Management Reflection

One of the core takeaways for me from all of the units is the wide-range of management skills and competencies. Management requires a leader who has a diverse skill set. First, managers or entrepreneurs have to lead, inspire and motivate others. The ability to inspire or motivate requires that the manager have strong communication skills and be respected by others. While there is a level of respect that comes from one’s position, in motivating others developing power from relationships is critical in motivating others. The class helped me to understand the need to communicate to others and develop several bases of power. Additionally, in considering communication I thought more about the different ways to communicate and how others might perceive or interpret my communication. Ultimately, the critical skills needed to be an effective manager are knowledge of management and the industry, the ability to motivate others, strong delegation skills, and an understanding of effective communication. 

There are several ways that one can obtain these skills. First, going to school and learning about management tools is one way that people gain explicit management skills. This class has been helpful in introducing me to the skills needed to be a manager and what management entails. Second, implicit skills can be obtained from watching others, and practice. To obtain my goals to become an effective manager I am attending courses and considering an internship or other hands-on educational experience. Additionally, I am researching different industries and managers who are effective to increase my knowledge-base. Overall, I liked that the class introduced me to several concepts and theories of management. Having a general understanding of these theories helped me to have a starting place to begin developing the skills and experiences needed to be an effective manager.