Managerial skills can be defined as the capacity to perform manager duties in a company while handling crisis situations and solving problems on the fly. These skills can be developed through __[learning](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/how-to-kick-off-a-learning-and-development-plan-in-your-company)__ activities but also real-life experiences as a manager.

## The Managerial "Trinity"

Using a theory to explain an idea or a concept is always a good starting point. In this article, we’ll use __Robert Katz’s__ (American social and organizational psychologist) __three basic types of management skills__ to draw practical conclusions around essential __[managerial skills](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/skills-for-managing-people-in-2020)__. 

![3 types](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/5tmwT9SbSYfCwJ2P2s3wnt/2fdad90ea46a3d55b11e224d2ca5550d/3_types.jpg)

### 1. Technical Skills

Of the three skill sets identified by Katz, technical skills are most easily defined. A technical skill is a __learned capacity__ in just about any given field of work – i.e. what we call in the business enviroment __“hard skills”__. 

For example, a hard skill for a Software Engineer is defined as the ability to write clean and testable code. However, a hard skill for a Software Team Leader has a different interpretation. The Software Team Leader not only needs to know how to write code but also have a __broader__ working understanding of how to maintain high standards of software quality within the team and establish development principles while delivering solutions on-time and on-budget. Consequently, [technical skills for managers](https://www.hrzone.com/lead/future/skills-training-how-to-equip-your-team-to-be-fit-for-the-future) require a complex set of __communicative__ and __technological__ skills in order to optimize their managerial __[performance](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/what-is-performance-management)__. 

Below we mention some __examples__ of __technical skills__: 

 __👉 Subject-matter-expert:__ have a deep understanding and expertise and act as the “go-to” person for advice

__👉 Perspicuous__: simplify complicated concepts so that other people, with less knowledge, can understand and make better decisions based upon that understanding

__👉 Tech-Savvy:__ remain updated at all times about new technical developments and also use new knowledge to gain technological advantage

### 2. Conceptual Skills

Conceptual skills are “big picture thinking” skills. Conceptual skills help avoid the pitfall of not __“seeing the forest for the trees”__, as the saying goes. Managers who have these skills understand how different moving parts work, enabling them to consider abstract concepts, connect the dots and finally identify relationships between the pieces of the company, think creatively and get ahead of problems.

Having strong conceptual skills is paramount to being a manager as you need to construct the work of others. Managers need to ensure that their teams are working together to achieve overarching __[company goals](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/how-to-set-and-track-okrs)__, and in order to do that, they must recognize the bigger picture and break it down into bite-sized pieces for their team members.  

Below we mention some __examples__ of __conceptual skills__: 

__👉 Deductive Thinker__: start off with a conclusion and then sort out the evidence to support that conclusion in a fast, organized and effective way

__👉 Open-minded__: break out of normal thinking patterns to find innovative ideas. See things from a different perspective or how things can be applied in novel ways

__👉 Decision Maker:__  make challenging decisions by analysing and interpreting fast multi-dimensional information and defining a course of action

### __3. People Skills__

People value trust, [good communication](https://hbr.org/2020/05/good-leadership-is-about-communicating-why), honesty and integrity and therefore managers should possess these qualtiies to be successfull in their job. People skills come down to how people interact with each other and they are non-technical in nature - therefore, you can’t be a manager, if you can’t manage effectively interactions with people. A wise people manager can boost productivity, __[engagement](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/employee-engagement-survey-questions)__ and motivation through inclusive dialogues, trust and genuine care in others.

[Life as a manager is challenging](https://www.forbes.com/sites/brentgleeson/2020/08/26/13-tips-for-leading-and-managing-remote-teams/), and what works in one team, or with one individual, hardly applies to all. Managers need to forge deeper connections and understand the different dynamics and motivators of individuals.

Below we mention some __examples__ of __people skills__: 

__👉 Excellent Communicator:__ listen carefully, ask the right questions to get to the root of every matter, effectively conveys messages, while establishing confidence even in difficult situations

__👉 Empathetic:__ identify and recognize the emotions of others. Strongly believe that to succeed on any level, they have to show empathy for the people who are working with

__👉 Inspirational:__  knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. Inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more.

Finnaly, Katz suggests that the higher up someones gets in the company ladder,  the __more__ conceptual skills and __fewer__ technical skills are necessary. [__Senior managers__](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/qualities-of-a-great-leader) need fewer technical skills because strategic decision-making is naturally more conceptual. By all means, all management levels require a broad range of skill set for [effective business processes to occur](https://www.inc.com/peter-economy/7-keys-becoming-effective-manager.html).

![Levels and skills](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/3XGkW3h84rcdvrxMUo9GMU/493e911fd2064694c8799349f88926c8/levels_and_skills.jpg)

You can review what we have discussed and see how these concepts can apply in your company when __[recruiting](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/20-manager-interview-questions-to-ask-leadership-hires)__ new managers and when evaluating their __[performance](https://www.peoplegoal.com/solutions/performance)__ and __[development](https://www.peoplegoal.com/solutions/development)__.


Define the abilities that help people managers carry out vital tasks while managing their teams, department, or the business as a whole. 

Essential Manager Skills for Workplace Success

Cover

Define the abilities that help people managers carry-out vital tasks while managing their teams, department or the business as a whole. 

__[Employee development](https://www.peoplegoal.com/solutions/development) __ allows employees to expand their current skills and grow their knowledge. Supporting employees’ development is something every company should do as the benefits of having highly skilled, happy and engaged employees are countless.

## Employee Development with Career Paths

[A career path](https://hbr.org/2020/04/reinventing-your-career-in-the-time-of-coronavirus) is a __development roadmap__ in your company. It’s a well-defined path with short- and long-term targets. It defines the route an employee takes from an entry position to arrive at their ultimate __career goal__.

### The Benefits:

- Attract and retain top talent
- Give a sense of purpose to employees
- Enhance the skill-set and diversity of the workforce 
- Build a people-centric culture

According to [Gallup](https://www.gallup.com/workplace/311099/companies-getting-wrong-employee-development.aspx),  one of the most important factors in creating a high-performance workplace is instilling a __high-development culture__: one that values the growth of individuals. 

*“Organizations that have made a strategic investment in employee development, Gallup finds, report __11% greater profitability__ and __are twice as likely to retain their employees__."*

![stats](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/4hqJboRy5ehTtOUaVyasM3/53a25569a36fc30c6fb863870dd77307/employee-development.png)

So, let’s see together the steps that will help your employee climb the __career ladder__!

---

## How Do You Create Career Paths?

### - Read carefully your org chart structure

Setting the roadmap of your employee’s __[career development](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/employee-development)__ will be dependent on how your __company structures __hierarchy and relationships. You need to know in advance whether your company has a typical structure, a flat structure, or if it uses a hybrid model. This will help you identify __horizontal__ or __vertical__ job growth moves for different teams and departments. 

### - Define job requirements & build a roadmap for each job

The stairs on each career ladder should be well communicated so that employees know the __exact requirements__ of each role in their career path. You need to set straight the job responsibilities, [hard and soft skills required](https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2021-02-03-gartner-hr-research-finds-fifty-eight-percent-of-the-workforce-will-need-new-skill-sets-to-do-their-jobs-successfully), years of experience and finally what __success__ looks like for each different role.

Before you let employees know how they will advance within your company, you have to define how progress actually works for each career path. What does it take to move from __position A to position B__? What are the steps that need to be taken to get from point A to point B within a specific career path?

![paths](//images.ctfassets.net/6g4s9n00xmsl/2chG9m5qpb9yVe2MgB2l9H/78630a0cf15058d79c8742ebb934553d/career_paths.png)

### - Identify training needs & create actionable programs

[Training](https://www.hrzone.com/community/blogs/blakebeus/how-investing-in-training-benefits-the-business) will differ from team to team, therefore the potential for [development](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/career-development-essentials) should never be __one-size-fits-all__.  What works for someone in your marketing team may not work for someone in human resources. Additionally, your __hiring practices__ will also influence training needs, i.e. __external hires__ might require more training for fitting into their role and company culture.

Before designing your __[training and development program](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/effective-employee-development-plans)__, you need to assess and identify the different skills that employees need to develop for moving from one position to another (horizontal and vertical job growth). Once you’ve settled the __needs__ and__ desired skills__, begin planning the training programs for the different roles at your company.

### - Develop career paths early on & check-in frequently

Career pathing should be a standard practice for __[onboarding](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/how-to-set-up-an-employee-onboarding-process)__ at your company. Outline a clear advancement roadmap from __Day 1__ and give new employees the opportunity to see how they can develop new skills, grow professionally and reach their __[career goals](https://www.peoplegoal.com/blog/how-to-write-your-career-goals)__. 

To promote and instill __professional development__, make sure you provide real-time feedback that encourages career growth. Through regular career development one-to-ones, employees are able to work on action items that __align __better with their current objectives and goals.

### - Invest in a career management tool to automate the process 

__[Career pathing](https://www.peoplegoal.com/glossary/career-pathing)__ is not a paper-based process. Employees need to follow the __visual roadmaps__ that will get them where they really want to go by navigating your company’s development opportunities. With the right __[tools](https://www.peoplegoal.com/solutions/development)__ and resources, you can track employee progress, identify potential gaps for growth, and also analyse and measure how [employee development](https://www.peoplegoal.com/resources/webcasts/employee-development) is making a difference.

If you want to find out more about Employee Development, watch our webcast__ [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dX0PzM1uxs)__! 

Employee development is the process of investing in employees’ existing skills, and supporting development of the new ones.

Set a development roadmap for your employees. Provide a structured career path with short- and long-term benchmarks and help employees grow their skills. 


Career Growth: Helping Employees Climb the Career Ladder 

Employee development is the process of investing in employees’ existing skills, and supporting development of the new ones. Employee development allows employees to expand their current skills, acquire new ones, and grow their knowledge. 

Chryssa Karagianni

Posts

Essential Manager Skills for Workplace Success

Career Growth: Helping Employees Climb the Career Ladder

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Chryssa Karagianni

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Essential Manager Skills for Workplace Success

Career Growth: Helping Employees Climb the Career Ladder

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Product

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Ready to see PeopleGoal in action?
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