Key Qualities of a Manager. Another competence that I consider fundamental is critical thinking. It is something that I have the impression is less and less popular in the current education system – which is a pity. Undoubtedly, it is necessary in management, as well as in everyday life. Critical thinking has the following elements:
- Observation
- Identification
- Relevance
- Ability to make choices
We are talking then about collecting data and analyzing it, drawing conclusions, evaluating arguments, and making decisions based on all these components. But critical thinking is not a zero/one procedure. It is influenced by ethics or our values. When making decisions, we do not rely only on numbers – ok, not always. These components also fit well in Lean, where without the ability to analyze data and rely on them, we cannot draw conclusions. The slogan “In God we trust, all others bring data” perfectly reflects the nature of this competence.
What next?
These are the two competences that I consider to be crucial and not changing regardless of the time and circumstances. This is due to the fact that a manager will always need them, no matter what industry they’re in, and time has nothing to say here. Because, for example, in a pandemic, do we not have to communicate? I think yes, but with the adaptation of the sources – the necessity itself remains the same. Of course, there are more competences that I could mention here, for example creativity, but instead I would like to encourage you to reach for a very interesting book that deals with these topics. ” 21st century skills” by Jeremy Lamri shows from a scientific point of view, and based on research, the essence of competences and their development – without talking too much, just straight to the point. It is really worth a read.
Summary
Key Qualities of a Manager. Do you want to become a manager, but you do not see these competences in yourself? Are you already a manager but don’t feel strong in some of these skills? Do not worry, competences can be developed, and looking at their universality, it is definitely worth doing it. I deeply encourage you to do so.
Do you want to learn more about how to develop manager qualities? I am posting below a few links that may be of interest to you.
- “Good To Great”, Jim Collins
- The “Leadership” tab on leanovatica.com
- “Start With Why”, Simon Sinek
- “Winning”, Jack Welch, Suzy Welch
- “Crucial Conversations”, Kerry Patterson
My name is Magdalena and I have been involved in production since 2010. I started as an Operator, and then developed as a Foreman, Production Planner, and I finally ended up in Lean. In the meantime, I graduated from the Faculty of Management with the specialization of Business Psychology. I did it relatively late, because I focused on practical knowledge, which directed me to this particular field of study. Currently, I am still mainly a Practitioner who is closely related to Lean, process management, as well as the building and managing of teams. I also run workshops and consultations concerning this subject, which is my great passion. As a lady in Lean, I want to show you Lean and Management from a slightly different perspective - lights and shadows, as well as fantastic and absurd features. However, no matter how you look at it, it is, above all, a fascinating path to perfection, which I hope you would like to take with me.
