In today’s professional world, there are 13 core competencies that you need to know to succeed. These are essential skills and abilities that everyone should possess to thrive in the workplace.

These competencies range from communication to problem solving. They play a crucial role in determining success. By developing and mastering these competencies, individuals can position themselves for advancement and long-term success in their careers.

Whether you are a student, a job seeker, or a seasoned professional, understanding and honing these competencies is vital for achieving your goals.

What Are Managerial Core Skills?

Managerial core skills are important for leading a team and making smart decisions. They also help in maintaining a fair and organized work environment. These skills include advocating for the team, effective communication, multicultural competency, service coordination, and public health. They are also important for community outreach, promoting healthy lifestyles, and nurturing community capacity.

Assessing individuals, navigating health insurance, and advocating for health disparities are also crucial. Organizational skills, teaching abilities, and promoting professional conduct are also important. These core competencies are essential for creating a supportive work environment with clear communication and equal access to resources. By fostering these skills, managers ensure that the team functions well and handles challenges effectively.

Exploring Each of the 13 Essential Skills for Managers

Skill 1: How to Lead a Team

Leading a team effectively involves several key components:

• Advocacy skills
• Community outreach and engagement
• Communication skills
• Promoting healthy lifestyles
• Cultural competence and responsiveness
• Service coordination and individual assessment skills

Developing skills in health insurance basics, teaching, organizational skills, community capacity building, professional conduct, interpersonal skills, and public health are also important.

Managers can improve their leadership skills by seeking training in these areas, like registering for foundational courses and taking advantage of early bird discounts.

Effective team leadership contributes to overall business success by:

• Building a professional, relevant, and ethical culture
• Promoting health equity
• Increasing access to proper medical care
• Advocating for underserved populations

By emphasizing evidence-informed professional practice and promoting healthy lifestyles, effective team leadership can drive business growth and ensure long-term well-being within the community.

Skill 2: Making Smart Decisions

Managers should consider various factors when making important decisions. These include the potential impact on employees, cost implications, and long-term benefits. To weigh the potential risks and benefits, managers can conduct a cost-benefit analysis.

They can also use decision-making frameworks, such as SWOT analysis, to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with each decision.

Gathering relevant information and input from stakeholders is crucial. Managers can achieve this by engaging in open and transparent communication with employees, seeking input from subject matter experts, and conducting thorough research on the implications of their decisions.

These strategies enable managers to make well-informed decisions that align with the overall goals and objectives of the organization.

Skill 3: Being Good at Talking to People

Effective communication skills are important for success in a managerial role. They ensure that instructions are understood, increase productivity, reduce conflicts, and create a positive work environment. For example, clear expectations help the team work towards the same goal, and active listening helps address team needs.

Improving communication can be done by practicing active listening, being aware of nonverbal cues, adjusting communication style, and seeking feedback. For instance, positive body language can reinforce messages and create a favorable impression.

Skill 4: Planning What Your Team Will Do

A manager can plan their team’s tasks effectively by setting clear and achievable goals. This involves outlining specific tasks, deadlines, and expected outcomes. It’s important to involve the team in the planning process to ensure everyone is aligned and working towards the same objectives.

Additionally, successful team planning includes identifying potential roadblocks and coming up with contingency plans. Effective planning contributes to a manager’s success by increasing team efficiency and productivity, and reducing stress and confusion among team members. It also helps establish a clear direction for the team, allowing them to work cohesively towards common goals.

Finally, effective planning enables a manager to respond to changes in circumstances or priorities with agility, maintaining team momentum and progress.

Skill 5: Solving Problems When They Come Up

Managers often deal with common problems like communication breakdowns, missed deadlines, and conflicts among employees.

To develop problem-solving skills, managers need to:

• Think critically
• Analyze situations
• Make decisions based on available information
• Practice adaptability and resilience to stay calm under pressure and approach challenges with a clear mind.

It’s important for managers to:

• Keep an open line of communication with their team
• Encourage open discussions
• Create an environment where employees feel comfortable bringing up issues
• Develop and implement a risk management plan
• Conduct regular meetings to assess potential risks
• Empower employees to take ownership of potential problems in their areas of responsibility.

By using these strategies, managers can be better prepared to solve problems and maintain a positive and productive work environment.

Skill 6: Knowing the Right Thing to Do

A manager can determine the right course of action in various situations by developing and honing the skill of knowing the right thing to do. This skill involves being able to assess complex situations, evaluate the available options, and choose the best course of action for the organization and its stakeholders. One strategy for developing this skill is to continually seek out new information and stay informed about industry trends, best practices, and ethical guidelines.

Additionally, seeking mentorship and guidance from experienced leaders can provide valuable insights and perspectives. Knowing the right thing to do contributes to a manager’s overall success by fostering trust, integrity, and credibility. When a manager consistently makes decisions that are in the best interest of the organization and its stakeholders, they build a reputation as a reliable and ethical leader, which can lead to greater opportunities, influence, and respect within the industry.

Skill 7: Helping Your Team Work Well Together

A manager can create a cohesive and collaborative team environment by demonstrating effective leadership. Providing clear expectations and goals and encouraging cooperation among team members is also important. By promoting a culture of respect, empathy, and understanding, a manager can foster a positive and inclusive work environment. This values diversity and promotes teamwork.

Additionally, organizing team-building activities and recognizing individual and group achievements can contribute to a strong team dynamic.

When conflicts arise, a manager can use open and honest communication to address the issues. Encouraging active listening and facilitating constructive dialogue is crucial. Implementing conflict resolution strategies, such as mediation and compromise, can help resolve conflicts and improve teamwork within the team.

A manager can promote open communication and mutual support among team members by creating an open-door policy. Actively seeking and valuing feedback from team members and being approachable and available to address any concerns is important. By nurturing a culture of trust, transparency, and collaboration, a manager can facilitate open communication and mutual support among team members.

Skill 8: Learning New Things All the Time

Continuously learning new things can help a manager succeed. It keeps them updated and well-informed about the latest industry trends and best practices. This knowledge can be used to make informed decisions and improve their team’s performance. Actively seeking learning opportunities can be done through industry workshops, webinars, and conferences. Managers can also pursue continuing education programs, read industry-specific publications, and take online courses.

Seeking mentorship and networking can provide valuable insights. By continuously learning, managers can stay ahead of the curve and lead effectively.

Skill 9: Being Able to Change When You Need To

Managers need to be able to adapt and change for success. They should be flexible and adjust plans based on their team’s and organization’s needs. To develop this skill, managers can work on problem-solving, foster a growth mindset, and seek feedback. Participating in professional development opportunities is also important.

For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a manager successfully adapted to remote work by implementing new communication tools, setting clear expectations, and providing support to ensure the team’s success.

Skill 10: Keeping Everything Organized

A manager can keep everything organized in their work environment by using strategies such as:

• Creating to-do lists
• Setting clear deadlines
• Utilizing project management tools

By maintaining thorough documentation and delegating tasks effectively, a manager can ensure that work progress flows smoothly and resources are utilized optimally. This approach also involves:

• Maintaining a tidy physical workspace
• Implementing a systematic file organization system

By staying organized, a manager can enhance their ability to:

• Meet deadlines
• Minimize stress
• Increase overall productivity

Furthermore, keeping everything organized allows a manager to have a clearer picture of the status of their projects, readily access necessary information, and provide meaningful updates to team members and stakeholders.

By maintaining organization, a manager can demonstrate:

• Leadership
• Effective decision-making
• Strategic thinking

This contributes to their overall success and the success of their team.

Skill 11: Making Sure People Know Their Jobs

Managers can help their team understand their roles by:

• Having regular team meetings
• Providing written job descriptions
• Having one-on-one conversations

These strategies ensure clarity about job duties and expectations. Giving clear feedback, recognition, and support can help team members excel in their roles. This includes regular performance evaluations and acknowledging achievements to boost morale. This approach fosters trust and open communication, leading to a more productive team.

Skill 12: Being Fair to Everyone

Ensuring fairness among team members is a manager’s important responsibility. They can do this by:

• Setting clear and consistent expectations for behavior and performance.
• Providing equal opportunities for skill development.
• Offering constructive and unbiased feedback to all team members.

Managers can also handle perceived unfairness by:

• Encouraging open communication between employees.
• Addressing conflicts promptly and impartially.
• Promoting a culture of transparency and accountability.

Prioritizing fairness is crucial for a manager because it:

• Boosts team morale and collaboration.
• Reduces turnover and absenteeism.
• Enhances overall productivity and performance.

Skill 13: Taking Care of Yourself

Practical ways to prioritize self-care while managing a team or organization:

• Set boundaries for work hours to prevent overworking.
• Protect personal time from a demanding work schedule.
• Model healthy habits like taking breaks, exercising, and staying organized.
• Encourage employees to do the same.

Self-care can:

• Contribute to better decision-making and problem-solving.
• Maintain mental clarity and reduce stress levels.
• Promote overall well-being.

It can also:

• Enhance the manager’s ability to approach situations with a clear mind.
• Boost cognitive function and creativity for effective problem-solving.

How These Skills Help Managers Succeed

The 13 skills for managers are important for their ability to lead a team effectively, make smart decisions, and solve problems. These skills enhance a manager’s ability to lead a team effectively by strengthening their advocacy, communication, and organizational skills.

Managers who hone these skills can communicate effectively with team members, coordinate services, and build the capacity of their teams. Additionally, these core competencies assist managers in making smart decisions and solving problems by promoting healthy lifestyles and teaching skills.

With these competencies, managers can navigate health insurance intricacies, address health disparities, and ensure individuals and communities receive the appropriate health resources and information.

Furthermore, these skills enable managers to create a productive and cohesive work environment by building cultural competence, promoting healthy lifestyles, and fostering community outreach and engagement. Through these competencies, managers can promote professionalism, create a harmonious work environment, and advocate for underserved populations.