Skills of an Effective Manager

Introduction

The purpose of this essay is to understand whether the skills that a first-level manager possesses compared to other levels of management are similar or different. It is because according to Katz theory each level of management requires to specialize in the following core skills: technical, human and conceptual. However, it does not necessarily mean that they do not need other core skills. Moreover, managers have to fulfill different managerial roles in regards to the skills that each level of management possesses, since different levels of management have their own responsibilities within the organization. Furthermore, this essay will also examine the secondary skills that managers need in relation to their level of management.

Managers are differentiated into three separate management levels according to Katz Theory. Furthermore, there are the following three fundamental skills: technical, human and conceptual skills, they are essential to all level of managements. However, “Managers need certain skills in order to perform the duties and activities...“ (Robbin, Bergman, Stagg & Coulter, 2012, p. 17). Thus, it is mandatory for managers to specialise a certain core skill depending which level of management they are in. However, they also need to have conceptual skills and human skills because without all three fundamental skills they are unable to function properly otherwise“…managers cannot effectively plan, direct, control or assess work activities,” (Peterson & Van Fleet, 1967). Nevertheless, top manager specialises in conceptual skills since they are the managers who decide the strategies and the goal of the organisation. On the other hand, middle managers specialises in human skills as they will be communicat...

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...the organisation as a whole.

Works Cited

Katz, R.L. (1955). Skills of an Effective Administrator. Harvard Business Review, 33(1), 33-42.

Mintzberg, H. (1994). Rounding out the manager’s job. Sloan Management Review, 36(1), p11.

Mintzberg, H. (1975). The manager’s job: folklore and fact. Harvard Business Review, 53(4), 49-61.

Murale, V. & Preetha, R. (2011) Middle Level Managers: Competency and Effectiveness. SCMS Journal of Indian Management. 8(1), p38-50.

Peterson T.O. & Van Fleet D.D. (1967). The ongoing legacy of R.L. Katz: An updated typology of management skills. Management Decision, 42(1), 1297-1308. Doi: 10.1108/00251740410568980

Robbins, S., Bergman, R., Stagg, I. & Coulter, M. (2012). Management (6th ed.). New South Wales. Pearson.

Robbins, S., Bergman, R., Stagg, I. & Coulter, M. (2012). Management (6th ed.). New South Wales. Pearson.