In today’s world, businesswomen and men need to possess business management skills to succeed. The activities of such a manager can thus be classified as planning organizing, leadership, control, communication, negotiations and problem-solving. These skills form a vital part of the organisation.
Planning is the most important skill, occurring at all stages and levels of the enterprise and is also part and parcel of all the other tasks performed. It includes purposefully reflecting on the objectives that the project or one of its phases, aims to achieve within a given time. It involves considering the necessary means, activities and potential problems, as well as devising the most appropriate plan of action to achieve the said objectives.
Organising is the initial step in implementing the plan. Organising entails making arrangements regarding who will do the work, how it will be done, what resources will be used and precisely when the operations will take place. Organisation requires leadership. Leading has a strong interpersonal character, focusing not only on activities but also on people. Leadership is responsible for the actual execution of the activities. Motivation plays a significant role in leadership, as it harnesses the abilities of subordinates and peers, encouraging them to voluntarily perform their duties to the best of their abilities.
During the planning stage, standards are set according to which the plans must be executed. Control is the necessary management skill that regulates and oversees the execution of plans to ensure compliance with the prescribed plans and standards and the achievement of formulated objectives. This encompasses pre-control, concurrent control and post-control to ensure success.
Communication involves the exchange of information and is vital for making informed decisions. Correct and timely information is of utmost importance for the success of any project. Communication includes acts such as self-disclosure, paraphrasing or confirming, empathy, respect and keeping track of past communications.
Negotiation involves conferring with others to come to terms or reach an agreement. Agreements can be negotiated directly or with assistance, with mediation and arbitration being two types of assisted negotiation. Negotiations occur around various project issues, such as project scope, changes, terms and conditions, assignments and resources.
Problem-solving entails problem definition and decision-making. It addresses problems that have already occurred, distinguishing between causes and symptoms. Problems can originate internally or externally and they may be technical or interpersonal.
People often focus solely on the symptoms and attempt to fix them, leading to recurring problems in the future. It is crucial to identify the pattern or patterns of these symptoms to establish a structured approach to fix the root cause of the problem. In other words, the core of the problem needs to be addressed.
By implementing these business management skills organisations are equipped with vital tools for growth and success.
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