Top 5 Skills You Need For Moving Into a Management Position

Are you an experienced professional looking to move into management? Advancing into a management position doesn’t just require an excellent work record and lots of experience.

You also need to know how to use the skills you’ve acquired and then apply them in a managerial setting. No matter which sector you are working in, successful people in managerial positions will always share some key skills that make them great at what they do. 

With that in mind, here is our advice on the top 5 skills you will need to acquire if you want to move into management.

Developing management skills such as communication and interpersonal skills can be one of the most important steps toward becoming a successful manager.

When managing a team of people, communication has been referred to as the number one skill to have. You will need to communicate what you need from your team, solve any issues and adapt your plans depending on the needs of your team. 

You will also need to help your staff with any problems and have good interpersonal skills so that your staff will feel comfortable coming to you with any questions or issues. Communication is not just about the verbal, but also it is about communicating effectively in writing, such as through emails and letters.

Staying on top of things is essential when you are in a management position. This is not only for yourself and the smooth running of your company but also for the team you are managing. Being able to delegate tasks, oversee the workload and organise schedules ensures that you won’t end up being behind on an important project and missing vital deadlines for the company. 

Gaining in-depth career management skills, like being able to organise time, tasks and work, will make you and your team’s day to day life a lot easier. You’ll be totally across who is doing what, and will also be able to track progress and adapt quickly to any changes that need to be made. Studying courses that focus on project management can be a great way to get your organisational skills up to scratch so that you’re ready to manage large teams and projects.

The best professional managers rely on good strategic planning to ensure that company aims are achieved in the right way. Being able to see the bigger picture and foresee problems that may arise will help you spot any issues before your team does.

You might not always be able to predict what will happen, but having a plan of action for when issues arises will ensure that you are still on track even when the unexpected does occur. Having good strategic planning also allows you to track progress and change elements of your strategy as and when needed. For more of an in-depth look at this, take a look at the following article about “What is Strategic Management” that goes over some of the best ways to perform well in this role.

When it comes to working with others to ensure the company’s goals are achieved, someone needs to make the tough decisions. 

Some of these decisions may be relatively simple such as assigning tasks, and others may be more difficult such as discussing key areas of improvement with your team.

If you are a typically indecisive person, developing your skills in problem solving and assertiveness will help you to make more informed decisions going forward. Having skills like these will be essential on your journey towards achieving a managerial position.

A common misconception about management positions is that there is only one way to do it right. You do not have to change who you are when it comes to being in a managerial position, but you’ll have to be ready to change and adapt for every situation. 

Be willing to face up to any weak spots you may have within your personal and professional skills. If you have excellent interpersonal skills but are lacking in organisation skills, use your excellent communication skills to increase the morale in your team and help ensure you can tackle any issues easily. Mix and match your skills to adapt to any situation. 

Play to your strengths, but also recognise that you’ll have to step out of your comfort zone now and again. Someone in a managerial position will often end up being a jack of all trades, so work on your weaknesses and be ready to take on a wide range of challenges.