The key competencies and skills in managerial work: what is expected from a first-time manager
Salo, Tuulia (2020)
Salo, Tuulia
2020
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020121428184
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020121428184
Tiivistelmä
The aim of this thesis was to research what kind of competencies and skills are expected from the first-time manager. The topic focused principally on the first-time manager’s perspective, especially the process of starting a career as a new manager, and how the managerial skills could be practiced in the beginning of the career.
This thesis was carried out as a qualitative research, where the wide literature review was done previously. With the help of in-depth literature review, the phenomenon of the first-time manager’s competencies and skills were able to examine more closely. In the qualitative research part consisted of conducting interviews for five (5) interviewees who were all in same level job in different fields with the working history approximately of 10 years. The interviews were semi-structured, which helped in analysing the research results better.
Based on the findings, there are a lot of expectations for different competencies and skills that a new manager should be able to manage soon after beginning a new position. Particularly, the ability to understand the work from the employee’s perspective was seen important. The communication skills and availability were seen important as well, which would build the credibility of a new manager. In order to increase the work motivation, the manager was seen to have an important role in the feedback culture and improving the self-driven work environment. The manager’s micromanaging was mentioned as a negative pattern during the interviews.
The follow-up-research idea is the recruitment process from the perspective of a first-time manager. The recruitment process is a big area that requires special competencies from the recruitment manager. Another suggestion for further development and research idea is to re-do this same study with a larger group of interviewees who have recently started their working careers. It would be interesting to research if the study results change based on the years of working experience.
This thesis was carried out as a qualitative research, where the wide literature review was done previously. With the help of in-depth literature review, the phenomenon of the first-time manager’s competencies and skills were able to examine more closely. In the qualitative research part consisted of conducting interviews for five (5) interviewees who were all in same level job in different fields with the working history approximately of 10 years. The interviews were semi-structured, which helped in analysing the research results better.
Based on the findings, there are a lot of expectations for different competencies and skills that a new manager should be able to manage soon after beginning a new position. Particularly, the ability to understand the work from the employee’s perspective was seen important. The communication skills and availability were seen important as well, which would build the credibility of a new manager. In order to increase the work motivation, the manager was seen to have an important role in the feedback culture and improving the self-driven work environment. The manager’s micromanaging was mentioned as a negative pattern during the interviews.
The follow-up-research idea is the recruitment process from the perspective of a first-time manager. The recruitment process is a big area that requires special competencies from the recruitment manager. Another suggestion for further development and research idea is to re-do this same study with a larger group of interviewees who have recently started their working careers. It would be interesting to research if the study results change based on the years of working experience.