Management Skills That Translate to Any Industry

Higher education programs provide students with the opportunity to gain specialized training in a particular area of study. But with a field like management, the benefits reach far beyond one specific industry.

The beauty of management skills is that they can be used to improve processes, unify team members, and drive results in just about any organization. Put simply, a management degree provides you with the decision-making skills you'll need to help a business succeed.

Join us as we explore some of the versatile management skills organizations are seeking in stand-out employees and learn how undergraduate management courses can help you develop the competencies you'll need for success in your chosen field.

5 Management skills you can utilize in any field

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) shared a recent survey in which more than 15,000 managers from across the world identified the competencies they believe to be most critical in their fields. The five skill sets that rose to the top of the list have a versatility that can lend itself to any industry.

1. Interpersonal relationship skills

The highest ranked skill in the SHRM survey was an ability to build good working relationships with people at all levels. In addition to some of the business acumen you might expect, management courses teach professionals how to create high-quality connections through respectful engagement.

Interpersonal skills are also known as people skills or soft skills, and these are the abilities you draw upon during your daily interactions with others. In a management program, students learn how to apply things like empathy, patience, active listening, conflict resolution, and teamwork to their professional relationships. Interpersonal skills like these can influence organizations by improving collaborative efforts, while also greatly impacting the overall company culture.

2. Communication skills

When boiled down to its simplest definition, the entire premise of management is ensuring that things get done by working with people. This is something that can only be accomplished with effective communication.

Communication skills are a vital component of being successful in nearly any career. Professionals who are proficient in verbal, written, and digital communication can make use of those skills in every position they come across. To lead others effectively, managers must become masters of communication, which is why this becomes a focal point of many management programs.

3. Strategic planning skills

Organizations in all industries operate within structured plans. Every decision must be made with the next several steps in mind. That's why the SHRM survey respondents prioritize abilities like planning and multi-factor decision making in their hiring processes.

Regardless of the field, professionals working in leadership positions are tasked with developing ways to meet certain objectives. This requires a proficient understanding of what resources are available so that budgets, timelines, and task allocation plans can be developed accordingly. In many cases, this may also include things like risk analysis and ethical considerations.

Management programs aim to teach graduates the necessary critical thinking, problem solving, project management, organizational development, and research/qualitative skills they will need to execute successful business strategies, no matter where their careers take them.

4. Organizational skills

Working hand-in-hand with strategic planning, organizational skills are critical to actually executing those plans. Poor organizational abilities can impact productivity and even derail entire strategies.

Every organization has a multitude of moving parts. Being able to identify and prioritize business demands can be crucial to success. Management courses help professionals foster important administrative skills that can help with the daily flow of work while also helping build competencies in areas like task assessment and workflow analysis.

5. Leadership skills

Skilled leaders can impact every aspect of an organization. Professionals who are able to clearly communicate goals and expectations, who seek input from all stakeholders and team members, and who delegate strategically will stand out in any field.

The leadership skills students gain in management programs are far reaching. Graduates often conclude their studies with an ability to bring people together to solve problems collaboratively. Management students also learn the importance of building trust within a team, leading by example, communicating honestly, exhibiting self-awareness, and practicing empathy in the workplace.

In a more practical sense, leadership skills students learn in management programs like decisiveness, delegation, and negotiation will also come into play in a number of different fields or positions.

5 Management courses that can benefit any professional

The interpersonal, communication, strategic planning, organizational, and leadership skills you could gain from a management program can help you be effective in every phase of your career. Graduates of programs like the one at Bellevue University learn how to foster collaborative relationships and find creative ways to solve market and organizational problems.

What makes the management courses at Bellevue University even more effective is the fact that they're facilitated by professors who are both academically and professionally qualified, having worked in management roles in industries ranging from trucking and manufacturing to government, education, and finance.

While it's clear that management skills are important, you may be curious about what to expect from a management program. Take a quick look at a sampling of the courses offered at Bellevue University that can help you acquire the competencies you're looking for.

1. Organizational Behavior

The focus of this course is to understand the impact that behavior has on organizational effectiveness. Students will analyze the factors that affect organizational performance and contribute to overall success.

2. Problem Solving and Analysis

This course focuses on the information and tools needed to apply critical thinking and problem solving to business decisions. Students will gain an understanding of the data sources and analytical tools that assist in the decision-making process.

3. Fiscal Management

This course explores the skills required to understand financial data and reliable tools that drive decision making within an organization. Students will be provided with an overview of the practical application of accounting concepts and processes that relate to the economic health of a business.

4. Leading and Managing Change

This course investigates management roles and some of the key elements that facilitate the success or failure of organizational change. It focuses on practical challenges faced by those tasked with leading and implementing change at an individual, group, or organizational level.

5. Ethical Management and Sustainability

This course introduces students to the principles and practices of ethics, sustainability, and responsibility at individual, organizational, and social levels. Students study the effects of ethical and unethical behavior on organizational success.

Prepare for anything with a management degree

Management skills bear an undeniable versatility. Transferable skills like the ones outlined above can help make you a desirable candidate in a multitude of different fields.

In fact, the Department of Labor's Skills Search tool reveals that competencies like complex problem solving, resource management, active listening, decision making, and communication are sought-after skills for managerial positions in industries ranging from construction, industrial production, and supply chain management to IT, finance, and even food service.

If you're looking to maximize the credits and experience you've already accrued on your path to managerial success, you can actually accelerate your path to a degree at Bellevue University. Learn more about our management program and generous credit transfer policy by visiting Bellevue University's Bachelor of Science in Management degree page.