Management and Organizations | Three Main Types of Managerial Skills by Robert Katz

Describe the three main types of managerial skills identified by Robert Katz. Which skills are most important to each level of management, and why?

Answer:  

Research by Robert L. Katz concluded that managers needed three essential skills. These are technical skills, human skills, and conceptual skills. Technical skills are the job-specific knowledge and techniques needed to perform specific tasks proficiently. Human skills involve the ability to work well with other people both individually and in a group. Conceptual skills are the skills managers use to think and to conceptualize about abstract and complex situations.

• Technical skills tend to be more important for lower-level managers. This is because lower-level managers typically manage employees who use tools and techniques to produce the organization's products and services. 
• Human skills are equally important at all levels of management, because all managers must deal directly with people. 
• Conceptual skills are most important at top levels of management. Managers at top levels must use conceptual skills to see the organization as a whole, to understand the relationships among various subunits, and to visualize how the organization fits into its broader environment.

Management, 10e (Robbins/Coulter)