What are management competencies?
The knowledge, skills and abilities possessed by effective managers who successfully lead and guide their teams are called management competencies. Comprising wide-ranging attributes from high-level communication, problem-solving and decision-making skills to adaptability in the face of changing conditions and emotional intelligence, management competencies help leaders navigate the complexities of the modern business environment.
When leaders possess core management competencies, they’re better able to inspire and motivate those beneath them and foster a positive work culture that drives business success. Likewise, these leaders handle issues quickly and smoothly, and they communicate well with everyone in the company hierarchy, whether at a higher, lower or peer level. Comfort with changing conditions also lets professionals with strong management competencies curate high-performing teams that collaborate well with others while leveraging their own particular strengths.
11 important management competencies for leaders
Strong leaders create strong businesses, making manager competencies a key thing to look at when hiring leadership or promoting employees from within. Use this list of management competencies to determine which qualities matter most to your organization.
1. Robust interpersonal communication skills
The ability to identify, understand, and anticipate the emotions, concerns and thoughts of others falls under interpersonal communication skills. This ability helps managersempathize and communicate effectively with everyone in the chain of command and external stakeholders alike. These skills also include interpersonal awareness that helps managers read other people’s feelings based on their nonverbal behavior, tone of voice and choice of words to more effectively guide employees under their charge.
2. Capacity to lead and motivate others
Strong leaders effectively rally people together to achieve common goals by creating a collective vision and sense of purpose for their teams and companies. Individuals with this management competency understand the strengths and weaknesses of team members and use that knowledge to motivate them and drive team performance. Because those with these skills communicate clearly and articulately, they build a base of trust within their organization by actively listening to stakeholders, providing constructive feedback and recognizing achievements.
3. Excellent written communication skills
High-level written communication skills let managers lay out just what they need to say in the written word. Individuals with this management competency use proper grammar, spelling and punctuation while writing in a way that’s clear and understandable to most people. While some industries require leadership well versed in its terminology, in most cases, those with excellent written communication skills avoid jargon to prevent misunderstandings and confusion.
4. An honest, ethical mindset toward business
Good managers display ethical, honest and humane behavior. They serve as a role model for others and perform actions that demonstrate their values. While good managers may be ambitious, they always put the needs of the company above personal gain and treat employees with respect and decency. An honest, ethical mindset toward business also ensures that good managers provide accountability when things go sideways and are transparent when mistakes happen.
5. Exceptional problem-solving skills
All leaders have to solve problems eventually, but good managers take proactive approaches to address issues and avert conflict whenever it emerges. Those with exceptional problem-solving skills empower employees to seek information that helps them develop and assess a variety of potential solutions. When problems arise, leaders with this management competencyare quick to prevent escalation of conflict between employees.
6. Ability to see and develop potential
Effective leaders recognize the potential in their employees and help develop it over time. They understand that everyone has untapped talents and have a keen eye for identifying those strengths and using them to maximum advantage for their teams and companies. Likewise, they create supportive settings where those beneath them feel empowered and valued, which enhances employee engagement, productivity and job satisfaction.
7. Capacity for strategic planning
Leaders with the ability to create and implement long-term plans that align with your company’s vision and goals are good choices when you require organizational change. Those with this management competency analyze data closely to discover both opportunities and risks, then make informed decisions about what to do next. They also tend to be pros at resource allocation and encouraging others to take actions that get teams closer to accomplishing their goals.
8. A creative, innovative spirit
Leaders with a creative spirit are open to new ideas and willing to question the status quo approaches. Those with this management competency often foster innovative cultures within their teams by encouraging employees to experiment with processes and take calculated risks. By seeing problems from new perspectives, creative managers can generate fresh insights into problems and offer novel solutions that aid businesses in adapting to changing conditions while differentiating themselves from the competition.
9. Strong conflict resolution skills
At some point, conflict is bound to arise between employees, but leaders with strong conflict resolution skills find solutions that satisfy everyone involved. Those with this management competency quickly identify underlying issues and offer a space for constructive communication. They use techniques like active listening and negotiation to mediate disputes with empathy and professionalism. Having a manager with excellent conflict resolution skills on your team helps keep relationships between employees positive and supports a healthy work environment.
10. Ability to delegate tasks
Effective leaders understand they can’t do all the work alone and need others to accomplish their goals. By capitalizing on the expertise of others, these leaders can assign tasks and responsibilities to the employees best able to complete them properly. They also cede authority to capable employees, empowering decision-making and fostering a culture of efficiency and productivity that leads to growth and success. The ability to delegate also gives leaders more time to focus on high-level tasks that lead to improved outcomes.
11. Valuing and utilizing diversity
Every person on a team has unique values, experience, cultural backgrounds and goals, and good leaders know how to use those things to their companies’ advantage. Besides making everyone feel welcome and valued, an inclusive workplace encourages innovation by embracing diverse ideas and perspectives, helping leaders tap into a plethora of approaches and insights to better solve problems and make decisions.
Recognizing potential in future leaders
Hiring isn’t always your best option when you want strong leaders who exhibit the management competencies your company requires. Instead, consider fostering a setting where potential future leaders are cultivated and promoted from within. Good managers recognize when someone has leadership potential and encourage the development of skills and talents that align with your organization’s present and future goals. They note when someone’s ready and willing to take on more responsibility and provide opportunities for growth, including mentorships and development programs. Using employees already with your company also helps with succession planning and creating a strong culture of leadership.
Understanding management competencies and which ones are best for certain positions within your business helps you make better hiring decisions. Use this list as a guide when reviewing resumes or looking at internal candidates for leadership positions within your business.
FAQs about management competencies
Below, we answer some frequently asked questions related to the topic of management competencies:
What is a competency management system?
Competency management systems are a kind of software used for managing and assessing human assets. Providing a large database of competencies, they make it easier for you to identify your core competencies and create a list of job requirements for each position.
Additionally, competence management systems provide a database where you can track your employees and their skills. Usually, they make it easier to disseminate performance reviews and give direct feedback. The software often includes learning and training resources that help employees develop competencies.
How do you improve management competencies?
You can improve workplace competency by developing a competency model. To begin the process, carefully select management competencies that align with the organization’s goals. Each workplace has its own unique set of manager competencies based on their job requirements.
Managers benefit when they know which competencies they need to develop to perform well at their jobs, so take the time to explain the target proficiency level for each core competency. Likewise, devise an assessment strategy that lets you easily measure the proficiency of each manager objectively.
What are management competencies that enhance employee engagement?
Management or leadership behaviors drive employee engagement. When employees have positive perceptions of their management team, they’re more likely to engage in their work cognitively, socially and emotionally. With that in mind, being ethical and honest is a management competency that improves employees’ perception of their superiors.
Clear communication skills also bolster employee engagement. When leadership clearly communicates goals and objectives, employees understand what they need to do to succeed. This means that for the business to thrive, senior management must successfully communicate company values and long-term vision while adopting an approachable and open communication style that helps employees feel at ease speaking with them.
Frequently acknowledging employees’ hard work fosters a culture of appreciation. Employee engagement, in turn, improves with positive reinforcement and appropriate rewards. Developing others by giving them opportunities to grow or be promoted also bolsters employee engagement.
