It was such a pleasure to be hosted on the 9th of February 2022 by Melmarh on the Jordan Radio Big Resolution Show, where I was interviewed on Preparing for Management Roles.

Since I couldn't get the recording, I have decided to share snippets from this outing. 

To prepare for management roles, it's important to know that there are certain skills you must develop:

1. Self-Awareness/Self-Mastery/Self-Consciousness: 

It's extremely difficult to lead or manage other people when you cannot lead yourself. You must get to understand yourself - your personality, your habits, strengths, and weaknesses. Then intentionally begin to work on improving your weaknesses and reinforcing your strengths. Develop the right discipline, as you need a good level of self-discipline as a manager or leader.

Again, I will repeat this: it is extemenly difficult to lead or manage others when you have not worked on your self discipline.  

2. Communication: 

A lot of what you'd do as a manager or leader involves communicating with subordinates, clients, top management or the board members, vendors, etc. The skill of communication can make or mar you as a manager. You must learn how to talk to people, and to listen intently for details. You will also need to brush up on your writing and reporting skills as they form an integral part of what you'd be doing as a manager. 

3. Emotional Intelligence:

Every successful manager has an appreciable level of emotional intelligence. The way you handle your emotions and the energy you bring to the team is important. Are you associated with anger and losing your cool almost all of the time? Then, you need to step back and work on this aspect of yourself. The way you make people feel when you are around, the way you react to issues and how you are perceived by the team, are all important if you are going to succeed as a manager. 

4. People Skills:

As a manager, you'll be working wtih people, and it maters that you learn how to manage them. Managing people is a must-have skill, just for empahasis. 

No matter how beautiful your work facilities are, it actually people that make things happen. 

5. Planning: 

It's not enough to desire a managerial position; you must learn how to plan long term. So, strategic planning is one of the skills you need to develop to perform well in management. 

6. Financial Management: 

Whether you are directly involved with the finances of the organisation or not, the decisions you'll take as a manager impact on the organisation financially in one way or the other. So invest in learning about financial budgeting, and control and how they work in organisations.

7. Prioritising/Time Management:

Learning to complete tasks within the allotted time is one skill you need to develop as this will be very useful for you as a manager where you may be required to work under pressure and deliver within stiff deadlines. 

8. Investing in your Learning: 

Do this intentionally- learn to read the right books, attend conferences, workshops, seminars and relevant  webinars and industry events.

Learn all you can about the roles you are aspiring for, and start applying the knowledge to differentiate yourself where you are.

9. Get a Role Model, Mentor or Coach:

The presence of someone who has gone ahead of you in management will be an added advantage to you as you learn from them and avoid mistakes from their exeperience. 

A coach will guide and nudge you out of your comfort zone to take leaps you may ordinarily be scared to take on your own. 

10. Networking 

You don't work in a silo as a manager, so you must make deliberate efforts at developing your networking skills. While at events, reach out to people with something to offer, to draw them into your network. While networking, be more concerned about what you're offering others, and not what you're getting from them.  

11. Technology Skills: 

We are in 2022 and technology is definitely a thing! If you have not developed sound technology skills by now, then you have something else coming for you. The Microsoft Suite -Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel and others should be your friends. So must the Google Suite and the internet. 

You need to be familiar with technology tools for hosting meetings such as Zoom, Google Meet and Skype, as well as how to share documents with your team such as Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, etc. 

Let me just say that you cannot do much without technology if you intend to be a great manager. That's just the way it is!

Have you thought of other skills you'd need to be a great manager? 

Would you want to share them in the comments? Please do? 

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