Learn what managers do within organizations and discover different management styles, career opportunities, and more.
Management is how businesses organize and direct workflow, operations, and employees to meet company goals. The primary goal of management is to create an environment that empowers employees to work efficiently and productively. A solid organizational structure guides employees and establishes the tone and focus of their work.
Learn more about management, key skills you'll need to be successful in this area, and careers you can pursue if you're interested in managing a team of people. Afterward, if you'd like to build your management skills, consider enrolling in the University of Illinois' Strategic Leadership and Management Specialization, where you'll learn the fundamentals of effectively leading people.
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Leadership and Business Skill for Immediate Impact. Apply practical strategies to becoming an effective organizational leader.
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Strategic Management, Negotiation, Leadership, Business Strategy, Business Model, Strategic Thinking, self-awareness, Trust in relationships, Ethical decision-making, Leadership Development, Defining Leadership, Organization Design, Organizational Structure, Organizational Theories, Organizational Change, Decision-Making, Strategic Leadership, Organizational Culture, Ethics, Management, Diversification, Global Strategy, Mergers And Acquisitions (M&A), Corporate Governance, Manage motivation and engagement, Create space for DEIB, Develop team culture, Navigate growth and change in teams, Facilitate psychological safety
Management is an important business function that involves overseeing people or projects and guiding them toward a common goal or outcome.
Managers are tasked with several responsibilities to ensure the success of the team or initiative they're overseeing. This can look like:
Creating goals and objectives
Establishing schedules
Developing strategies to increase performance, productivity, and efficiency
Ensuring compliance with company policies and industry regulations
Mentoring employees
Monitoring budgets, productivity levels, and performance
Resolving customer problems
Training staff
Managers have several functions within an organization. You'll usually see these functions divided into four interconnected groups. Understanding them can help you identify your strengths and areas of need so that you can choose the proper training to improve your skills.
The first function of a manager is to set goals. These goals may be for individual employees, departments, or the entire organization, depending on the manager's level of responsibility. In addition to setting goals, managers often develop action items along with strategies and resources to complete tasks and meet goals.
Meeting organizational goals requires putting the right people in the right places. Managers can play an important role in choosing workers for positions and projects. Knowing how to group people and help them build relationships often significantly affects how well the group works together. Sometimes managers need to train employees for specific tasks to ensure they have the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.
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Launch your career as a project manager. Build job-ready skills for an in-demand career in project management in as little as 4 months. No prior experience required to get started.
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Managers help motivate employees to show up and stay productive. This includes sharing a common vision, encouraging them to develop their strengths, and inspiring them to do their best work at all times. Having effective communication skills is essential for filling this role.
Managers typically spend time measuring the success of their teams and how well they meet goals. The more they understand what works and doesn't work, the better prepared they are to make decisions in the future. Managers must understand and adjust strategies to meet company goals.
Watch this video on the process of performance management, an important part of helping employees reach their potential:
Read more: What Is Management Science? + How to Enter This Field
The way you choose to manage your team or department can have a direct effect on how they meet their goals. What you say and do may send powerful messages to employees about how you value their contributions and your level of trust in them. The list below highlights some of the more common styles used by managers.
Authoritative leaders tend to make decisions without feedback from others. This approach works well when you need to respond quickly to a situation and don't have time for debate. If you rely on this approach too much, you may see high levels of turnover within the organization and stalled innovation.
Some managers view their role as that of a coach who sees the potential in employees and wants to help them grow. This can effectively build strong teams and create an environment where employees feel comfortable experimenting. Employees typically have a sense of autonomy under this style, but those needing more direction may feel neglected.
Democratic managers value the input of employees in the decision-making process and usually believe having more ideas is better than having a few. This management style may help empower and motivate employees to work toward common goals. However, sorting through all of the voices and finding a consensus to make a decision can take time.
In a transformational management style, managers prioritize innovation and growth. These managers encourage employees to discover just what they're capable of achieving. Workers with transformational leaders tend to be happy and dedicated to their work, but they must be able to adapt to sudden changes.
A visionary leader knows how to ensure every team member understands the company's vision and is working toward a common goal. These leaders tend to be excellent communicators and typically give workers plenty of autonomy as long as they effectively execute the vision.
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Become a Better Business Leader Today. Using Professor Sydney Finkelstein's renowned research into the art and science of leadership and years of experience working with managers and executives around the world, this specialization will help you build the wisdom and skills you need to grow and change as a leader—and as a person.
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In many organizations, management falls into one of three levels: top, middle, and low. Managers in smaller companies may fill roles at more than one level, while larger organizations may have several managers within each level.
Top: Top-level management typically has an administrative role, and their decisions affect the entire organization even though they sometimes aren’t involved in the day-to-day operations. They may have the title of chief executive officer (CEO) or serve on the board of directors.
Middle: You find people with executive roles at the middle management level. They work with both top-level management and supervisors to help workers meet objectives and boost the company's productivity. At this level, they may be called regional managers or general managers.
Low: The final level of management often has a supervisory role. These managers have titles like shift supervisor, branch manager, or team leader. They work with individuals and teams to meet goals determined by upper management. They typically have less influence over company policy compared to the other management levels, but the most interaction with direct reports.
Read more: 11 Key Project Management Skills
Managers work in almost every type of company and industry. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects management positions to grow faster than average by 2032 as entrepreneurs start new companies and existing organizations expand their operations [1]. The following management job titles show how varied these positions can be.
Median annual salary (US): $138,730 [2]
Job outlook (projected growth from 2022 to 2032): 6 percent
As an advertising, promotions, or marketing manager, you help companies promote their products and services through strategic campaigns. You'll typically need a bachelor's in marketing, communications, or business to qualify for this type of position. Before becoming a manager, you may build work experience as a sales representative, social media specialist, marketing assistant, or public relations specialist.
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Launch Your Career in Marketing Analytics. Build job-ready skills – and must-have AI skills – for an in-demand career. Earn a credential from Meta in 7 months or less. No degree or prior experience required.
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Statistics for Marketing, Performance marketing, Data Analysis, Advertising Effectiveness Evaluation, Marketing Mix Optimization, Generative AI in Marketing Analytics, Marketing Plan, Linear Regression, Marketing, Marketing Mix Modeling, Python Programming, Pandas, Data Visualization, Spreadsheet, SQL, Tableau Software, Data Management, Marketing Science, Social Media Marketing, Ads Manager, Facebook Advertising, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Digital Marketing, Marketing Analytics, Meta advertising, A/B Testing
Median annual salary (US): $101,480 [3]
Job outlook (projected growth from 2022 to 2032): 5 percent
Construction managers typically divide their time between the office and a construction site. In this role, you may set budgets, hire sub-contractors or crew members, oversee their work, and adjust plans to meet deadlines. Depending on your employer, you may need a bachelor's degree in construction, business, or engineering, along with experience as a skilled worker or intern in the construction field.
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Construction Project Management and Planning. Develop and understand the foundations of project planning and scheduling techniques
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Schedule, Finance, Cost Control, Real Estate finance, Cost Estimate, Cash Flow, Cost, Financial Modeling, Project, Real Estate, Project Management, Construction Management, Work Breakdown Structure, Project Planning, Linear Scheduling Method, Program Evaluation And Review Technique (PERT), Critical Path Method
Median annual salary (US): $139,790 [4]
Job outlook (projected growth from 2022 to 2032): 16%
As a financial manager, you may work in various environments where you analyze data, create financial reports, and help individuals or companies set and meet financial goals. Before pursuing this career, you'll need a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business, or economics. In some cases, you may want to earn industry certification as well. You can work your way up into this role through experience as a loan officer, an accountant, or similar positions within a company.
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Become a Strategic Financial Manager . Develop an integrated financial management framework.
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Mergers and Acquisitions, Financial Accounting, Financial Statements, Corporate Finance, Stocks (Finance), Risk Management, Accruals, Financial Market, Investment Strategy, Debt, Cash Flow Statements, Cash Flows, Project, Finance, Mergers And Acquisitions (M&A), Cash Flow, Cash Flow Statement, Financial Statement, Stock, Investment, Accounting, Accrual, Financial Markets
Median annual salary (US): $61,310 [5]
Job outlook (projected growth from 2022 to 2032): little or no change
Food service managers work in restaurants, cafeterias, and hotels, overseeing kitchen and wait staff. In this position, you may create schedules, order supplies, and ensure employees follow food safety guidelines. Although you can usually enter this field with a high school diploma or equivalent, you may find it helpful to earn a degree in hospitality management or culinary studies. You’ll likely need some experience working in a restaurant as a cook, waiter, or food prep supervisor.
Read more: What Is Hospitality Management? Careers, Skills, Salaries, and More
Median annual salary (US): $104,830 [6]
Job outlook (projected growth from 2022 to 2032): 28 percent
As a medical or health services manager, you may work in a doctor's office, hospital, rehab facility, or similar environment where you may supervise and coordinate health care providers and support staff’s work. You'll need at least a bachelor's degree in health care administration or nursing, and many people in this role also have a master's degree. In addition to the degree, you may consider working in a variety of related positions like administrative assistant, billing clerk, or medical records specialist to gain work experience.
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Become a transformative leader in healthcare. Explore how healthcare managers navigate the complexities of the healthcare system from both administrative and financial perspectives.
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Accounting, Decision-Making, Financial Analysis, Marketing, Strategic Planning, Financial Accounting, Financial Management, Financial Statement, Overhead Cost Analysis, Mergers And Acquisitions (M&A), healthcare pricing, Financial valuation tools
Median annual salary (US): $130,600 [7]
Job outlook (projected growth from 2022 to 2032): 4 percent
Sales managers supervise the team of sales professionals in an organization. As a sales manager, you can expect to set goals and quotas for individual sales representatives and teams and track their progress. You may be called upon to speak with customers and handle complaints. You may need a bachelor's degree to qualify for this type of position, but sometimes having experience as a sales representative or buyer can be just as important.
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Launch Your Career in Salesforce. Learn the foundational skills in Salesforce needed to start a new career.
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Sales, Sales Operations, Salesforce, CRM, Salesforce Lightning, Opportunity Management, Lead Management, Reports and Dashboards, Customer Success, Salesforce Sales Cloud
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Develop or strengthen important people and project management skills through a range of programs on Coursera. We've outlined some options to get started below:
To explore what managers do and build foundational skills, consider the University of London's free course The Manager's Toolkit: A Practical Guide to Managing People at Work. This program covers decision-making, leadership, performance management, and more.
Learn practical strategies to motivate and influence people with the University of Illinois' Strategic Leadership and Management Specialization. Over seven courses, you'll learn about key management strategies.
Delve into project management and earn a credential in the Microsoft Project Management Professional Certificate. In this program, you'll gain practical expertise in developing and managing project schedules.
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In this course, you will learn how to create a shared vision for your team and effectively communicate it to your teammates. You will also learn how to set ...
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Human Resources, Communication, Leadership Development, Leadership and Management, Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Influencing, People Development
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Leadership and Business Skill for Immediate Impact. Apply practical strategies to becoming an effective organizational leader.
4.8
(6,746 ratings)
140,499 already enrolled
Beginner level
Average time: 2 month(s)
Learn at your own pace
Skills you'll build:
Strategic Management, Negotiation, Leadership, Business Strategy, Business Model, Strategic Thinking, self-awareness, Trust in relationships, Ethical decision-making, Leadership Development, Defining Leadership, Organization Design, Organizational Structure, Organizational Theories, Organizational Change, Decision-Making, Strategic Leadership, Organizational Culture, Ethics, Management, Diversification, Global Strategy, Mergers And Acquisitions (M&A), Corporate Governance, Manage motivation and engagement, Create space for DEIB, Develop team culture, Navigate growth and change in teams, Facilitate psychological safety
professional certificate
Launch your career as a project manager. Build job-ready skills for an in-demand career in project management in as little as 4 months. No prior experience required to get started.
4.7
(309 ratings)
30,317 already enrolled
Beginner level
Average time: 4 month(s)
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Skills you'll build:
Risk Management, Budgeting, Stakeholder Management, Planning, Communication, Organizational Structure of a Project, Approaches to project management, Project Organization, Project Management Principles, Project Processes, Project Domains, Project Monitoring, Project Execution, Project Management, Tailor Approach, Exam Preparation, Exam Strategies, PMP Exam Techniques, Earned Value Management, Advanced Excel, Analytical Thinking, Problem-solving, Problem-Solving, ROI Assessment, PMP Formulas, Communication Planning, Team Management, Risk Identification, Problem Solving, PMP Principles, Project Methodologies, Principle-based Approaches, Agile Principles, Agile Execution, Agile Methodologies, Agile Implementation, Strategic Alignment, Goal Orientation, Cross-cultural Analysis, Foster Collaboration, Leadership, Team Development
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Occupational Outlook Handbook Management Occupations, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/home.htm." Accessed March 14, 2024.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Occupational Outlook Handbook Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/advertising-promotions-and-marketing-managers.htm." Accessed March 14, 2024.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Occupational Outlook Handbook Construction Managers, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/construction-managers.htm." Accessed March 14, 2024.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Occupational Outlook Handbook Financial Managers, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/financial-managers.htm." Accessed March 14, 2024.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Occupational Outlook Handbook Food Service Managers, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/food-service-managers.htm." Accessed March 14, 2024.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Occupational Outlook Handbook Medical and Health Services Managers, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm." Accessed March 14, 2024.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Occupational Outlook Handbook Sales Managers, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/sales-managers.htm." Accessed March 14, 2024.
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