What are the essential skills for a manager today?

Source: https://execed.unil.ch/en/blog/what-are-the-essential-skills-for-a-manager-today Parent: https://execed.unil.ch/blog/quelles-sont-les-competences-essentielles-d-un-cadre-dirigeant-aujourd-hui

4 minutes of reading

table of content

1. 1. Adopt an agile and inspiring approach
2. Key competencies of the transformational leader
3. 2. Driving performance and supporting teams
4. Management and governance
5. Talent development and skills management
6. 3. Systemic thinking, agility and responsible decision-making
7. Systemic thinking and informed decision-making
8. Innovation management and digital transformation
9. 4. Interpersonal skills and soft skills
10. Fundamental soft skills
11. 5. Cross-functional technical skills
12. Critical skills
13. 6. Training and equipping yourself to remain effective as a manager
14. 7. Tomorrow's manager is an architect of change.

Lionel Stoudmann author

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Expectations of managers have never been higher: technological developments, economic uncertainty, changing working models and societal demands mean that the skills required are constantly evolving. In an environment characterised by complexity, speed and ambiguity, what are the essential skills for exercising leadership to the full? This article presents the key skills you need to develop to succeed as an executive, with a pragmatic approach rooted in Swiss and international realities.

Adopt an agile and inspiring approach

Being a manager today means, above all, driving change in uncertain times. Expectations of leadership are changing significantly. It is no longer just a question of managing through hierarchy or technique, but of providing meaning, uniting people and cultivating trust.

Key competencies of the transformational leader

• Strategic vision: ability to define a clear path while remaining open to opportunities and adjustments.
• Emotional intelligence: managing one's emotions and understanding those of others in order to motivate, reassure and inspire.
• Impactful communication: knowing how to explain, listen and persuade, even in sensitive or complex situations.
• Collaborative leadership: encouraging autonomy, commitment and the sharing of ideas in order to create a culture of innovation and continuous learning.
• Resilience and uncertainty management: transforming difficulties into learning opportunities and staying the course in turbulent times.

Driving performance and supporting teams

A successful executive must orchestrate collective performance by mobilising modern management tools, while taking human factors into account.

Management and governance

• Setting and reviewing objectives: implementing OKR (Objectives & Key Results) approaches to align actions and results.
• Key performance indicator (KPI) management: measure and adjust performance using relevant dashboards (e.g. Power BI, advanced reporting tools).
• Project management: oversee change management using agile methods (Scrum, Kanban), manage stakeholders and arbitrate assertively.

Talent development and skills management

• Support and coaching: jointly developing development plans, delegating effectively, knowing how to give constructive feedback.
• Identifying potential: establishing a culture of learning and continuous training, particularly through tailor-made programmes.

Systemic thinking, agility and responsible decision-making

The increasing complexity of the professional environment requires managers to develop new cognitive and analytical skills.

Systemic thinking and informed decision-making

• Cross-functional analysis: ability to connect economic, social, technological and environmental issues (e.g. SWOT matrix, PESTEL grid).
• Risk management: anticipating, assessing and mitigating risks, whether financial, operational or human.
• Rapid and responsible decision-making: arbitrating in uncertain situations by incorporating ethical considerations, compliance and sustainability.

Innovation management and digital transformation

• Technology integration: understanding the impact of AI, data and digital tools (CRM, ERP) on business models.
• Agile innovation: using design thinking methods to stimulate creativity and quickly experiment with new concepts.

Interpersonal skills and soft skills

Beyond technical expertise, the success of a manager depends on interpersonal skills and the ability to inspire confidence.

Fundamental soft skills

• Active listening and empathy: picking up on subtle cues, establishing dialogue, preventing conflicts and cultivating authentic relationships.
• Negotiation and mediation: managing tensions and reaching win-win agreements.
• Inclusive communication: valuing diversity, promoting equality and preventing all forms of discrimination.
• Stress management and work-life balance: working on personal resilience, modelling healthy practices (work-life balance), preventing risky situations (burnout, demotivation).

Tools and exercises such as 360° feedback, co-development workshops and team diagnostics are valuable allies in making concrete progress in these areas.

Cross-functional technical skills

Mastering technical fundamentals remains essential, especially in the digital age.

Critical skills

• Cultivate your data culture: understand data issues, master visualisation and analysis (advanced Excel, Power BI), develop your data literacy to make better decisions.
• Solid financial knowledge: reading balance sheets, analysing profitability, managing budgets, understanding key concepts (cash flow, risks, Swiss/international compliance)
• Strategic management: conducting diagnostics, evaluating growth options (diversification, alliances), developing action plans and steering execution.

Training and equipping yourself to remain effective as a manager

Staying at the forefront requires a constant commitment to learning. Continuing education programmes such as those offered by Executive Education HEC Lausanne enable participants to develop these key skills through:

• Specialised modules in management, leadership, data, digital, finance, project management, etc.
• Role-playing exercises, case studies and workshops led by experts in the field
• Personalised or tailor-made programmes for organisations

This approach is not only consistent with a focus on performance and employability, but also with a commitment to responsible and sustainable leadership capable of generating a positive impact on the organisation and society.

Tomorrow's manager is an architect of change.

Becoming an outstanding executive requires a combination of strategic expertise, technical mastery, interpersonal skills and adaptability. Continuous learning and humility remain the best assets for anticipating future challenges, uniting teams and building collective performance.

To cultivate these skills and accelerate your professional development, discover the range of degree and short courses offered by HEC Lausanne Executive Education. Join a dynamic network of committed leaders ready to transform their organisations for the long term.

Lionel Stoudmann author

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