Why Management Skills Matter More Than Ever for Business Owners

Many people start a business because they are good at what they do. A great designer sets up on their own. A skilled electrician goes self-employed. A consultant turns expertise into income. What often comes later is realising that running a business and doing the work are two very different jobs.

As a business grows, management skills become just as important as technical ability for the success of the business.

What management really means in a small business

In a smaller business, management is not about hierarchy or job titles. It is about how work gets organised and how people, including you, are supported.

Good management often shows up in quite simple, everyday ways. For instance:

• Setting clear expectations with staff, contractors or clients.
• Deciding between what needs to be done now and what can wait.
• Spotting problems early, before they become expensive.
• Having time to step back and think.

Firefighting, missed deadlines, confused roles, work being redone, or feeling constantly stretched can all be signs of a need to improve how the business is being managed. These kinds of issues do not usually come from a lack of effort; they come from a lack of structure.

Why management skills often get overlooked

Management skills often fall down the priority list because time is tight and client or customer work comes first. Or it may be that managing people feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar.

However, not addressing how the business is managed means you can end up stuck in the day-to-day, with little capacity to focus on growing the business or carrying out long-term planning.

How improving management skills helps your business

Businesses with clearer management tend to:

• Run more predictably, with fewer surprises.
• Retain staff for longer and reduce recruitment costs.
• Have happier customers because they deliver a more consistent service.
• Free up time for the business owner to be able to focus on strategy.

Even small changes, such as regularly checking in with staff or having clearer task planning, can have a noticeable impact.

Practical ways to build management skills

Improving management does not require formal qualifications or years of experience. For many business owners, they make progress by:

• Talking with other business owners about what works.
• Finding a mentor who can challenge their thinking and share experience.
• Undertaking some short, practical training.
• Thinking about what’s not working and making one change at a time to gradually improve it.

Just like with any other part of the business, management can be learned and improved over time.

A final thought

Good management and proper controls are vital for business success. Having the best idea in the world is only half the story. It is management skills that will make the idea work and keep you and your staff happy along the way.