6. Management Skills Flashcards
Management skills definition?
Management skills refers to the techniques a manager may use in order to improve their personal effectiveness and contribute to achieving the objectives of the organization.
The seven areas of management skills: (All can have application under the different management styles discussed) ■ communication ■ negotiation ■ time management ■ delegation ■ decision making and problem solving ■ stress management ■ emotional intelligence (EQ).
Communication?
- Most management skills are related to the capacity of the manager to communicate effectively—to get the intended message across to the receiver.
- Communication has two important aspects and both are central concerns of management.
• These are:
■ The Effective Transmission of information
■ Maintenance of good personal relationships
• Communication also contains messages about the value the organization puts on its employees and the expectations it has of them.
Communication
Forms of Communication?
Communication takes a number of forms that have application in different management situations.
These include the following:
One-to-one personal communication
It has the advantage of generating enthusiasm and commitment because of its direct personal appeal.
Non-verbal communication, such as body language, can also be significant in what is actually communicated.
Written communication
Management should be aware of the ‘paper personality’ it presents, and ask the following two questions:
■ Does the written communication suggest knowledge, humanity, trust, interest or other desirable features of management’s personality?
■ Is the communication clear and to the point from the perspective of the audience?
Electronic networks
Email and SMS (texting) have become common forms of communication in large organisations.
In most organisations effective communication will consist of a mix of forms of communication.
Committees
Committees can provide a communication channel.
They may be built into the structure of an organisation on a permanent basis or set up for particular short-term purposes. Because they promote group involvement and shared decision making.
They can also be of assistance in the coordination of the organisation’s internal activities and act as a forum for the provision and explanation of information.
Committees are frequently criticised for their tendency to be time consuming and costly to the organisation.
That is to say, they may be an effective channel of communication but not necessarily an efficient one.
Conferences
A conference is simply a meeting of any group to confer.
A highly organised formal meeting, but a conference can also be an informal gathering.
Participants in a conference have related interests or common problems and wish to exchange information and ideas about these.
Conferences are seen by many organisations as a setting for valuable one-to-one personal communication to take place.
Have the advantages of promoting group involvement and shared responsibility.
Networks
Members of a network share information and resources.
A network can be formally organised or—most commonly inside a large corporation—operate as an informal ‘grapevine’.
Communication
Noise in communication?
- Regardless of the form it takes, effective communication requires the lowering of a variety of ‘noise’ between the sender and the receiver of the message.
- Noise in communication blocks or distorts the message.
• Noise can arise from such factors as:
■ Physical distractions (e.g. caused by an unsuitable location for the communication to take place)
■ Ineffective or unsuitable communications technology (e.g. slow downloads or display crashes)
■ The words used (which can mean different things to different people)
• Hints to lower noise in communication include:
■ using simple and clear communication
■ seeking feedback from the receivers for the purpose of confirming the effectiveness of the communication
■ being a good, alert listener
■ being aware of how you present yourself, including your non-verbal communication
Negotiation ?
- In negotiations, a combination of discussion and bargaining among the negotiating parties aims to produce an outcome satisfactory to all involved (referred to as a ‘win-win’ approach).
- The key to successful negotiating is to avoid taking a fixed position too early in the process.
- The negotiation process requires skills in:
■ clear expression of objectives and general feelings
■ assessing differences among the negotiators’ positions
■ sorting out different interpretations of the facts
■ dealing with a level of conflict and stress
■ knowing when to compromise and what is gained by compromise
■ making sure all parties are clear on what has been agreed and how it will be put into practice.
• The process moves through the stages of:
- Preparation
- Opening
- Bargaining
- closing
- And implementation of the agreed outcome.
Time Management?
- Use of time is important.
- Skilled time management requires a combination of a systematic approach and the self-discipline to stick to the system.
• Problems with time may relate to management’s preferred or current style of management. The application of a different management style may make more time available.
Time Management
A systematic approach to time management involves:?
■ setting out tasks to be done (or goals to be achieved)
■ delegating tasks
■ establishing priorities among the remaining tasks
■ allocating time to particular tasks
■ building in deadlines and other controls (these have to be realistic and allow for quality of outcome)
■ periodically reviewing the plan in operation.
Time Management
Management as a team should seek to eliminate such time-wasters as:?
■ a culture in which ‘crises’ tend to upset established plans
■ poor communication
■ delayed, incomplete or inaccurate information
■ unnecessarily slow decision making
■ inadequate training to complete a task
■ lack of staff familiarity (‘orientation’) with the organization and its activities
■ insufficient staff to complete a task.
Delegation?
- Delegation takes place when significant tasks are handed over by management to an employee in the organisation. For example, tasks may be delegated from senior management to workers who are lower in the organisation’s authority structure.
- While authority is delegated, the delegating manager usually retains responsibility for getting the tasks done properly.
- Delegation of authority by management shows confidence in others in the organisation.
Delegation
Advantages of delegation?
■ It can assist the smooth flow of production.
- Employees may, given the opportunity, also develop ideas that contribute to more efficient methods of production.
■ It is a time saver for management.
-It allows management to get more done and frees up time to spend on longer-term planning.
■ It contributes to employee skill development and job satisfaction.
-It shows faith in staff,
Delegation
Effective delegation involves a number of skills:?
■ analysing the job and therefore having a clear understanding of what authority is needed to carry out the job.
■ Setting performance standards (or reasonable outcomes for an employee to achieve).
■ Setting realistic deadlines for completion and checkpoints for monitoring progress along the way.
■ Selecting appropriate people to whom authority can be delegated in a particular situation.
■ Clearly communicating the task and providing specific support to an employee when necessary.
■ Assessing the delegated task when completed and providing feedback) to the employee.
Delegation
Suitability of Delegation?
• There are some tasks that should not normally be delegated.
-These would include strategic planning, high-risk decisions, high-cost decisions, confidential matters and highly specialised areas in which employees lack training.
• Tasks normally suitable for delegation would include those that are part of:
- larger projects
- repetitive or time-consuming tasks
- the collection or organisation of data,
- and tasks that develop and train staff for future roles.
Decision Making and Problem Solving?
• Decisions have to be made at all levels in the large organisation.
• Decisions are made either to solve a problem or to take up an opportunity.
The two are not separate—a problem viewed positively may itself open up new opportunities.
Decision making involves making choices among possible courses of action.
Problem solving consists of making a series of decisions. Management theory recommends a logical and systematic approach to problem solving.
• Regardless of the decision (strategic, operational or front-line) to be made in the organisation, a step-by-step approach guarantees the best quality decision making.
Decision Making and Problem Solving
Decision Making-A six Step Approach?
• STEP 1: DEFINE THE OBJECTIVE
Management must be clear on what it would like to happen.
• STEP 2: OUTLINE THE FACTS
Management must gather and outline all the facts surrounding the problem (or opportunity).
• STEP 3: DECIDE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM
\By analysing the collected data, management should be able to identify the precise cause of the problem.
Step 3 may be omitted if a decision-making process does not involve solving a problem.
• STEP 4: DEVELOP SEVERAL SOLUTIONS
Management should take time to list all the possible solutions to the problem.
As wel as drawing on experience of previous situations, the process of thinking through the possible solutions usually involves both research into possibilities and the deliberate exercise of these.
The possible effects of each solution must then be traced and considered.
This might identify some solutions that are not at all feasible and therefore can be eliminated.
• STEP 5: SELECT THE PREFERED ALTERNATIVE AND IMPLEMENT IT
Selection of a course of action requires that management considers all the advantages and disadvantages of the alternatives, and chooses the one with the most advantages and least disadvantages.
This may involve consulting a range of people in the organisation, external experts or company policy where it relates to the solution.
• STEP 6: EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SOLUTION
Once the selected alternative is in place, it has to be followed up (or monitored) to evaluate whether it really is operating as planned.
Decision Making and Problem Solving
Decision Making Conditions?
- The more complex a decision, the more uncertainty exists for the decision maker.
- Management theory identifies three conditions under which decision making can occur.
- Certainty
The outcome of each alternative course of action is known in advance. - Risk
The outcome of each alternative is not completely certain.
Under this condition, decision-making involves some probabilities that can be arrived at by using statistical models or based on management’s experience.
Risk is a common condition under which management decisions are made.
- Uncertainty
Under this difficult condition, management cannot even put probabilities on the outcomes of the alternative courses of action available.
Uncertainty is likely to be present in much decision making by top management
