do you want to take on a leadership position in your company, but you’re not sure what a manager does? do you feel you have the makings of a leader, but are afraid to jump without a parachute when you ask for a management position?
None of this should worry you anymore, because in this blog post we will tell you in detail what a manager is, and what are the functions and responsibilities of a manager of a company. In addition, we will give you a series of tips to opt for a managerial position.
still wondering if a leader is born or made? After reading this complete guide, you will discover the profile of a manager and see if it is in your DNA.
what is a manager?
The meaning of manager tells us about a person in charge of planning, directing, controlling, analyzing, organizing and leading the work in a company. It is also the person who must hire the most suitable personnel for each function, and make a correct management of this valuable resource.
According to the Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy, the manager of a company is the “person who carries out the administrative management of an organization or an institution”. In other words, he/she is the one who must analyze, plan, direct and manage that all functions are performed optimally within a company.
The activities of a manager are very important so that all the processes of a company are developed efficiently, which implies a better use of material, financial and human resources, which will ultimately allow to achieve the objectives proposed by the organization.
But the definition of manager does not stop there. Below, we will tell you what are the types of managers in a company.
Types of managers in a company
Regardless of the organizational structure, there are generally four types of managers in a company: senior managers, middle managers, first-line managers and team leaders.
Each level of management is usually responsible for supervising those below them.Separating the work in this way allows a company to create smoother communication and approval processes .Well, these levels of management have distinct roles:
1. Senior managers
These are the managers with the most important positions. The goal of a top-level manager is to manage the operation of the entire company.
Top-level managers are executives who help direct and oversee the entire business. They are responsible for its long-term management and success. What a top-level manager does is key to the business, as their duties generally involve complex decisions and tasks that are filtered down and delegated to other teams.
Senior managers are tasked with executive-level strategy and execution responsibilities and make decisions that affect the entire business, such as investments, rebranding or partnerships. As such, they must be experts in how the business works and interact with the economy, legislation, finance and end consumers .
Common senior management roles according to a manager’s expertise are:
President
Vice President
Member of the Board of Directors
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
Chief Compliance Officer (CCO)
Within senior management, there may be an internal hierarchy, depending on the type of business. Other managers may report directly to the CEO or the board, or they may work more collaboratively and report to the board.
2. Mid-level managers
The job of a middle manager is to implement what top management has established. They usually direct activities within the company (as opposed to top management, who may extend their functions outside the company).
Basically, they are the link between first-line managers and senior managers. Top-level managers generally delegate strategy and objectives to middle managers. Middle managers use these strategic plans and directions to create specific operations plans, turning them into more defined tasks and objectives for other managers.
Essentially, a middle manager’s responsibilities are to implement high-level plans and guide other managers and teams to meet these goals and objectives. Within that, middle managers are responsible for ensuring that all managers and people in the organization within their division perform to a set standard.
They are also responsible for evaluating and providing feedback for performance indicators. Middle managers are usually assigned to a specific area of the company, such as a department or branch. Different types of managers in a mid-level company include:
General manager
Department Head
Director
Supervisor
Division Manager
Regional Administrator
3. First line managers
What a first-line manager does is, above all, coordinate the execution of the work of people in the most basic positions. Their functions are mostly closely related to human resources, in that they hire and manage them.
In fact, you can easily identify these types of managers in a company, as they are entry-level or supervisory managers who work closely with the company’s human talent .
Higher levels of management delegate them to smaller sections within a company. First-line managers take direction from middle management and sometimes senior management and work directly with a team to meet their assigned objectives. In their daily work, they are tasked with supervising, listening and collaborating directly with members of the organization. If they have a concern or need approval for a decision, they report to middle management, who may then escalate it to upper-level management.
Different types of managers in a company at the first-line level may include titles such as:
Supervisor
Assistant Director
Shift Manager
Office Manager
Section Chief
Floor manager
Area Coordinator
4. Team Leaders
A team leader is a modern definition of a manager in a company, but they generally report to first-line or middle managers. They may be assigned to a specific task, project or activity according to an objective defined by a first-line or middle manager .
A team leader assigned to a project may be responsible for planning its schedule, delegating tasks to team members, communicating expectations and training to team members, and monitoring task progress. Their day-to-day activities help support the project’s progress, so they often collaborate with team members or work on project-related tasks.
For example, a full-stack developer may not have an official manager title or know what a project manager does, but they may be assigned a project and a team of developers to help them perform various tasks. Once the project is complete, the team leader may be assigned to another project or as a member of another team. Eventually, a team leader may be ready and able to take on a middle or front-line management role.
what does a manager do?
The manager is often thought of as only fulfilling a command role in the company, delegating responsibilities and supervising, and not getting involved. But without really getting involved in the problems that plague the staff and jeopardize the company’s success parameters.
However, this is a myth. On the contrary, what a manager does is decisive for the performance of his or her team. As we mentioned before, a manager’s tasks encompass many aspects, and this can vary according to the position .
That is why, below, we will tell you in broad strokes what are the functions and responsibilities of a manager. take note!
Roles and responsibilities of a manager
Let’s now take a closer look at the roles and responsibilities of a manager. To better illustrate all the action verbs presented above, we will give you examples of their occupations:
He/she plans the company’s short- and long-term objectives, i.e. the direction in which the company will be heading in the future.
Directs the organization, mainly in the supervision of the teams and in the decision making to achieve the proposed objectives.
Controls the planned activities and the performance of human resources to ensure that the expected results are being achieved.
Analyzes the company’s problems, be they administrative, accounting, personnel, etc., and provides solutions through a feedback process.
Organizes the business structure, the functions and positions of each human talent, and the material resources that will be used to develop the planned activities, etc.
what are the skills of a company manager?
A company manager must possess certain professional skills that allow him/her to have a broad and focused vision of the work he/she wants to develop. Therefore, managers must have the following skills:
1. Leadership
A manager must be able to set priorities and motivate his team members. This involves self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management. The manager needs to radiate energy, empathy and confidence.
Remember that effective leaders work daily to develop team members through positive and constructive feedback. This is what makes a successful manager.
2. Communication
The manager must become a practitioner of effective communication in all its applications, including one-on-one, small groups, large groups, email, remote work and social networking. Good managers realize that the most important aspect of communication is listening.
3. Collaboration
Understanding what a manager’s job is to know that this profile works hand-in-hand with his or her team. The manager serves as a role model for working together. He or she supports cross-functional efforts and models collaborative behaviors to set an example for his or her team members.
4. Critical Thinking
The manager strives to understand where and how their projects fit into the big picture to improve their effectiveness. The manager reviews priorities in light of broader organizational goals.
he or she translates this understanding into meaningful goals and objectives for his or her team members who need to understand where their work fits in the big picture.
5. Financial understanding
A business manager needs to learn the language of numbers. Managers must striveto understand how the company’s funds are invested and ensure that these investments generate a good return for the company .
While you do not need to be an accountant to be a manager, it is imperative that you learn and apply the basics of sound financial understanding.
6. Project Management
Almost every initiative in an organization becomes a project. In addition, projects can become complex and difficult to manage. Today’s managers understand and leverage formal project management practices to ensure timely completion and proper control of initiatives.
how to be a good manager?
You already know what a manager does, and if you felt that their roles fit perfectly with how you envision yourself in the future, we want to help you with some tips on how to become the next manager of a company.
1. Do your job well
The first thing to consider is that, in order to aspire to a management position, you have to do your job very well. You may not be the best, but your duties must be done efficiently and to the best of your ability.
After all, no one will consider promoting a person who doesn’t deliver reports on time, lacks initiative and has a hard time balancing work and personal life.
2. Observe managers
Take note of what managers in your company do, what their attitude is and how they act to resolve conflicts and problems. Read management books and take leadership courses.
3. Develop your team’s soft skills
Applying soft skills in the company to what a manager does is essential because it allows him/her to manage staff properly. However, diagnosing the level of skills in your teams is also necessary for you to lead high-performance teams.
how can you do it? with our Skill XP platform! Within it, you will be able to take advantage of the following functionalities:
Evaluate each person in your company in specific areas and skills through Machine Learning.
Obtain more accurate results in less time. The information of the results is classified in 3 levels, through a matrix of competencies for each person.
Receive an intelligent recommendation with a large list of online courses to enhance the skills of your team. We create learning paths tailored to the training needs of each person.
4. Apply mindfulness at work
Mindfulness is an essential philosophy for any boss, including managers. It teaches them how to deal better with people and their particularities, so they can resolve all types of conflicts. But what does it really consist of and what does it have to do with what a manager does?
Jose L. Pinheiro, professor at spana, explains the concept of Mindfulness: “when you suspend the history of the past and stop worrying about the future, you become aware and present of what emerges as a result of this positive vision. New structures begin to emerge in people, in relationships and in teams”.
5. Show initiative
Proactivity and initiative is an essential part of what managers do to be excellent at their jobs. Don’t wait to get your dream job; volunteer to help the boss with planning tasks, take training courses, show that you are capable, and ask for feedback from your superiors on what you could do to improve your skills.
Do all this as long as none of these extra activities affect your performance in your main job. As you can see, being a good manager is very easy if you follow our advice. This way, you will become the leader that everyone will want to follow and imitate, being the most effective way to guarantee the growth of your company or business.
good luck!