Stanford Social Innovation Review

In general, all managers and leaders should have integrity and commitment to the organization's mission, vision and values and the experience and ability to achieve the organization's success through building, managing and motivating a team and working effectively with "bosses," colleagues and relevant outside constituencies.

Specifically, the definition of sound managerial and leadership skills is often dependent upon the organization, its mission, vision, values and culture, whether it is private or not for profit, and the level of leadership in question.

1. Functional Skills. The skills required of a manager, ranging from direct expertise in one functional area, to multi-functional expertise/management and general management skills, depend upon how large a share of the responsibility the leader has for the organization's mission, vision, values and strategy: At the more basic levels of management, expertise in the direct area to be managed plus interdisciplinary collaborative business ability are mandatory. Managers of accounting teams, for example, need accounting backgrounds as well as the ability to work with interdisciplinary organizational members to understand their needs. In many areas of basic management, managers need customer and other outward-facing skills as well. Senior leaders, responsible for all or a large part of mission, vision, values and strategy require strong multi-functional management expertise as well as comprehensive generalist capability(for example, financial and strategic command) with specific functional work backgrounds, dependent upon the type of organization.
   The functional orientation of the organization and/or industry often drive the functional focus of expertise demanded of its senior leadership . For example,the concentration of functional leadership skills required in a consumer-oriented entity (Gap, Disney) is likely to differ from that of oil or pharmaceutical companies or other industries, where production, manufacturing, or research may drive the company.

2. While dedication to the mission is key to all managers, a nonprofit organization or a business with a significant orientation toward social responsibility, may require demonstrated passion for the mission as opposed to a strictly for-profit organization, where the ability to meet the bottom line is key.

3. Adaptability, flexibility and cross-functionality. At the rate of change in all of today's organizations, whether from market-imposed or other outside forces or internal change, managers at all levels must be equipped skillwise to assume new responsibility. Personally, they must be adaptable and willing to embrace new ideas and larger roles.

4. Accountability. Managers at all levels must define goals, clarify them to their teams and successfully meet them. Additionally, they must take responsibility for their initiatives to their team, managers, colleagues, customers and the enterprise as a whole.

5. Hiring the right talent, team building, and motivating people. In general, managers should hire people who will fit into and engage with the organization's culture and feel rewarded by the organization's reward system. Managers should provide the enthusiasm, inspiration, trustworthiness and intangible reward systems to garner respect, loyalty and hard work from their teams.

6. CEOship. At whatever level, a leader should be a CEO of his/her area. Even within more formal organizational cultures, there is room to set new standards, develop new ideas and find new ways to motivate people. All managers should be advocates for the organization.

7. Collaborative interpersonal skills. At any managerial level of any complex and sophisticated organization, the willingness and ability to collaborate effectively with bosses, colleagues, and subordinates is essential. The extent of collaboration encouraged depends upon the organization and its culture.

8. Communications and interpersonal skills. Effective communications are key at all management levels, and critical in customer interfacing areas. At the senior levels, where the individual is the "face" of the organization to shareholders, board, partners, other outside constituencies and the public at large, polished and articulate communication and adept interpersonal skills are synonymous with the position.