Another way to consider what managers do is to look at the skills or competencies they need to achieve their goals. Researchers have identified a number of skills that differentiate effective from ineffective managers. Each of these skills is important, and all are needed to become a well-rounded and effective manager.

Technical skills encompass the ability to apply specialized knowledge or expertise. All jobs require some specialized expertise, and many people develop their technical skills on the job. The ability to understand, communicate with, motivate, and support other people, both individually and in groups, defines human skills. Managers must have good human skills because they need to get things done through other people.

Conceptual skills, like decision making, require managers to identify problems, develop alternative solutions to correct those problems, evaluate those alternative solutions, and select the best one. The abilities to integrate new ideas with existing processes and to innovate on the job are also crucial conceptual skills for today’s managers.