The Hindu Business Line : <I>`Managers need to be multi-skilled' </I>

Today's business scenario demands that managers are multi-skilled. Businesses such as ours are dependent on how managers get their teams to consistently deliver to meet or exceed requirements. So everything from good knowledge of the task or job at hand, to knowing best practices, to being able to run and motivate teams of young people and last but not the least having excellent customer facing skills - these are the hallmarks of an effective and efficient manager.

Management is doing things right and leadership is doing the right things (so said Drucker). This is the essential difference.

Leaders find the right things to do all or most of the time. Being able to balance judgment, deal with shades of grey, getting so-called intuition to work for you.

Being a leader means, providing the vision, making leaders out of your next line of managers and knowing that you are the creator of your own destiny.

Role of a young manager in today's scenario:

Today's manager is expected to be both coach and captain, someone who can both plan and execute, delegate yet be hands-on and one who can work in creating consensus but can make the decisions firmly and quickly when required.

Managers must know themselves first; know your own weaknesses and strengths.

Then know your customer — whether internal or external. Know (fully understand) the task on hand, the objectives and goals, importantly the expectations. Know your people; what they can and cannot do. Finally, deliver and execute consistently.

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