Becoming a business manager is undoubtedly the dream of many, but often the skills necessary for this task are not taken into consideration.
It is easy to associate this professional figure only with the maximum success, wealth and popularity that one could wish for in one’s life.
However, in order to one day aspire to hold this office, it is necessary to have a whole series of skills and experience.
So that you can perform your duty very well.
First of all, it should be specified that the position of corporate executive is very difficult to achieve.
This is due to the amount of responsibility they carry on their shoulders.
And therefore it is good to specify that not all people have the natural aptitudes to be able to become one.
In fact, the skills that differentiate the great managers such as Marchionne, Ferrero and Gianni Agnelli from the others are skills accumulated thanks to study and experience. Years and years of practice that have added to the theory.
Before explaining what are the necessary skills for a business manager it is important to know concretely what this subject deals with.
WHAT THE COMPANY MANAGER DOES
The primary function of the company manager is to achieve the goals set by the company.
From such a generic definition we move on to the specific one by rattling off the individual tasks:
- He is responsible for planning the activities to be carried out in his sector.
- He has the task of organizing and coordinating the work of his collaborators in order to make them as productive as possible.
- It also plays a role in recruiting with targeted interviews that challenge candidates.
- Monitor the production process and apply corrections in case of anomalies.
- He reports to his superiors on the results obtained from the activity.
From this lineup it is easy to understand that the duties of a manager are not of a technical nature but of management.
This is what differentiates him from collaborators who carry out strictly technical functions but without major management responsibilities.
As an example, it is possible to compare a banker (for example financial analyst) with a director.
And the difference between the two is obvious.
The first is highly specialized in its task characterized by a high complexity from a technical point of view.
While the second, who knows the analyst’s tasks well, will not be called to perform the same tasks.
But to prepare the objectives to be achieved by a group of analysts, to coordinate their work and to analyze the results .
It can therefore be said that as you move up the hierarchical ladder, so-called soft skills will be increasingly indispensable and less technical skills.
Having said this, we can now analyze the individual skills necessary for the company manager.
WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR A COMPANY MANAGER
As mentioned above, the ideal skills for a successful executive are composed of a mix of soft skills and technical skills in the field in which they operate.
To clarify, soft skills are all those personal characteristics that are useful in the workplace to cope with problems of various kinds.
And to manage relationships effectively. They are therefore strictly personal skills and can be “trained” with difficulty.
A managerial figure must certainly be in possession of skills closely related to soft skills.
We will analyze them below, they will have a greater importance than specific skills in the field in which it operates.
The skills of a manager can be divided into 11 fundamental skills. Starting from a more technical side, the manager has several characteristics. Let’s see the main ones.
TO KNOW THE SECTOR IN WHICH YOU WORK
This means that the business manager is called to have previous experience in a given sector before becoming its boss. Given that no one (or almost for those recommended) can become a manager without first “getting his hands dirty”.
For example, to become CFO (financial director) it is essential to have first gained several experiences.
For example in the financial and administrative sector of a company for a considerable number of years.
This previous experience is used precisely to specialize. And to know all the strictly technical side of a given sector. So then he will have very clear in the future what tasks will be assigned to his subordinates.
Now let’s analyze the transversal skills that differentiate a great manager from a mediocre one who achieves poor results for the company.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS OF THE COMPANY MANAGER
This skill is essential for a good executive.
As there is no worse mistake than communicating roughly and generically with co-workers.
The tasks to be assigned to collaborators must be precise and concrete.
And the results to be communicated to managers must contain all the required information. But above all it is a must that they are truthful.
False reporting of results to top management can cause serious damage to society
HONESTY’
The manager, like any figure operating in a particular organization, maintains an honest behavior.
So without conflicts of interest and without jealousy or envy of others.
Cooperation must be stimulated and, why not, even healthy competition to achieve a given result.
However, this skill can also have some more unpleasant sides or when someone has to be rebuked for any reason.
Also in this case it is foolish to distort reality in order to prove more condescending.
Instead, a frank and direct behavior must be kept. But still respectful towards the subject in question.
ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND AND LISTEN TO COLLABORATORS
This skill is closely related to the previous one.
As it is good to communicate properly. But, to do so, it is also necessary to understand the opinion of those in front of you.
This ability is essential above all to satisfy the needs of collaborators. This is the only way to create a stimulating environment in which everyone feels important.
And the business life trend also benefits.
EMPATHY
Skill that is needed to be close to one’s collaborators and to guide them in the situations that arise.
A successful business manager doesn’t have to blame an employee for a mistake. On the contrary, it must help him understand where he went wrong with a constructive attitude.
LEADERSHIP
The manager must be seen as a leader by his collaborators for his charismatic behavior.
This does not mean acting like a phenomenon by commanding collaborators, but simply instilling trust in them. And this happens through their own behaviors.
He must take responsibility for the role he holds. And maybe become a source of inspiration for those who work with him.
Thus, in the future, they will be able to become capable managers.
CONCENTRATION AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL
An essential feature for those who aspire to have a career of this type.
You have to be focused on the objectives to be achieved. And be great perfectionists, because any detail can be decisive for the result.
A tip to facilitate the focus is to set a limited but concrete number of objectives to be achieved with the relative deadlines.
Without wandering too far with an exaggerated number of projects that may be difficult to reach.
Those who are more schematic tend to perform better than the confused.
WORK ORGANIZATION AND PLANNING
A correct organization of work allows the company to reach its objectives more quickly than an inaccurate organization.
The manager dissects his team .
So he can delegate some tasks to collaborators in order to speed up the process of achieving the result.
It is not at all easy as you need to know the strengths and weaknesses of each team member. And knowing which of them is best prepared to be charged with responsibility.
Perhaps even more difficult than organizing is the long-term planning of goals by setting precise deadlines.
In fact, the secret to obtaining excellent results is to plan in the future with respect to living passively for the day.
This not only happens in the business environment but also in everyday life.
In this way it is possible to identify even more ambitious objectives to be achieved
And involve employees in a more pleasant and stimulating way.
PERSONALITY IN MAKING DIFFICULT DECISIONS
Few have what it takes to make unpopular decisions, especially in times of difficulty.
However, this is a key requirement for anyone working at the top of a company.
During the life of a company, events can occur that can cause crises.
And, to better address them, a good manager must know how to deal with them. Even making decisions that, while seeming harsh and difficult to accept, are necessary to solve a problem.
This dowry should also belong to the representatives of the governing bodies.
STRONG RESULT ORIENTATION
This is a skill required not only of managers but also of anyone who decides to work in a given company.
For the simple reason that those who decide to hire someone don’t do it to please them but because they need that particular resource.
Who would ever hire a person not very convinced of the results to be achieved? Nobody.
The same is true for managers who promote the achievement of more or less ambitious results depending on the organization they belong to.
STRESS MANAGEMENT
Thinking of advancing one’s career and improving one’s economic situation without having more responsibilities is pure utopia.
One of the negative sides of this professional figure is the strong presence of expectations. They can generate anxiety and severe stress.
It is therefore essential to know how to manage difficult situations without feeling the pinch even if it is definitely complicated.
We are not all the same. The most anxious and emotional people may have difficulties while for the more optimistic and courageous the road is definitely downhill.
These are the skills that those who aim to become a business manager cannot ignore.
They are, undoubtedly, skills that are not obtained overnight. Also because some are innate and therefore difficult to improve.
Another intricate question on which it is good to dwell is that concerning the possession of a certain degree to reach the top of a company.
DO YOU NEED A DEGREE TO BECOME A CORPORATE MANAGER?
The perfect answer to a question like this is “No, but…”.
Let’s clarify. A degree is not a mandatory requirement to become a business manager.
Also because we all know the stories of many who have reached those levels without a specialization of this type.
However, nowadays, there is a lot of competition from candidates looking for a job.
And therefore, inevitably, companies select highly qualified people with a rich course of studies.
It is very difficult, in fact, to aspire to enter a large company with a simple high school diploma. Especially when in front of you there are graduates from every university.
Furthermore, an adequate university course allows a subject to acquire very technical and specific skills required for a specific job position.
Then it all also depends on the importance of the company you are applying for.
Perhaps a non-graduate may aspire to join a smaller company and climb the hierarchy. But he will hardly be able to become an executive in a large investment bank.
At this point the doubt arises as to which university course to choose. In this case the answer is certainly easier.
The ideal would be a three-year degree course in Economics and Commerce or Business.
In addition to a specific master’s degree in Management, possibly in English, to have career opportunities also abroad.
At the master’s it is possible to choose a more specific course (for example Accounting and Finance or Economics) to address immediately in a given sector.
PRACTICAL ADVICE TO BECOME A COMPANY MANAGER
In addition to a description of the skills it is also useful to give some advice to improve your career and aim higher.
Surely to become a manager you need to be passionate about your job. And be able to do it in the best way.
The “passion” factor is undoubtedly an excellent starting point for continuing your career in a certain direction. Also driven by the thirst for knowledge for that matter.
But be careful not to turn passion into obsession, which is quite another thing.
In the early years it is important to learn from superiors.
Sometimes they may not be too nice but they certainly have a great experience on their side.
So it is always valuable to ask questions, try to read up and “absorb” all the advice that is given.
It is also essential to try to develop the skills described above over time.
Such as, for example, the organization of work, the management of relationships with colleagues. And the improvement of one’s communication.
Another tip for having a great managerial career is not to be satisfied with doing the “homework”.
But to be proactive and to have initiative.
The one who is behind the desk doing the bare minimum will never be rewarded but the one who tries to do their homework better. And who wants to give added value to the company he works for.
So it is also good to propose and ask to lead a group of people to show passion and desire to take responsibility.
Putting all these indications into practice will increase the chances of making a career in the company with a consequent greater economic gratification.
THE MANAGER’S SALARY
The reason why many aspire to become managers is due to the economic conditions they are subjected to.
However, we must always take into account that the higher the salary, and therefore the importance of the role, the greater the responsibilities.
The pay for a manager is on average high and varies according to three factors. That is the experience, the type of role to be filled and the importance of the company in which you work.
For the first factor it is easy to understand that a young manager will earn less than one with years and years of experience.
Furthermore, there are different types of executives (first line manager, middle manager and top manager).
Depending on their responsibilities and skills, they will have pay differences.
Finally, the size of the company where the manager works also matters.
Certainly an executive of a small factory will not earn like Luca Maestri ( Apple’s CFO ).
Broadly speaking, it can be said that the salary of a managerial profile starts from 30k per year with the presence of benefits (company car, meal vouchers).
And it can go up to pharaonic figures such as the 16 million a year of Vittorio Colao, CEO of Vodafone .
Well, we closed with a flourish with the salaries of two Italian excellences that are coveted by anyone. But it is good to specify that the road to reach high levels is tortuous with the presence of negative moments.
The important thing is to never get discouraged, have dreams and learn from your mistakes. Just like those who have gone high have done.
A great guru like Walt Disney used to say that “if you can dream it you can do it”.
