What Skills and Knowledge Do Your Team Members Need to Progress to Managers?

So, what are the core skills and knowledge your aspiring managers should possess? We take a closer look here…

People management

First, it’s crucial that your team members understand the difference between leadership and management, and the impact of both on a team. From here, they can then pinpoint leadership styles that resonate with your company’s vision, whilst at the same time understanding that variations in culture will play a vital role in this aspect of management. It’s also key that leaders have an in-depth understanding of workplace diversity and inclusion, and how to implement relevant practices accordingly.

Further aspects that are considered within people management include managing performance and coaching techniques. Both will ensure that teams are achieving their targets, but also getting the most out of their work too. Managers are responsible for figuring out an individual's strengths and weaknesses and leveraging them effectively, so getting this right will support various other managerial duties.

Communication

Managers need to be able to voice opinions to their team in a constructive and clear manner. Yet it’s also crucial that they’re able to receive feedback too. This goes hand in hand with the ability to withstand and broach challenging conversations with either customers or stakeholders; incorporating customer and stakeholder management skills allows your future leaders to finesse their communicative ability and bring it to a whole other level.

In addition, managers should have the capability to facilitate cross-team working and open up the lines of communication between silos on collaborative projects. When required, they should also be able to chair productive and efficient meetings.

Operations and project management

There are various tools that support project management, and becoming adept at utilising them will help to strengthen managerial qualities in aspiring leaders as well as streamline your organisation’s processes. This will also help make sure teams stay on track, particularly when deadlines are involved. To progress to managers, team members also need to become adept at understanding the entire life cycle of a project, efficiently manage resources, and identify (and help resolve) any risks or issues that arise.

On top of this, managers should be intimately familiar with not just your organisation's governance and compliance procedures, but your finances too. They should know how to monitor budgets, ensuring cost control and efficiency across the board. Furthermore – and a key task at hand – leaders must be able to deliver value for money using only allocated funds.

Leadership and managerial training with BMS Progress

Do you have any members of your team looking to progress to a managerial position? All the skills and knowledge highlighted in this article can be developed with our Level 5 Leadership Apprenticeship.

BMS Progress is committed to providing management, sales, and leadership professionals with the opportunity to access and capitalise on industry-leading qualifications. To learn more about this management development programme, or any of our other forms of training, speak to our team today.