role in which a manager must generate and share knowledge to achieve organizational goals. The informational roles are disseminator, monitor, and spokesperson. Decisional Roles The third category of managerial roles is a decisional role. A decisional role involves the process of deciding or resolving questions or situations. Decisional roles include entrepreneur, disturbance-handler, negotiator, and resource-allocator. LO 1.2-4 LO 1. 2 - 4 Skills of Successful Managers To be successful, managers need a variety of skills. As illustrated in Figure 1-5, key managerial competencies required include conceptual, interpersonal, and technical skills. Conceptual Skills Conceptual skills involve the ability to formulate new ideas and think in abstract terms. Conceptual skills enable a person to think creatively, solve problems, and understand how programs and ideas interrelate. Conceptual skills involve applying critical-thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Individuals with conceptual skills are able to think creatively and chart specific courses of action to solve problems. Conceptual skills also involve the ability to “think outside the box” and examine how ideas are interrelated. Interpersonal Skills Managers must interact with employees, peers, clients, and superiors. Interpersonal skills, also called human skills, are the skills that enable a person to work effectively with others. Soft skills are skills used to help an individual find a job, perform in the workplace, and gain success in a job or career. Examples of soft skills include listening skills, positive attitude, and emotional intelligence. These skills involve knowing how to interact with others in a manner that makes it conducive for everyone to be successful in their responsibilities. This in turn allows positive, effective workplace relationships to develop. Interpersonal skills also include the ability to communicate. Communication is the sending and receiving of messages that convey information, ideas, feelings, and beliefs. Communication skills involve the ability to speak, write, and listen effectively. They also involve Conceptual Skills Interpersonal Skills Technical Skills Skills of Successful Managers Critical-thinking Problem-solving Decision-making Listening Communication Human-relations Computer Financial Mechanical Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Figure 1-5 Key managerial competencies include conceptual, interpersonal, and technical skills. Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Principles of Management 14