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When you hear the phrase “management skills,” you might think of store or staff management. However, management skills can also relate to organizational skills such as task, time or file management or team leadership roles like project and team management.
This article covers the different types of common management skills, why managers value them, how to develop them, and how to advertise them on your resume and cover letter.
What Are Management Skills and Why Are They Important?
Management skills are a set of goal-oriented and results-driven abilities used to plan and lead effectively. These valuable resume skills help managers guide, delegate, organize, budget, plan and problem-solve.
Employers crave candidates with strong management skills because these employees are efficient, organized and deadline-oriented.
- Analyze and prioritize tasks.
- Handle multiple tasks effectively.
- Deliver projects and assignments on time.
- Emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills to collaborate.
- Contribute to overall workplace productivity and success.
7 Types of Management Skills
1. Time management skills
Time management is knowing how to plan and decide the most urgent tasks. Good time management skills maximize productivity efforts in a shorter period.
- Attention to detail
- Deadline management
- Focus
- Goal setting
- Multitasking
- Organization
- Planning
- Prioritization
- Scheduling
- Stress management
- Task tracking
2. Project management skills
Project management and delegation is the ability to assign and oversee assignments. When you delegate tasks and manage projects, you create an organizational flow for which you are responsible.
- Adaptability
- Accountability
- Communication
- Goal setting
- Leadership skills
- Logistics
- Organization
- Planning and scheduling
- Problem-solving
- Risk management
- Stakeholder management
- Task prioritization
- Team coordination
3. Self-management skills
Self-management skills help you manage and take responsibility for your actions, work habits and daily scheduling to meet professional goals and deadlines. The following skills help you stay organized, focused and accountable for your daily tasks.
- Accountability
- Active listening
- Adaptable
- Attention to detail
- Critical thinking skills
- Emotional regulations
- Motivation
- Observation
- Organization
- Problem-solving
- Productivity
- Research
- Self-awareness
- Self-regulation
- Time management
- Trial and error
4. Conflict-management skills
Conflict is inevitable. Managing conflict means handling disputes constructively and effectively to reach a satisfactory resolution for all parties involved.
- Assertiveness
- Communication
- Diplomacy
- Emotional intelligence
- Empathy
- Mediation
- Negotiation
- Patience
- Persuasion
- Positive attitude
- Problem-solving
5. People management skills
Effective people management and leadership skills require openness to feedback, clarity of speech and the ability to negotiate and motivate.
- Accountability
- Conflict resolution
- Decision making
- Dependability
- Expectation management
- Logistics
- Negotiation
- Problem-solving
6. Money management skills
Money management skills vary from budgeting and distributing funds to saving and making short- and long-term financial decisions. The following skills relate to managing funds and debts.
- Budgeting
- Cash flow management
- Cost analysis
- Credit management
- Debt management
- Emergency fund management
- Expense tracking
- Financial management
- Investment strategies
- Invoice management
- Receipt organization
- Saving
- Tax planning
7. Team management skills
Team management skills encourage, guide and empower your coworkers and direct reports. A talented team manager leads by building trust, developing the company’s culture and strengthening the workflow.
- Active listening
- Clarity
- Communication skills
- Conciseness
- Conflict resolution
- Collaboration
- Empathy
- Patience
- Writing skills
17 Additional Management Skills
Management skills are helpful across any industry and relate to teamwork and self-improvement. Check out the following management skills to learn and add to your resume.
- Change management
- Coaching and mentoring
- Conflict resolution
- Crisis management
- Cultural awareness
- Employee engagement
- Innovation management
- Knowledge management
- Motivation
- Negotiation
- Performance evaluation
- Presentation skills
- Process improvement
- Public speaking
- Resource allocation
- Visionary leadership
- Talent development
How to Improve Management Skills & List Them on Your Resume
Like all soft and hard skills, management skills require practice to perfect. The following activities and proactive training can help you improve your management style and skills.
- Self-analyze: Evaluate how you manage stress, conflict, multitasking or projects. Find your weaknesses and work with yourself or your manager to set small improvement steps with a final goal.
- Practice decision-making in your personal life: Organize parties or group events and manage schedules, invitations and event planning. Join clubs or organizations like book clubs, sports leagues or volunteer groups to take on leadership roles and develop your management skills.
- Sign up for mentorships: Check if your company offers career-development courses in management. Ask respected managers or leaders if they can mentor you.
- Set up learning opportunities: Take online leadership, time management or project management courses. Read books or listen to peer-reviewed podcasts on management and self-development. Use productivity apps to enhance time management and organization in personal tasks.
How to list management skills on your resume
Your resume is a one-page application document where you can share relevant skills and experience. These tips can help you showcase your management skills. Visit our expert How to Write a Resume guide to learn how to add your personal experience.
Resume introduction: Whether you’re applying for a leadership or mid-level role, employers want candidates with strong self-management skills. Use a summary statement or resume objective. The following example highlights valuable skills like team leadership, process improvement and project management.
Experienced manager with 10+ years of expertise in leading teams, optimizing processes and overseeing projects. Skilled in conflict resolution, time management, and resource allocation to drive efficiency and success in dynamic environments.
Work history: Highlight examples of relevant management experience from your previous jobs. Add data or statistics to each job’s descriptive bullets so hiring managers can quickly skim and identify your accomplishments.
- Managed a team of 15 employees, improving productivity by 20% through effective delegation and task prioritization.
- Led project planning and execution, completing a $2M project under budget.
Skills section: Your skills section, a bulleted list of transferable skills, is your last opportunity to add skills. Focus on management skills you haven’t mentioned previously in your resume.
How to feature management skills in your cover letter
A cover letter is a supplemental document that builds off your resume. Instead of repeating your resume, choose one or two crucial management projects and go into detail. This approach helps managers understand your management process, critical thinking skills and work style. This sample candidate follows this approach:
As a team leader with over five years of experience, I have honed my skills in project management, team coordination and strategic planning. I successfully managed cross-functional teams to complete projects on time and within budget, improving efficiency by 15%.
My strong communication, problem-solving and decision-making abilities have consistently helped me navigate challenges, boost team performance and deliver results.
How to describe management skills during a job interview
Hiring managers use a combination of situational interview questions to learn about your working style, work experience and developing skills to measure your workplace fit. Carefully memorize a list of management examples so you can easily remember and mention them during your interview.
Here are some sample answers to the following popular interview questions:
- Tell me about yourself: I have over seven years of management experience, leading diverse teams and overseeing complex projects. My skills in team leadership, time management, and conflict resolution have consistently helped me achieve company goals while ensuring high team morale and productivity.
- How do you approach a problem?: I rely on my conflict resolution and problem-solving skills to handle challenging situations. For example, when team members disagreed on project direction, I facilitated open discussions, listened to concerns, and implemented a solution aligned with our goals.
- Why do you want to be a manager?: I use effective time management strategies, such as prioritization and delegation. I break down large projects into smaller, manageable tasks and assign responsibilities based on team strengths, ensuring we stay on track and meet deadlines.
Management Skills FAQ
Why are management skills essential?
Management skills are valued in employees because these team members can lead teams, identify and distribute resources, and meet profitable goals.
Strong management skills contribute to the following:
- Improved productivity
- Streamlined schedules
- Conflict resolution
- Effective team collaboration and task management
How do you demonstrate management skills?
You can demonstrate your strong management skills by
- Leading projects
- Delegating and overseeing tasks
- Meeting deadlines
- Collaborating with coworkers
- Sharing constructive feedback
- Identifying and solving problems
These actions highlight your innate leadership, organization and decision-making skills.
What are management thinking skills?
Management thinking skills enable you to read and process information based on the project, job or workplace needs. These unique management skills include:
- Analytical skills
- Creativity
- Critical thinking
- Predictive thinking
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