Six skills every manager needs

THERE is an imperative need today, than ever before, to inculcate

practical management skills in executives particularly such skills
which enable them to lead, intluence, control, and co-ordinate the
activities of other people, by whom they obtain results, and for whose

work and wellare they are accountable.

The pace of technical and organisational change in India is so
rapid - a fallout of the economic reforms of the Nineties - that most
young managers will want to make hay while the sun shincs, by making
as many job changes as are optimal and adequate to obtain enough
experience in varied and diverse work cultures, environments and

ethos.

In order to accomplish this successfully, they must be able to
quickly and casily transfer the skills and knowledge they acquire in one
job to another. Further, it is this adaptability which qualifies mana gement
as a "profession The implication is that on account of his unique and
specialist talent, he will be able to function as a manager in any
industrial, commercial, or some such situation. Such an adeptness for
self-transplantation becomes the passport for success and growth in
the current managerial milieu. We propose to deal with six skills which
are considered basic and vital for a modern manager, to acquire such

an adeptness and adaptability.

Time management

Time is a resource which must be allocated optimally, to gain

maximum advantage. Each unit of a manager 's time has an opportunity
ost: in the sense that its value must be assessed against any other
alternative use to which that span of time may have been applied. Time
spent in a committee meeting, for instance, could instead be devoted to
a (possibly more productive) counselling session with a key subordinate.
Take care not to attend inessential meetings, and leave a meeting carly,
if the remaining items on the agenda do not concern you.


choices are necessary, often inevitable choosing priorities may

not be easy, however, you need to organise your personal timeta
With a view to maximise your creative output for each working
Bconomies of seale may be availed by grouping together similar sks
Write all your letters at one time. Make your telephone calls one afi
another. Keep all information and files ready at hand, before you egin
to write or telephone, so that you will not have to waste time lata
locating them. Meet all external visitors during specific times. Casal
callers should be discouraged, however, without appearing to be rud
remote or inaccessible.

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You must learn to deal with interruptions to SWitch your mind

from one thing to another, and back again quickly and without loss
of momentum. Anothei useful time saver is to insist that all problems
referred upwards are accompanied by a recommended solution, to0
and that every report submitted begins with a summary.

A common mistake is to use intellectually productive hours for

mundane activity. If you are normally fresh and energetic in the
morning, do all your demanding and difficult tasks during that time.
Conversely, if you are a person wh0 warms up as the day goes by,
change your schedule accordingly. There will always be some routine
activity which you cannot avoid.

Deliberately earmark that period of the day, when you are likely
to be tired, for such work because the relief coming out of clearing
uninspiring work will help you relax.
_Delegation_
Delegation is the assignment of responsibilities to subordi-nates
along with the concomitant devolution of necessary authoriy
accomplish such work. It is not only a technique for saving time, out also a management control and training technique. You must decl

what to delegate, when to delegate, and in which circumstaces.

Delegate whenever your personal workload seems excessive
ver you believe that by doing so your subordinates will be better
wi otiv d or that they wil derive a greater sense of belonging and
cipation, and that they will also, learn something useful.

Delegation is an excellent means for talent promotion of your
subordinates, espeC1ally 1n areas which warrant exercise of discretion.
Subordinates are bOund to make mustakes as increasing quantum of
authority and responsibility are delegated.

Empirical learning by nature has an immense scope for errors of
judgement, but you should regard these mistakes as part of the game
Make sure that the same mistakes do not recur, and what is more

important, that learning does take place as a direct consequence.
Oscar Wilde once described experience as the name given to our

mistakes. As tar as possible, back-up and support the decis1ons of your

subordinates, even if you may not agree with their actions, as long as
such actions are not cataclysmic in consequence. Reprimand in private,
but always praise in public. Be liberal in the use of adjectives when

paying a tribute, but be frugal and suggestive in language when you

criticise.

It is ideal to break down the work you delegate into logically
compartmentalised packages. Each capsule ought to have a discernible
purpose, goal and schedule of action. Do not monitor continuously as
they are at work. Close and constant supervision kills initiative,

generates diffidence and insecurity. Let delegation be an integral part
or your training and development scheme for them, not as a conduit to
convey distasteful duties to your subordinates.

Communication skill

Communication skill is both primary and paramount for successS
" udnagement. An effective manager needs to constantly hone nis
Omunication skills. He must keep abreast of the latest devices, too
ud tcchniques in communication .