Three types of managerial skills

Business owners are entrepreneurs until they become managers. When they become managers, they will feel frustrated because they will need to deal with new problems like managerial problems. And management is not a simple task. It needs knowledge and experience.

Because of that, there is the existence of hierarchy, organisational structure and possibilities for each organizational member with adequate knowledge, experience and skills to move from the bottom to the middle and top level of the managerial pyramid.

Simply, managerial skills are the knowledge and ability of the individuals in a managerial position to fulfil some specific management activities or tasks. This knowledge and ability can be learned and practised. However, they also can be acquired through practical implementation of required activities and tasks. Therefore, you can develop each skill through learning and practical experience as a manager.

When we talk about managerial skills, we talk about the skills of a manager to maintain high efficiency in the way how his or her employees complete their everyday working tasks. Because of that, managers will need skills that will help them to manage people and technology to ensure an effective and efficient realisation of their working duties.

Robert Katz identifies three types of skills that are essential for a successful management process:

• Technical skills

• Conceptual skills

• Human or interpersonal management skills

As the name itself indicates, these skills give the manager knowledge and ability to use different techniques to achieve what they want to achieve. Technical skills are not related only to machines, production tools or other equipment, but they are also skills that will be required to increase sales, design different types of products and services, market the products and services, etc.

Technical skills are most important for first-level managers. When it comes to the top managers, these skills are not something with a high significance level. Therefore, as we go through a hierarchy from the bottom to higher levels, technical skills lose their importance.

Human or interpersonal management skills facilitate a manager’s knowledge and ability to work with people. One of the most critical management tasks is working with people. Without people, the existence of management and managers becomes redundant.

These skills enable managers to become leaders and motivate employees for better accomplishments. Additionally, they help them to make more effective use of human potential in the company. Simply said, they are essential skills for all hierarchical levels in the company.

Conceptual skills enable a manager to use their knowledge or ability for more abstract thinking. That means they can easily envisage the whole by means of analysis and diagnosis of the different states. As such, they would be in a position to predict the future of a business or department as a whole.

Conceptual skills are vital for top managers, less critical for mid-level managers and not required for first-level managers. As we go from the bottom of the managerial hierarchy to the top, the importance of these skills will rise.

Thanks for taking the time to read our blog post on the three types of managerial skills. If you are thinking about studying in Germany, PFH offers a Master’s Degree in General Management. If, however, you are interested in becoming even more international, we also offer dual degree programmes, where you would study partly in New York, London, Bordeaux or even Australia and receive two degrees.

At PFH we make sure you receive a high-quality education while making the most out of your study abroad experience!