coupons to use for the future. Analyzing options is another interpersonal skill that Fred has yet to master.

Decision-Making

A manager has to be able to analyze situations and develop a professional solution within an organizational environment. Decision-making is a key element of interpersonal skills.

List Of Interpersonal Skills: 10 Must-Have Attributes

April 7, 2014 by Will Gemma

The difference between good employees and great employees is not always something you can put a finger on. If theyre a pleasure to work with, why? If they exceed every expectation, what are their secrets?

The answer is as common as ever: interpersonal skills. But because these are technically soft skills, which means the best way to attain them is to be born with them, they are extremely valuable and require unique methods to learn. Following is a list of the most important interpersonal skills an employee can possess. Start developing yours today with these 7 tools to immediately improve your ability to communicate tactfully.

1. Verbal Communication

Yes, as opposed to non-verbal communication, which well address next. Within verbal communication there are a number of other skills that well talk about later, too, such as listening and questioning, but for now we are primarily concerned with effective speaking.

Effective verbal communication begins with clarity. This often requires nothing more than slowing down and speaking more thoughtfully. Many people feel rushed to respond to questions and conversations immediately, but it is better to pause for a moment in consideration, especially

if the question merits it. No one expects, or wants, a gun-slinging attitude in important conversations. A thoughtful person is generally taken more seriously.

Rounding off this skill is the ability to stay calm, focused, polite, interested and to match the mood or emotion of the situation. If this sounds like an overwhelming task, check out this communication course that teaches you to speak smoothly, clearly and confidently.

2. Non-Verbal Communication

Non-verbal communication is largely underrated and underestimated. Those who can communicate non-verbally can almost subliminally reinforce what they are saying verbally. They can also exude confidence, or any other emotion they feel, not to mention respond tactfully to a conversation without saying a single word.

Non-verbal communication is something that other people notice whether you are aware of your actions or not. Your body language is constantly speaking. Everything you do or dont do says something about you and how you are feeling. Your facial expressions (especially eye contact), your posture, your voice, your gestures with your extremities and even the way you position yourself physically in a room or amongst colleagues is constantly revealing your true attitude, for better or for worse.

While controlling body language is no easy task, with this five-star course you can learn how to interpret the body language of others while learning how to perfect your own non-verbal communication skills.

3. Listening

This is the only appropriate way to follow two topics on communication. If non-verbal communication is underrated, then listening isnt even on the charts. And yet without listening effectively, how can we interpret and respond appropriately?

Even the best communicators can talk their way into a sticky situation. Read this Forbes article on why most leaders need to shut up and listen. It provides explanations on why listening is crucial to success and for tips on becoming a better listener.

Listening is so important that it is a bona fide field of theoretical study (a contradiction of terms, but still). Communication can not be realized unless a listener completes the loop. Take a look at this blog post on the elements of communication to learn more about how this works.

4. Questioning

Questioning is a lost art that can serve many purposes. Questioning is something that often builds upon listening, but it is not merely a device for obtaining information.

Questioning is a great way to initiate a conversation. It demonstrates interest and can instantaneously draw someone into your desire to listen. Smart questions show that you know

how to approach problems and how to get the answers you need. Fortunately, questioning can be learned more easily than other skills on this list. This top-rated course on how to ask powerful, emotionally engaging questions has all the advice you need.

Needless to say, its all about the quality of questioning. If you ask what are referred to as closed questions, youre going to get closed answers. These are questions that elicit brief responses, e.g. Did you like your dinner? Instead, you want to ask open questions, which probe deeper, e.g. Where do you think we can improve our marketing collateral? Of course, if youre at a cocktail party, some questions are better saved for the next day.

5. Manners

Good manners tend to make many other interpersonal skills come naturally. With business becoming increasingly more global, even for small businesses, manners are more important than ever. A basic understanding of etiquette translates to other cultures and their expectations.

We are all guilty of assuming people are less intelligent if they have sub-par manners. This same judgement is reflected back on us by the people we interact with. Anyone who has visited other countries knows how sensitive its residents are to visitors manners. Business-to-business interactions function in much the same way.

6. Problem Solving

A rare day would be one without problems. What makes this a skill is not necessarily how quickly you can solve a problem, but how you go about doing it. No plan is a guarantee, so there is always an element of risk. Some people can weigh risk better than others.

The key aspects of successful problem solving are being able to identify exactly what the problem is, dissecting the problem so that it is fully understood, examining all options pertaining to solutions, setting up a system of strategies and objectives to solve the problem, and finally putting this plan into effect and monitoring its progress.

If the problem is as simple as replacing printer paper, then obviously different measures can be taken. Learn how best to apply your skills with this creative problem solving for business course.

7. Social Awareness

Being in tune to others emotions is an essential interpersonal skill. This dictates how many of your other interpersonal skills should function. When we are concentrated on our own projects and success, it is easy to close ourselves off from others problems or concerns.

Social awareness is crucial to identifying opportunities, as well. People will often unconsciously test someones ability to respond to a social situation; for example, a person who is struggling professionally will be desperate for help but, naturally, wary on revealing the fact that they need it. Being able to identify something like this demonstrates that you are operating at a higher level of social awareness.

8. Self-Management

Not all interpersonal skills are extroverted. This article discussing the ideas of acclaimed Emotional Intelligence (EI) expert Daniel Goleman believes self-management to be one of the pillars of EI and absolutely fundamental to leadership success.

Self-management allows us to control our emotions when they are not aligned with what would be considered appropriate behavior for a given situation. This means controlling anger, hiding frustration, exuding calmness, etc. Undoubtedly there are times to show your true colors, but remaining composed is almost always the desired course of action.

9. Responsibility And Accountability

Responsibility and accountability are two reliable indicators of maturity. Saying you are going to do something and then actually doing it is a sign of responsibility. This builds trust between yourself and those they rely on you and it encourages others to seek your counsel and assistance.

Holding yourself accountable for your actions is one of the most difficult things to do, both professionally and personally. This is also a crucial element of conflict management. When conflicts arise between yourself and others, or when you have made a mistake or at fault, that is when accountability becomes difficult. Admitting to your mistakes isnt enough. You have to understand the situation fully and respond in a way that addresses the issue comprehensively (see Problem Solving above).

Holding ourselves accountable tends to go against our instincts; this is definitely when the flight instinct kicks in. Learn to take accountability with this class and see how it can change the results you are getting at work.

10. Assertiveness

After all this talk of listening and respecting others, there is no denying the importance of being assertive. However, this is also where you are most likely to offend or come off as too aggressive. Being assertive is the only way to get your ideas onto a competitive table.

It also means standing up for what you believe it, defending your ideas with confidence, instructing others on what needs to be done, etc. etc. etc. Im sure we are all familiar with the fact that most people who ask for raises receive them; and yet very few of us are assertive enough to make it happen. When used tactfully, assertiveness can gain you a kind of respect that you wont be able to attain by other means.

A Beautiful Whole

Having a well-balanced repertoire of interpersonal skills will allow you to handle any situation more gracefully. You need listening skills to balance assertiveness, non-verbal communication to balance questioning, etc. Nobody is perfect and learning these skills will forever be a work in

progress. Still, you can get there faster with a little help: become a conversational master with these 6 lessons for better communication.

Alot has been said about the importance of interpersonal skills. But just what are they, and which ones are most important? Daniel Goleman states that "Emotional Intelligence" is even more of a contributor to business success than IQ. In his groundbreaking book Working with Emotional Intelligence, he says "On average, close to 90 percent of success in leadership was attributable to emotional intelligence". Goleman defines Emotional Intelligence as having these four competencies:

Self-Awareness: Being aware of your own needs, values and emotions and their impact on your behavior

Self-Management: Keeping your emotional reactions in check and being able to behave appropriately when you experience feelings that could result in destructive behavior

Social Awareness: Being in tune with other's feelings and needs

Relationship Management: The ability to build relationships based on mutual trust and respect

In addition to the items above, the following interpersonal skills are important in order to work effectively with other people:

The ability to manage conflict: Respectively managing differences of opinions and seeking win-win resolutions

Problem solving: Choosing the best course of action while taking the needs and perspectives of others into account

Communication: Speaking with clarity and directness while showing appropriate sensitivity to the receiver

Listening: Being able to hear other people's perspectives while suspending judgment

Demonstrating responsibility: Doing what you say you will do, when you say you will do it

Being accountable for your actions: Not making excuses or blaming others

Showing appreciation: Letting other people know you value them and their help

Flexibility: Being open to new and different ways of doing things

Personal Benefit of Strong Interpersonal Skills

There are several personal benefits that can be obtained by a person with strong interpersonal skills. These skills are highly valued in the workplace and a person who possesses them is seen to add great value. Additional career opportunities can open up as a result.

Summary Possessing strong interpersonal skills is a strong predictor for career success. When you manage or lead other people, it is especially critical to gain the Interpersonal Leadership Skills you need. Our free report will help anyone working with others to gain the insight into the behaviors of 4 different behavioral styles found in the workplace. This Guide to Interpersonal Communication Skills at Work can be downloaded from the button below:

10 Reasons to Develop Your Technical Skills

August 4th, 2006 by Steve Pavlina

Something Ive rarely seen mentioned in personal development books is intelligent advice on how to develop and maintain strong technical skills. At best youll see email, PDAs, and a few other basic tools mentioned, but thats about it. Even children can use email though.

Solid technical skills are becoming increasingly important, and I dont see that changing any time soon. While computers have become easier to use in many ways, the leading edge is more complicated than ever. This complexity scares many people away from developing their technical skills, but lets consider some of the reasons you may want to go beyond the basics.

Here are some of the advantages strong technical skills can offer you:

1. Enjoy significantly higher paying work.

Whether youre employed or self-employed, strong technical skills allow you to leverage technology to the hilt, and that leverage pays. The better you understand the technology you use, the more value you can efficiently extract from it. People gladly open their wallets to pay those with in-demand technical skills.

2. Save money.

Youll save money every time you can solve a technical problem on your own instead of having to hire someone at a high hourly rate. This can add up to substantial savings over time.

You can also save money by taking advantage of low-cost, high-tech solutions. For example, using VOIP Internet phone service will save you a bundle over traditional phone service, and it only takes a minor amount of technical skill to install. I actually disconnected my whole house from the telephone companys lines, so I could use all the inside jacks for VOIP.

3. Save time.

Youll save time by solving technical problems quickly instead of scratching your head in confusion. There are many technical problems that baffle novices but which require only a quick fix from someone with adequate technical skills.

I find it unfortunate when a friend gets ripped off after taking their computer to a repair outlet, when the problem could have been solved in a few seconds. Ignorance can be costly.

4. Prevent problems.

Youll prevent problems before they occur by intelligently maintaining and upgrading your technology. Even a simple skill like keeping your video and sound drivers up-to-date can prevent compatibility problems down the road, especially if you play computer games.

5. Reduce frustration.

Technology isnt particularly frustrating if you understand how it works. A lack of understanding is frustrating. If something breaks, and you know how and why it broke, then its just a fact to be dealt with rather than an act of divine cruelty.

6. Make intelligent technology purchases.

I dont know many geeks who buy their computers at retail stores. Its a lot smarter to buy online if you know what to look for. Youll get better value, higher quality components, and more control over the final product.

A fun project I did in 2004 was to build my own PC from scratch. I handpicked each component and ordered everything online. I built the equivalent of a $2000 retail PC for about $900. I used PriceWatch to find great deals on all the components, and I followed the step-by-step assembly instructions from My Super PC. Ive been very pleased with its performance over the past couple years.

Since technology depreciates so rapidly, and since component quality can vary widely, knowing how to buy great value at a great price is a very practical skill. With most rapidly advancing components like CPUs, hard drives, and video cards, theres a fairly narrow price-performance sweet spot. Spend too little, and youre throwing money away on obsolescent goods. Spend too much, and youre overpaying for imperceptible performance gains. Decent technical knowledge can help you target those sweet spots with all your technology purchases, so you get the best bang per buck.

7. Empower yourself.

I remember thinking how great it was in high school when I began using a decent word processor while many other students were still using typewriters. Editing was certainly much easier, so I got more done in less time.

Today its almost ridiculous how much technology can do. You can use your computer to manage your whole life now, including your finances, your calendar, and your entertainment. Knowing how to use technology can add tremendous richness to your life. But if you lack the technical skills, youll probably find it way too complicated to extract this value in a reasonable amount of time.

8. Access information efficiently.

Whenever you want to know something now, you can go online and get the information in seconds. Sites like Google, Wikipedia, and WikiHow truly place information at your fingertips, but it still takes a bit of technical skill to craft intelligent queries when youre searching for something obscure.

Need to buy a new suit? Want to see what movies are playing near you? Want to become an early riser? If someone has figured it out, its probably online. With an internet connection at hand, we all become walking Wikipedias.

9. Earn money online.

This is one of the coolest benefits of technical know-how. With the right technical skills, you can build your own income-generating web site. Your computer (or some online server) will work tirelessly to make you money 24/7. Even if it just pays for your coffee, thats still better than buying your own coffee, isnt it? If it fails, at least you learned something, and you can certainly try again. But what if it really works? You might not need a job for the rest of your life. That seems like a pretty good reason to go for it.

Given how disgustingly cheap technology is, I think its silly not to devote at least one of the millions of machines on this planet to the task of paying your bills. Most computers are just sitting there idle waiting for something to do, so put some of those resources to good use. Im not talking about getting VC money and trying to make the next Google. My suggestion is to start a simple web business you can run by yourself in your spare time with no expenses except web hosting (no more than $20/month).

Ive been earning income online since 1995, and I love it. It does require some technical skill to build an income-generating web site, but those skills are highly learnable, and its a lot easier today than it was 10 years ago. (For example, see How to Make Money From Your Blog). Sure I can write well enough, but without the technical skills to build traffic, this site would be a ghost town. I do the creative work, technology handles the grunt work, and visitors benefit from the value provided. Its a pretty nice system.

10. Feel more confident and comfortable with technology.

Competence builds confidence. As you develop your technical skills, youll feel more comfortable with all forms of technology. This will encourage you to branch out and leverage technology even more. You can listen to audio books on your portable MP3 player, take pictures

with your digital camera, and so on. Youll feel in control of technology instead of intimidated by it.

The more technical experience you gain, the faster youll adapt to new technology. You may fall behind the curve at some point, but youll quickly catch up with a few days research.

Like it or not, strong technical skills are of major importance today. Dont let yourself be caught on the wrong side of the technology fence.

No doubt youre now wondering, OK, thats all fine and dandy, Steve, but how do I develop my technical skills if I wasnt born a natural geek? Never fear Ill address that in a future article.

Skills You Need

The good news is that you can succeed and succeed spectacularly in your management role. To do so, however, you must learn a new set of skills, including:

Delegation As a manager, you must know how to delegate tasks to your team effectively. This will keep you from spending time doing things that should no longer be your responsibility.

Briefing You need to keep your team up to date on their progress, what you expect from them, and what will happen in the future.

Motivation Your team is now your responsibility. This means that you must keep them motivated and moving forward. Our article Herzberg's Motivators and Hygiene Factors

will teach you how to discover what truly motivates your people. Communication In your previous role, good communication might have been helpful,

but not vital. But now, as a manager, the ability to communicate well is essential to your success.

Discipline At some point, you'll probably have to discipline someone on your team. Whether a team member is breaking rules, under-performing, or upsetting others, it's up to you to restore peace. Knowing how to discipline effectively and diplomatically is key to keeping your team's trust and respect.

Recruitment If your team is changing or expanding, then you'll have to hire new people , but finding the right new people can be difficult. Our Recruiting Skills Bite-Sized Training session will help you get better results with your recruitment efforts.

Tips for Making the Transition to Manager

Do a personal SWOT analysis Make a list of what you must improve to be a better manager for your team. Many managers let others assess their skills, and then wait until their performance review to discover what skills they lack. Don't make this mistake spend time now identifying your weaknesses, so that you can start improving on them immediately.

Stay away from technical work Resist the temptation to get involved with technical projects that aren't your responsibility. Yes, you probably enjoy this type of work and want to feel successful doing something you know well, but it's now your team's

responsibility. Spending too much time doing technical work will only hold you back as a manager. Sure, it's good to pitch in when you can, but make sure that you do the managing part of your role first.

Find a mentor Look for someone in your organization who has made a transition similar to yours. A mentor can offer you some great advice on succeeding in your new role, and help you avoid some of the mistakes that he or she has made.

Meet with every team member Make it a priority to meet with everyone on your team personally. Find out what interests and motivates them, and check that they have everything they need to be happy and successful in their role. This shows that you're taking an interest in them, and it helps you get to know the people you're managing.

Find out what your team expects from you These expectations are often unspoken. Our article on The Psychological Contract will help you learn how to discover these hidden expectations.

Learn one skill at a time Acquiring a whole new set of skills for your new management position can be overwhelming. Don't try to learn everything at once. Focus on one skill at a time, so that you can learn each skill well.

Managerial Environments

A manager's environment is made up of constantly changing factors both external and internal that affect the operation of the organization. If a new competitor appears in the marketplace, the managerial environment is affected. If key clients take their business elsewhere, managers feel the impact. And if technological advances date an organization's current methods of doing business, once again, the managerial environment has to adapt.

Although managers can't always control their environments, they need to be aware of any changes that occur, because changes ultimately affect their daily decisions and actions. For example, in the airline industry, deregulation opened up the market to new airlines, forcing existing airlines to be more competitive. Managers in existing airlines couldn't afford to ignore the cheaper airfares and increased service that resulted. Not only did managers have to identify the new challenge, but they also had to act quickly and efficiently to remain competitive.

External Environment

All outside factors that may affect an organization make up the external environment. The external environment is divided into two parts:

Directly interactive: This environment has an immediate and firsthand impact upon the organization. A new competitor entering the market is an example.

Indirectly interactive: This environment has a secondary and more distant effect upon the organization. New legislation taking effect may have a great impact. For example, complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act requires employers to update their facilities to accommodate those with disabilities.

Directly interactive forces include owners, customers, suppliers, competitors, employees, and employee unions. Management has a responsibility to each of these groups. Here are some examples:

Owners expect managers to watch over their interests and provide a return on investments.

Customers demand satisfaction with the products and services they purchase and use.

Suppliers require attentive communication, payment, and a strong working relationship to provide needed resources.

Competitors present challenges as they vie for customers in a marketplace with similar products or services.

Employees and employee unions provide both the people to do the jobs and the representation of work force concerns to management.

The second type of external environment is the indirectly interactive forces. These forces include sociocultural, political and legal, technological, economic, and global influences. Indirectly interactive forces may impact one organization more than another simply because of the nature of a particular business. For example, a company that relies heavily on technology will be more affected by software updates than a company that uses just one computer. Although somewhat removed, indirect forces are still important to the interactive nature of an organization.

The sociocultural dimension is especially important because it determines the goods, services, and standards that society values. The sociocultural force includes the demographics and values of a particular customer base.

Demographics are measures of the various characteristics of the people and social groups who make up a society. Age, gender, and income are examples of commonly used demographic characteristics.

Values refer to certain beliefs that people have about different forms of behavior or products. Changes in how a society values an item or a behavior can greatly affect a business. (Think of all the fads that have come and gone!)

The political and legal dimensions of the external environment include regulatory parameters within which an organization must operate. Political parties create or influence laws, and business owners must abide by these laws. Tax policies, trade regulations, and minimum wage legislation are just a few examples of political and legal issues that may affect the way an organization operates.

The technological dimension of the external environment impacts the scientific processes used in changing inputs (resources, labor, money) to outputs (goods and services). The success of many organizations depends on how well they identify and respond to external technological changes.

For example, one of the most significant technological dimensions of the last several decades has been the increasing availability and affordability of management information systems (also known as MIS). Through these systems, managers have access to information that can improve the way they operate and manage their businesses.

The economic dimension reflects worldwide financial conditions. Certain economic conditions of special concern to organizations include interest rates, inflation, unemployment rates, gross national product, and the value of the U.S. dollar against other currencies.

A favorable economic climate generally represents opportunities for growth in many industries, such as sales of clothing, jewelry, and new cars. But some businesses traditionally benefit in poor economic conditions. The alcoholic beverage industry, for example, traditionally fares well during times of economic downturn.

The global dimension of the environment refers to factors in other countries that affect U.S. organizations. Although the basic management functions of planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling are the same whether a company operates domestically or internationally, managers encounter difficulties and risks on an international scale. Whether it be unfamiliarity with language or customs or a problem within the country itself (think mad cow disease), managers encounter global risks that they probably wouldn't have encountered if they had stayed on their own shores.

Internal Environment

An organization's internal environment is composed of the elements within the organization, including current employees, management, and especially corporate culture, which defines employee behavior. Although some elements affect the organization as a whole, others affect only the manager. A manager's philosophical or leadership style directly impacts employees. Traditional managers give explicit instructions to employees, while progressive managers empower employees to make many of their own decisions. Changes in philosophy and/or leadership style are under the control of the manager. The following sections describe some of the elements that make up the internal environment.

An organization's mission statement describes what the organization stands for and why it exists. It explains the overall purpose of the organization and includes the attributes that distinguish it from other organizations of its type.

A mission statement should be more than words on a piece of paper; it should reveal a company's philosophy, as well as its purpose. This declaration should be a living, breathing document that provides information and inspiration for the members of the organization. A mission statement should answer the questions, What are our values? and What do we stand for? This statement provides focus for an organization by rallying its members to work together to achieve its common goals.

But not all mission statements are effective in America's businesses. Effective mission statements lead to effective efforts. In today's qualityconscious and highly competitive environments, an effective mission statement's purpose is centered on serving the needs of customers. A good mission statement is precise in identifying the following intents of a company:

Customers who will be served

Products/services what will be produced

Location where the products/services will be produced

Philosophy what ideology will be followed

Company policies are guidelines that govern how certain organizational situations are addressed. Just as colleges maintain policies about admittance, grade appeals, prerequisites, and waivers, companies establish policies to provide guidance to managers who must make decisions about circumstances that occur frequently within their organization. Company policies are an indication of an organization's personality and should coincide with its mission statement.

The formal structure of an organization is the hierarchical arrangement of tasks and people. This structure determines how information flows within the organization, which departments are responsible for which activities, and where the decisionmaking power rests.

Some organizations use a chart to simplify the breakdown of its formal structure. This organizational chart is a pictorial display of the official lines of authority and communication within an organization.

The organizational culture is an organization's personality. Just as each person has a distinct personality, so does each organization. The culture of an organization distinguishes it from others and shapes the actions of its members.

Four main components make up an organization's culture:

Values

Heroes

Rites and rituals

Social network

Values are the basic beliefs that define employees' successes in an organization. For example, many universities place high values on professors being published. If a faculty member is published in a professional journal, for example, his or her chances of receiving tenure may be enhanced. The university wants to ensure that a published professor stays with the university for

the duration of his or her academic career and this professor's ability to write for publications is a value.

The second component is heroes. A hero is an exemplary person who reflects the image, attitudes, or values of the organization and serves as a role model to other employees. A hero is sometimes the founder of the organization (think Sam Walton of WalMart). However, the hero of a company doesn't have to be the founder; it can be an everyday worker, such as hardworking paralegal Erin Brockovich, who had a tremendous impact on the organization.

Rites and rituals, the third component, are routines or ceremonies that the company uses to recognize highperforming employees. Awards banquets, company gatherings, and quarterly meetings can acknowledge distinguished employees for outstanding service. The honorees are meant to exemplify and inspire all employees of the company during the rest of the year.

The final component, the social network, is the informal means of communication within an organization. This network, sometimes referred to as the company grapevine, carries the stories of both heroes and those who have failed. It is through this network that employees really learn about the organization's culture and values.

A byproduct of the company's culture is the organizational climate. The overall tone of the workplace and the morale of its workers are elements of daily climate. Worker attitudes dictate the positive or negative atmosphere of the workplace. The daily relationships and interactions of employees are indicative of an organization's climate.

Resources are the people, information, facilities, infrastructure, machinery, equipment, supplies, and finances at an organization's disposal. People are the paramount resource of all organizations. Information, facilities, machinery equipment, materials, supplies, and finances are supporting, nonhuman resources that complement workers in their quests to accomplish the organization's mission statement. The availability of resources and the way that managers value the human and nonhuman resources impact the organization's environment.

Philosophy of management is the manager's set of personal beliefs and values about people and work and as such, is something that the manager can control. McGregor emphasized that a manager's philosophy creates a selffulfilling prophecy. Theory X managers treat employees almost as children who need constant direction, while Theory Y managers treat employees as competent adults capable of participating in workrelated decisions. These managerial philosophies then have a subsequent effect on employee behavior, leading to the selffulfilling prophecy. As a result, organizational philosophies and managerial philosophies need to be in harmony.

The number of coworkers involved within a problemsolving or decisionmaking process reflects the manager's leadership style. Empowerment means delegating to subordinates decisionmaking authority, freedom, knowledge, autonomy, and skills. Fortunately, most organizations and managers are making the move toward the active participation and teamwork that empowerment entails.

When guided properly, an empowered workforce may lead to heightened productivity and quality, reduced costs, more innovation, improved customer service, and greater commitment from the employees of the organization. In addition, response time may improve, because information and decisions need not be passed up and down the hierarchy. Empowering employees makes good sense because employees closest to the actual problem to be solved or the customer to be served can make the necessary decisions more easily than a supervisor or manager removed from the scene.