Managerial Traits and Skills - Research Paper Example

?Managerial Traits and Skills Management of a business has become more and more complicated over the years as newer technologies and ways of doing business have emerged. Today, managers are exposed to much more challenges than there ever were for them. This means that in order to succeed in the business, managers need to be more careful and watchful about and well-prepared for the challenges lying ahead. This paper discusses certain managerial traits and skills that are required to be successful as a manager in the contemporary age. Emotional intelligence has been frequently identified as a predictor of success both in academia and industry. “[H]igh performers are perceived as more intelligent than low performers, and…there is much stronger agreement of the personality traits leading to high performance than there is for low performance” (Antonucci and Goeke, 2009, p. 2). High level of emotional intelligence is fundamental to the good relations between a manager and the subordinates as well as the clients. Emotionally intelligent managers know how to tackle the challenges that are encountered by them on daily basis. Emotional intelligence inculcates a sense in the manager to deal with others without getting caught in dysfunctional conflicts with them. This enables them to achieve the organizational objectives without having to exert unnecessarily. Dealing with people in the appropriate way in context of a certain situation is not a rule of thumb. It is more of an art. Emotionally intelligent managers have the intrinsic feeling of behaving the right way, which may not necessarily require the manager to be patient all the time. There are times when it is better to let go of things and yet there are times when the manager needs to take serious action in order to control the situation. The manager derives this sense from emotional intelligence. Managers measuring high on the scale of emotional intelligence are able to connect with others psychologically in a way that is conducive to the achievement of the manager’s goals. Internal locus of control is a very important managerial trait. Managers that have the internal locus of control are confident that with the right planning, strategy and resources, they can make a difference. Internal locus of control inculcates confidence in the managers that they are able to control the circumstances and mould them according to the need of the hour. On the other hand, managers who have external locus of control tend to underestimate their ability to control the circumstances. Instead, they tend to think that things will happen as they are destined to be. While the significance of destination cannot be undermined, it is equally important for a manager to believe that his/her destination is in his/her own hands. Without this belief, the manager lacks the confidence required to play his/her individualistic role in the change of circumstances for the better. Interpersonal skills of an individual have a large impact on his/her effectiveness as a manager. Interpersonal skills, as the name indicates, are the skills required to deal with people. Interpersonal skills are linked to emotional intelligence and the two have a cause-and-effect relationship. High level of emotional intelligence inculcates sound interpersonal skills in the manager. The fundamental key to the improvement of interpersonal skills is knowledge of business ethics. Business ethics teach a manager what is the right thinking which needs to be adopted for the evaluation and analysis of matters. Teamwork is essential for a manager as he/she is frequently required to work as part of a team. Teamwork is essentially a skill that is not very common in people. Different people have different problems that affect their tendency to be effective as a team member. Such problems include but are not limited to attitude problems, neuroticism, and group think. Some people are not able to get along with others well. This may happen because of a contrast between others’ beliefs and perceptions and theirs. This causes an individual to keep distant from the team members emotionally and psychologically which declines the individual’s tendency to integrate into the group. Some people are nervous in public. They are more comfortable alone. This trait of their personality declines their ability to think and decide rationally while working with others while they may be very good at decision-making when alone. Likewise, some people are not able to carry and put forth their individualistic opinion while working as part of a group because of lack of confidence, or a perception that their opinion might be heavily disliked and criticized by others. These and many other factors like them decline an individual’s tendency to work in a group setting. A manager has to interact with a lot of people on daily basis and teamwork is almost a regular activity. In order to be successful as a manager, it is imperative that an individual is able to get along with others well, is patient and calm in general, and is able to carry his/her personal opinion with confidence and dignity while working with a group. Miscellaneous skills of good managers include but are not limited to the ability to multi-task, time management, adaptability to change, oratory skills, leadership skills, good listening skills, decision-making, sociability, sense of humor, and presentation skills (Antich, 2012). While the efficiency of an individual declines as he/she exerts throughout the day from morning till evening, there occurs no decrease in the toughness of challenges of work. In order to perceive things correctly and respond to them in the timely and effective manner, it is imperative that a manager displays all these skills throughout the day. Concluding, a successful manager today has to exhibit an agglomerate of exceptional traits and skills in order to be able to deal with the everyday challenges. Skills needed by managers include but are not limited to good interpersonal skills and the art of working with group. Traits required by managers to be successful include high level of emotional intelligence, and internal locus of control. These and many more skills and traits are required by managers to be successful which include dedication to work, motivation, and work-life balance. References: Antich, M. (2012, April). The Top 50 Traits of a Great Fleet Manager. Retrieved from http://www.automotive-fleet.com/Article/Story/2012/04/The-Top-50-Traits-of-a-Great-Fleet-Manager.aspx?prestitial=1. Antonucci, Y. L., and Goeke, R. J. (2009, May 7). Analysis of Business Process Management Skills and Characteristics. Widener University. pp. 1-20. Retrieved from http://www2.widener.edu/~yantonuc/surveyresults/ResultsMay09.pdf. Read More