What Is Management? Definition, Types, Skills, and Careers

Management is how businesses organise and direct workflow, operations, and employees to meet company goals. The primary goal of management is to create an environment that allows employees to work efficiently and productively. A solid organisational structure serves as a guide for workers and establishes the tone and focus of their work.

Managers are involved in implementing and evaluating these structures. As a manager, you may be responsible for doing any of the following tasks:

• Create goals and objectives

• Create schedules

• Develop strategies to increase performance, productivity, and efficiency

• Ensure compliance with company policies and industry regulations

• Mentor employees

• Monitor budgets, productivity levels, and performance

• Resolve customer problems

• Train staff

Learn more about management, its different styles, what managers do, and the jobs you can expect to encounter in the field.

Key functions of a manager

Managers have several functions within an organisation. You'll usually see these functions divided into four interconnected groups. Understanding them can help you identify your strengths and areas of need to choose the proper training to improve your skills.

Planning

The first function of a manager is to set goals. Depending on the manager's level of responsibility, these goals may be for individual employees, departments, or the entire organisation. In addition to setting goals, managers often develop action items along with strategies and resources to complete tasks and meet goals. 

Organizing

Meeting organisational 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.

Motivating

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. 

Evaluating

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.

Levels of management

In many organisations, management falls into one of three levels: top, middle, and low. Managers in smaller companies may fill roles at more than one level, whilst larger organisations may have several managers within each level.

• Top: Top-level management typically has an administrative role, and their decisions affect the entire organisation 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 workers.

Management styles

The way you choose to manage your team or department can have a direct effect on how they're able to 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. Understanding different management styles and when they're most and least useful may be helpful. The list below highlights some of the more common styles used by managers.

Authoritative

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 organisation and stalled innovation.

Coaching

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. Under this style, employees typically have a sense of autonomy, but those who need more direction may feel some neglect.

Democratic

Democratic managers value employees' input in the decision-making process and usually believe having more ideas is better than having a few. This management style may help empower employees and increase their motivation to work toward common goals. However, sorting through all of the voices and finding a consensus to make a decision can take time.

Transformational

In a transformational management style, managers prioritise 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.

Visionary

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.

Careers in management

Managers work in almost every type of company and industry. The overall economic growth in India will translate into a need for skilled managers in many different industries. The following management job titles show how varied these positions can be.

Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers

Average annual salary in India (Glassdoor): ₹15,61,000 [1]

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 degree in marketing, communications, or advertising to qualify for this type of position. Before becoming a manager, you may build work experience as a sales representative, buyer, or public relations specialist.

Construction managers

Average annual salary in India (Glassdoor): ₹14,50,000 [2]

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.

Financial managers

Average annual salary in India (Glassdoor): ₹15,52,500 [3]

As a financial manager, you may work in various environments where you analyse 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, such as the Chartered Financial Manager (CFM). You can work your way up into this role through experience as a loan officer, an accountant, or similar positions within a company.

Healthcare  managers

Average annual salary in India (Glassdoor): ₹13,20,000 [4]

As a medical or health services manager, you may work in a hospital or medical facility where you may supervise and coordinate health care providers and support staff’s work. In most cases, you will need a master's degree in healthcare or hospital management. 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.

Sales manager

Average annual salary in India (Glassdoor): ₹11,00,000 [5]

Sales managers supervise the team of sales professionals in an organisation. 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 in a competitive market, a master’s degree can help you stand out from other applicants.

Learn more about management

Building and expanding your management skills can be helpful no matter where you are in your career. You can explore what managers do through a course like Principles of Management from Johns Hopkins University, available on Coursera. Learn ways to motivate and influence people in the Leading People and Teams Specialisation from the University of Michigan or hone in on specific skills by earning the Google Project Management: Professional Certificate offered by Google.