Lucas Green
The question, “Which three skills do managers develop through experience and education?” is not simple to answer. It is difficult to know which models of management really work. In fact, there may be no “best” model at all, but only the best combination of effective systems, a clear vision for the future, and enough personal interaction between the leader and his or her team to make the best managers into great leaders.
Unfortunately, there is very little in today’s educational system: That provides a concrete set of learning skills that can be converted to real-world performance. Instead, most education programs are built on theory and practiced by rote memorization. This type of education produces individuals who have neither the ability nor the interest to use their education to challenge the status quo, develop new ideas, or work creatively to address problems.
Effective leadership requires clear direction, motivation, and clear instructions: These are intangible traits that cannot be taught in classroom sessions. Yet, these are also the fundamental building blocks of most successful companies. In addition, the work of many managers is heavily focused on providing their teams with accurate, timely, and clear information. This is an aspect of leadership that cannot be taught in a classroom.
Those organizations that value education: As a significant part of their business to spend a good deal of time teaching their staff members how to think and how to get results. As a result, the best managers are those who can demonstrate a clear understanding of what leaders do, why they do it and how to bring it to fruition. This type of learning has much to offer both the traditional college environment and the highly competitive corporate world of today.
In the final analysis, managers must be good communicators: This is probably the most important quality of any manager. Effective communication is necessary for teamwork to be successful. The better communication skills a leader has, the more effective his or her leadership will be. Managers must therefore pay attention to both how they communicate to others and how they listen to others to learn how to provide leadership.
Today’s complex corporate: Environment is challenging even the brightest leaders to come up with innovative solutions for their teams. To be successful, managers must be able to rise to this challenge and do it well. Through the years, many leaders have tried to answer the age-old question “what is leadership?” Unfortunately, most have not succeeded. In order to succeed, however, managers must go back to the basics: educate themselves, work hard at providing clear answers to difficult situations, and develop their ability to listen carefully and truly understand the needs of those under their leadership.
