Management Skills: Self-Awareness

• Management skills are crucial for enhancing both personal and professional aspects of life.
• Nine key management skills have been identified as vital for success: self-awareness, stress management, creative problem-solving, supportive communication, power and influence, employee motivation, delegation and decision-making, conflict management, and effective meetings.
• A manager's role includes overseeing their own work and the work of others, requiring the application of these nine skills.

Developing Self-Awareness

• Self-awareness involves understanding one's typical reactions to situations and people, and skillfully managing these responses.
• It is important due to the continuous interaction managers have with others in challenging situations.
• Productive personal and interpersonal functioning requires self-knowledge, self-awareness, and self-insight.
• Self-awareness influences behavior and is fundamental for personal adjustment, relationships, and overall success.
• It is considered the foundation for professional insight and contributes to emotional intelligence.
• Developing self-awareness involves focusing on personal values, cognitive style, and interpersonal orientation.

Personal Values

• Every individual operates from a framework of values that influences attitudes, orientations, and behaviors.
• Values serve as standards for evaluating experiences, which can vary across different tribes and cultures.

Cognitive Style

• Cognitive style is how a person processes information, closely related to learning styles.
• People process information differently, including:
  • Audial: Processing through listening (lectures, discussions)
  • Visual: Processing through seeing (charts, diagrams)
  • Tactile/Kinesthetic: Processing through physical awareness or hands-on experience.
• Thinking patterns also vary:
  • Analytical Thinkers: Rational, logical approach, focusing on detail
  • Imaginative Thinkers: Flexible, inventive approach, holistic view
• All people use a combination of cognitive styles in different circumstances.

Interpersonal Orientation

• Interpersonal orientation is the pattern of interacting with others.
• Indicators include being open or closed, assertive or retiring, controlling or dependent, affectionate or aloof.
• It impacts managerial behavior and how one manages their own work.
• Openness to networking is important.
• Youth development officers should have an interpersonal orientation that accommodates diverse youths.

Managing Personal Stress

• Managing stress necessitates understanding its sources and effects.
• Stress can stem from the work environment and broader social context.
• Personal stress management is linked to effective time management, improving job effectiveness.
• Identifying major stressors in daily life is important.
• Personal problems can impact work management.
• A certain amount of stress can be helpful, but it needs to be carefully managed.
• Ways to reduce stress at work:
  • Address problems promptly
  • Use conflict resolution strategies
  • Discuss problems with trusted individuals
  • Plan for crises
  • Use relaxation techniques regularly
  • Recognize limitations
  • Pursue interests outside work
• These strategies aim to avoid stress and develop effective coping mechanisms.

Solving Problems Creatively

• Problem-solving is a significant part of a manager's role.
• Creative problem-solving involves:
  • Reflecting on the problem
  • Defining the problem clearly
  • Generating various solutions
  • Evaluating solutions
  • Selecting the best solution
  • Implementing the solution
  • Following up on its success.
• Key characteristics of each step in problem solving:
  • Define the problem: Differentiate facts from opinions, identify underlying causes, gather information, and state the problem clearly.
  • Generate alternative solutions: Avoid evaluation, involve all individuals, ensure consistency with goals, and build on previous ideas.
  • Evaluate and select an alternative: Evaluate systematically, set high standards, relate to goals and state the selected alternative clearly.
  • Implement and follow up on the solution: Establish proper timing and sequence, provide feedback, gain acceptance, and monitor the implementation.
• Implementation and follow-up are crucial for ensuring the solution works, suggesting an iterative process for continuous improvement.

Establishing Supportive Communication

• It requires being an active listener, developing empathy, and using appropriate responses.
• Supportive communication programs, such as peer counseling groups, can help individuals feel comfortable discussing sensitive issues.

Gaining Power and Influence

• It involves establishing a strong power base, converting power into influence, and avoiding abuse of power.
• A manager should lead by example, with personal qualities like expertise, personal attraction, and effort.
  • Expertise: Knowledge/skill from training and experience.
  • Personal attraction (charismatic power): Agreeable behavior and appearance.
  • Effort: Commitment to focused effort increases the reliance on others' effort.

Improving Employee Performance Through Enhancing Motivation

• Motivating a team is key to improving performance.
• It is important to know the difference between problems of ability and motivation.
• Techniques for motivating staff:
  • Knowing your staff
  • Giving frequent constructive feedback
  • Being honest and clear in feedback
  • Ready to praise good work more than criticize
  • Promptly tackling problems with staff
  • Supporting staff
  • Sharing information with staff
  • Making staff feel valued.
• Self-motivation is also needed to maintain energy and enthusiasm.
• Motivation means commitment to achieve goals, which is demonstrated by the quality of effort.

Delegating and Making Decisions

• Delegating tasks is part of managing your own work.
• Delegating frees up time for tasks that only you can do.
• Delegating builds competence in others by assigning tasks that develop their skills and experience.
• Part of managing your own work is also determining when to involve others in decision making.

Managing Conflict

• Conflict management requires balancing assertiveness and sensitivity.
• Personal criticisms and complaints should be handled professionally and according to procedure.
• Mediating conflicts among members is a vital part of management.
• Conflict resolution takes a lot of time and energy.

Conducting Effective Group Meetings

• Conducting effective meetings involves good preparation.
• Task and process aspects must be controlled

Introduction to Effective Management

• Effective management involves many aspects.
• It takes a holistic approach to apply effective management.

Time Management

• Time is a most important resource and important for to achieve goals.
• You should plan activities and use your time effectively.
• Time management involves rules and systems.
• Six rules for effective time management:
  • Use a time management system.
  • Distinguish between effectiveness (doing the right thing) and efficiency (doing things right).
  • Distinguish between urgent and important tasks.
  • Spend half your time on proactive tasks.
  • Develop plans for eliminating time-wasters.
  • Review progress regularly.