10 Skills managers need to develop in the new normal
To be an effective manager, you need to possess a seamless mix of hard and soft skills. Hard or technical skills are job-specific and learned through training, while soft skills are transferable and developed through experience and social interaction. With these competencies, you are able to increase workforce productivity and promote employee retention and engagement.
But industry landscapes are shifting fast, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. To cope with these changes, managers like you need to constantly update your skills. Learning in the new normal means taking full advantage of the wealth of resources on the internet. Here are 10 managerial skills you need to cultivate, and the corresponding online training courses that can help boost both your success.
1. People Management
Managing a team of different personalities and work styles requires your decisive leadership and dependability. This is especially true for HR but cuts across managerial positions. With the challenge of guiding your members toward a common goal, you need to be well-versed in managing relations, assigning tasks and fostering collaboration.
Suggested online courses:
People Management Skills offered by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
Teamwork Skills: Communicating Effectively in Groups offered by University of Colorado Boulder
2. Leadership
Leaders are game changers, determining business direction, while managers busy themselves with the day-to-day tasks of meeting the company’s standards of success. Employers need both managerial and leadership skills to streamline operations and maintain a successful business.
Suggested online courses:
Strategic Leadership and Management Specialization offered by University of Illinois
High Stakes Leadership: Leading in Times of Crisis offered by University of Michigan
3. Adaptability
Remote team management has become a vital skill in today’s pandemic-affected economy. The challenge lies in educating and preparing the workforce to ensure its continued productivity despite work-from-home arrangements.
Suggested online courses:
How to Manage a Remote Team offered by Gitlab
Highly Effective Managers of Virtual Teams offered by Life Coach Randy A. Esguerra
4. Strategic Planning
With creative thinking and a proficiency for innovation, you can form strategies that are built on solid data to create value for your business. Minimizing risks is at the heart of strategic planning, as well overcoming obstacles and forging the best path to meet your business targets.
Suggested online courses:
Strategic Management and Innovation Specialization offered by Copenhagen Business School
Digital Marketing Intensive Master Class offered by Sales Marketing Expert Chris Randolph
5. Communication
Active listening, negotiation, and written and verbal skills are some of the components of effective communication. With strong communication skills, you are able to minimize errors and conflict, which may delay progress and compromise employee engagement.
Suggested online courses:
Basic Skills in Constructive Communication offered by St. Petersburg Polytechnic University
Communication Strategies for a Virtual Age offered by University of Toronto
Professional Business Writing Essentials offered by Corporate Trainer Rory A. Sugay
6. Mentoring
Management is not just about designating tasks and overseeing your team’s output; it also includes motivating your team to improve their work. Being a mentor means conveying your expectations, appraising performance and making time for one-on-one or small group conversations to keep track of your members’ progress.
Suggested online courses:
Coaching Skills for Managers Specialization offered by University of California
Leadership Skills for Survivors in Turbulent Times offered by Employee Engagement Expert Howell V. Mabalot
7. Project Management
Whether they are client-driven or internal, projects are managerial specialties. From conceptualization to execution, a competent manager needs to be on top of processes to ensure that the project meets the deadline and stays within cost.
Suggested online courses:
Fundamentals of Project Planning and Management offered by University of Virginia
Introduction to Project Management: Methods and Tactics for Success offered by TeamGantt
8. Finance
Even if you are not a financial manager, you should equip yourself with basic financial knowledge. This allows you to comprehend and utilize the company’s financial reports, profits and losses, and annual reports in formulating sound business strategies. Good knowledge of numbers can help you make more informed decisions, and give you leverage when requesting financial support.
Suggested online courses:
Finance Master Class offered by Strategic Mentoring Teacher Stuart Morely
Cost-Effective Purchasing, Sourcing, Procurement: Management in the New Business Normal offered by Certified Strategic Business Facilitator Prof. Ricky De Vera
9. Organizational
As a manager, multi-tasking is the name of your game. Simultaneous deliverables may leave you burned out and disoriented, which is why it is vital to develop organizational skills. Scheduling tasks allows you to wisely make use of your time and energy.
Suggested online courses:
Work Smarter, Not Harder: Time Management for Personal and Professional Productivity offered by Division of Continuing Education
Mastering Pivot Tables: How to Crunch Numbers Like an Expert offered by Ariva Academy
10. Hiring and Interview
If your company is part of the 80% of employers planning to hire this year, then your input as a manager is valuable in choosing your next employees. Hiring managers in particular need to know what jobseekers are looking for so they can better develop strategies to attract the best talents.
Suggested online courses:
Mini-MBA for HR Professionals: Essentials of Human Resource Management offered by Certified Strategic Business Facilitator Prof. Ricky De Vera
You may be powerless in changing extraneous factors such as the pandemic, but you can take steps in changing yourself for the better. Sometimes, it only takes a single step to trigger a wave of change. By taking the initiative to further your competence, you are better equipped to lead and inspire your employees.
Ready to unlock your full potential as a manager? Visit our Employer Insights Page to learn more about recruitment, talent management and employment trends for the #JobsThatMatter. Make sure to get top candidates through Talent Search, one of Southeast Asia’s largest talent databases.
At JobStreet, we believe in bringing you #JobsThatMatter. As a Career Partner, we are committed to helping all jobseekers find passion and purpose in every career choice. And as the number 1 Talent Partner in Asia, we connect employers with the right candidates who truly make a positive and lasting impact on the organization.
Discover Jobs That Matter. Visit JobStreet today.
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