Top 12 General Manager Skills to Put on Your Resume

In today’s competitive job market, standing out as a general manager candidate requires showcasing a blend of strategic, operational, and interpersonal skills on your resume. Highlighting your top general manager skills succinctly communicates to potential employers your capability to lead teams, drive business success, and manage complex operations efficiently.

General Manager Skills

1. Leadership
2. Budgeting
3. Negotiation
4. Salesforce
5. Project Management
6. Strategic Planning
7. Team Building
8. Microsoft Excel
9. Problem Solving
10. Risk Management
11. Communication
12. Time Management

1. Leadership

Leadership, in the context of a General Manager, involves guiding, influencing, and directing a team or organization towards achieving its goals through strategic decision-making, effective communication, and fostering a positive and productive work environment.

Why It's Important

Leadership is crucial for a General Manager as it guides teams toward achieving organizational goals, fosters a positive and productive work environment, and drives innovation and change, ensuring the company's success and sustainability.

How to Improve Leadership Skills

Improving leadership, particularly for a General Manager, involves enhancing a range of skills and approaches:

1. Develop Emotional Intelligence: Understand and manage your emotions and those of others to improve communication and leadership outcomes. Emotional Intelligence in leadership fosters a positive work environment.

2. Foster Communication: Enhance your communication skills for clarity, inspiration, and problem-solving. Effective Communication techniques can transform your leadership style.

3. Encourage Team Development: Build a strong, cohesive team by encouraging skill development and collaboration. Building Strong Teams is crucial for achieving organizational goals.

4. Adopt a Growth Mindset: Embrace challenges and feedback as opportunities for growth rather than threats. Growth Mindset principles can significantly impact your leadership effectiveness.

5. Be Decisive: Improve your ability to make decisions promptly and confidently, considering both short-term and long-term impacts. Decision Making is a critical leadership skill.

6. Lead by Example: Your actions set the tone for the organization's culture and expectations. Leading by Example is powerful in shaping the workplace environment.

7. Seek Continuous Improvement: Always look for ways to improve yourself and your organization. Embrace Continuous Learning as a part of leadership development.

Improving leadership is a continuous journey that involves personal development, strategic thinking, and fostering a positive organizational culture.

How to Display Leadership Skills on Your Resume

2. Budgeting

Budgeting involves planning and allocating financial resources to meet the strategic and operational goals of a business, ensuring efficient use of funds to maximize profitability and sustainability.

Why It's Important

Budgeting is crucial for a General Manager as it provides a financial blueprint to guide the organization's activities, ensures resources are allocated efficiently, controls costs, aids in setting goals and measuring performance, and facilitates strategic decision-making for sustainable growth and profitability.

How to Improve Budgeting Skills

Improving budgeting involves strategic planning, monitoring, and adjustment. Here are concise steps for a General Manager:

1. Set Clear Objectives: Establish specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) financial goals. Learn more about SMART goals.

2. Historical Analysis: Review past budgets and financial outcomes to identify patterns and areas for improvement. Guide to financial analysis.

3. Employee Involvement: Involve team members in the budgeting process to gain insights and ensure realistic budget planning. Benefits of employee involvement.

4. Monitor Regularly: Establish a routine for monitoring the budget, comparing actual spend against the budget, and adjusting as necessary. Budget monitoring techniques.

5. Use Technology: Implement budgeting software to streamline the process, improve accuracy, and provide real-time financial insights. Top budgeting software.

6. Review and Adjust: Regularly review the budget, assess its effectiveness, and make necessary adjustments to stay on track. Adjusting budgets.

7. Training: Ensure you and your team are well-equipped with the latest budgeting knowledge and skills. Budgeting courses.

By focusing on these strategies, a General Manager can significantly improve the budgeting process, leading to better financial management and overall business performance.

How to Display Budgeting Skills on Your Resume

3. Negotiation

Negotiation is the process of discussing and reaching a mutual agreement on terms and conditions between two or more parties, aimed at achieving objectives and resolving differences. For a General Manager, it involves strategically bargaining with stakeholders, such as suppliers, employees, and clients, to secure favorable outcomes for the organization.

Why It's Important

Negotiation is crucial for a General Manager as it enables effective conflict resolution, cost optimization, and the fostering of strong relationships with stakeholders, thereby ensuring the successful operation and growth of the organization.

How to Improve Negotiation Skills

Improving negotiation skills, especially for a General Manager, involves a combination of practice, strategy development, and understanding human psychology. Here are concise steps with relevant resources:

1. Prepare Thoroughly: Understand your goals, the other party's needs, and the minimum outcomes you can accept. Harvard Law School offers insights on preparation strategies.

2. Build Rapport: Establishing a connection can facilitate smoother negotiations. Techniques can be found through MindTools.

3. Listen Actively: Effective listening can reveal underlying interests. The American Management Association highlights the importance of active listening.

4. Negotiate Win-Win Solutions: Aim for outcomes that benefit both sides. Forbes provides strategies for win-win negotiations.

5. Practice Emotional Intelligence: Recognizing and managing emotions is crucial. Psychology Today offers an overview of emotional intelligence in negotiations.

6. Learn from Every Negotiation: Reflect on what worked and what didn’t. Continuous learning is key. Harvard Business Review discusses how to salvage negotiations and learn from the experience.

By integrating these strategies and continuously seeking knowledge on negotiation tactics, a General Manager can significantly enhance their negotiation skills.

How to Display Negotiation Skills on Your Resume

4. Salesforce

Salesforce is a cloud-based software company that provides customer relationship management (CRM) services, tools for marketing automation, analytics, and application development, designed to help businesses connect with their customers, streamline processes, and improve profitability.

Why It's Important

Salesforce is crucial for a General Manager because it provides a comprehensive platform for managing customer relationships, streamlining sales processes, enhancing customer service, and accessing actionable insights for strategic decision-making, ultimately driving revenue growth and operational efficiency.

How to Improve Salesforce Skills

To improve Salesforce performance and utility for a General Manager, follow these concise strategies:

1. Understand Business Goals: Align Salesforce features with your business objectives. Salesforce Trailhead offers customized learning paths to understand how to utilize Salesforce effectively for your goals.

2. Customize and Optimize: Leverage Salesforce customization to tailor the platform to your specific business needs, improving efficiency and user experience.

3. Integrate Systems: Use Salesforce Integrations to connect Salesforce with other business systems for a seamless workflow.

4. Data Quality: Ensure high-quality data management practices. Salesforce Data Management provides guidance on maintaining clean data for accurate reporting and decision-making.

5. Training and Adoption: Encourage team training through Salesforce Training to enhance user adoption and proficiency.

6. Leverage Analytics: Utilize Salesforce Einstein Analytics for advanced data insights to make informed decisions.

7. Regular Audits and Feedback: Conduct regular system audits and gather user feedback to continuously refine and improve your Salesforce setup.

By focusing on these areas, a General Manager can significantly enhance the effectiveness of Salesforce within their organization.

How to Display Salesforce Skills on Your Resume

5. Project Management

Project management is the process of leading the work of a team to achieve specific goals and meet success criteria within a defined timeframe. It involves planning, executing, monitoring, controlling, and closing work to achieve objectives and produce the desired output efficiently and effectively.

Why It's Important

Project management is crucial as it enables organized planning, resource allocation, and execution of projects, ensuring they are completed on time, within budget, and to the desired quality. This leads to increased efficiency, cost savings, and successful achievement of business objectives, ultimately contributing to the company's overall profitability and competitive edge.

How to Improve Project Management Skills

Improving project management, particularly from a General Manager's perspective, involves strategic oversight, efficient resource allocation, and continuous adaptation. Here are concise strategies:

1. Strategic Planning: Clearly define project goals, scope, and outcomes. MindTools offers insights on effective planning.

2. Resource Management: Optimize the use of human, financial, and technological resources. ProjectManager provides a guide on resource management.

3. Communication Enhancement: Facilitate open and effective communication channels among stakeholders. Smartsheet discusses ways to improve communication.

4. Agile Methodology: Incorporate agile practices for flexibility and efficiency in project delivery. Agile Alliance explains the basics of agile methodologies.

5. Risk Management: Proactively identify and mitigate project risks. Project Management Institute specializes in risk management practices.

6. Continuous Learning: Encourage team learning and development through workshops and training. LinkedIn Learning offers courses on various project management topics.

7. Stakeholder Engagement: Keep stakeholders informed and engaged throughout the project lifecycle. Association for Project Management explores stakeholder engagement strategies.

8. Technology Utilization: Leverage project management software for scheduling, tracking, and reporting. Capterra lists top project management tools.

9. Performance Monitoring: Regularly review project performance against milestones and objectives. KPI.org provides insights on key performance indicators.

10. Feedback Loops: Implement feedback mechanisms for continuous improvement. Harvard Business Review discusses the importance of feedback.

Focusing on these areas can significantly enhance project management efficacy from a General Manager's perspective.

How to Display Project Management Skills on Your Resume

6. Strategic Planning

Strategic planning is a process where a General Manager defines the organization's strategy, sets goals, and decides on actions and resource allocation to achieve these goals, ensuring the organization's competitive advantage and long-term success.

Why It's Important

Strategic planning is crucial for a General Manager because it provides a clear roadmap for achieving the organization's long-term goals, ensures efficient resource allocation, and helps in anticipating and mitigating risks, ensuring sustained growth and competitiveness.

How to Improve Strategic Planning Skills

Improving strategic planning, especially for a General Manager, involves a focused approach on setting clear objectives, understanding the competitive landscape, and being agile in response to market changes. Here’s a concise guide:

1. Set Clear Goals: Define what success looks like with SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals. MindTools offers a comprehensive guide on setting SMART goals.

2. Engage Stakeholders: Ensure all key stakeholders are involved in the planning process for alignment and buy-in. Harvard Business Review discusses the importance of stakeholder engagement.

3. Conduct a SWOT Analysis: Understand your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats to guide strategic decisions. MindTools provides a detailed explanation of conducting a SWOT analysis.

4. Focus on Customer Needs: Stay close to your customers to anticipate their needs and adjust your strategy accordingly. Forbes highlights the importance of knowing your customer.

5. Leverage Data and Technology: Use data analytics and technology to gain insights and streamline operations. McKinsey & Company discusses the impact of digital strategy on operations.

6. Monitor Progress and Adapt: Regularly review performance against goals and be prepared to pivot strategy based on feedback and changing conditions. Harvard Business Review offers insights into assessing project viability and adjusting strategies.

By focusing on these areas, a General Manager can enhance strategic planning, ensuring alignment with broader organizational goals and adapting to the dynamic business landscape.

How to Display Strategic Planning Skills on Your Resume

7. Team Building

Team building is the process of enhancing social relations and defining roles within teams, involving collaborative tasks and activities to improve performance and foster a positive work environment, essential for a General Manager to achieve organizational goals effectively.

Why It's Important

Team building is crucial for a General Manager because it fosters unity, enhances communication, boosts morale, and increases productivity, ultimately leading to a more efficient and harmonious work environment.

How to Improve Team Building Skills

To improve team building as a General Manager, focus on fostering communication, encouraging collaboration, and creating a positive work environment. Here are concise steps with resources for further exploration:

1. Encourage Open Communication: Implement regular team meetings and one-on-one sessions to facilitate open dialogue. Harvard Business Review offers insights into effective listening, a key part of communication.

2. Promote Collaboration: Use team-building activities that require cooperation to achieve common goals. MindTools provides a variety of exercises that can help.

3. Establish Clear Goals: Ensure every team member understands their role and how it contributes to the organization's objectives. Forbes outlines strategies for setting effective team goals.

4. Recognize and Reward: Implement a system to acknowledge individual and team accomplishments, fostering a sense of achievement and motivation. Inc.com suggests quick and fun recognition ideas.

5. Invest in Team Development: Provide opportunities for professional growth and team bonding. Workshops or retreats can be effective, as discussed on Teambonding.

6. Lead by Example: Exhibit the teamwork and communication skills you wish to see in your team. Entrepreneur elaborates on leading authentically.

By integrating these strategies, you can build a stronger, more cohesive team.

How to Display Team Building Skills on Your Resume

8. Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Excel is a powerful spreadsheet software used for organizing, analyzing, and storing data, facilitating tasks such as financial analysis, budgeting, and reporting, essential for managerial decision-making and operational efficiency.

Why It's Important

Microsoft Excel is crucial for a General Manager as it enables efficient data analysis, budgeting, and forecasting, facilitating strategic decision-making and operational planning.

How to Improve Microsoft Excel Skills

Improving your Microsoft Excel skills as a General Manager involves mastering data analysis, visualization, and automation to streamline decision-making and reporting. Consider the following steps:

1. Enhance Data Analysis Skills: Learn advanced functions and formulas to analyze data efficiently. Microsoft's Excel video training offers concise tutorials.
2. Master PivotTables: PivotTables are powerful for summarizing, analyzing, and presenting data. The Excel PivotTable tutorial is an excellent resource.
3. Utilize Data Visualization Tools: Improve your ability to visualize data by using charts and graphs. Explore the Excel Charts guide for insights.
4. Automate Tasks with Macros and VBA: Automating repetitive tasks can save time. Learn the basics of Macros and VBA through Excel's Macro tutorial.
5. Explore Power Query for Data Management: Power Query is a tool for importing, transforming, and automating data processes. The Introduction to Power Query provides a starting point.
6. Stay Updated with New Features: Microsoft regularly updates Excel. Keep abreast of new features by visiting the Microsoft 365 Blog.

By focusing on these areas, you can significantly enhance your Excel proficiency, leading to more informed decision-making and efficient report generation.

How to Display Microsoft Excel Skills on Your Resume

9. Problem Solving

Problem solving, in the context of a General Manager, involves identifying, analyzing, and resolving challenges efficiently and effectively to achieve organizational goals, ensuring smooth operations and stakeholder satisfaction.

Why It's Important

Problem-solving is crucial for a General Manager as it enables them to efficiently address challenges, improve processes, and make decisions that enhance organizational performance, ensuring the business adapts and thrives in a competitive environment.

How to Improve Problem Solving Skills

Improving problem-solving skills as a General Manager involves enhancing analytical thinking, decision-making, and leadership abilities. Here are succinct steps and resources:

1. Enhance Analytical Thinking: Break down complex issues into manageable parts. MindTools offers techniques for developing this skill.

2. Strengthen Decision-Making: Make informed decisions by evaluating options and outcomes. The Harvard Business Review provides insights on improving this process.

3. Foster Creativity: Encourage innovative solutions within your team. Inc.com suggests methods to boost creativity.

4. Develop Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Understand and manage your emotions and those of others to resolve conflicts effectively. Explore practices on Verywell Mind.

5. Practice Active Listening: Improve communication with stakeholders by listening actively. Mindful shares strategies for better listening.

6. Leverage Technology: Use project management and problem-solving software to streamline processes. TechRepublic reviews top tools.

7. Continuous Learning: Stay informed on industry trends and management strategies through platforms like Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.

By focusing on these areas, General Managers can significantly enhance their problem-solving capabilities.

How to Display Problem Solving Skills on Your Resume

10. Risk Management

Risk Management involves identifying, assessing, and prioritizing risks followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, control, or eliminate the impact of unforeseen events, ensuring the organization's objectives are achieved efficiently and effectively.

Why It's Important

Risk Management is crucial for a General Manager as it helps identify, assess, and mitigate potential risks that could impact the organization's operations, financial health, or reputation, ensuring sustainability and achieving strategic objectives efficiently.

How to Improve Risk Management Skills

Improving risk management involves a strategic approach to identifying, assessing, and mitigating potential risks that could adversely affect your organization's operations, financial performance, or reputation. As a General Manager, enhancing your risk management process requires a comprehensive understanding of the internal and external factors that could pose threats or opportunities to your business. Here’s a concise guide:

1. Identify Risks: Understand the different types of risks (strategic, compliance, financial, operational) relevant to your business. Utilizing tools like SWOT analysis can be helpful. Risk Identification Guide

2. Assess Risks: Evaluate the likelihood and impact of identified risks. This involves understanding the potential severity and the probability of occurrence. Techniques like risk matrices can assist in this assessment. Risk Assessment Frameworks

3. Prioritize Risks: Focus on risks that pose the greatest threat or opportunity based on their assessed impact and likelihood. This ensures efficient allocation of resources. Prioritizing Risks Guide

4. Implement Mitigation Strategies: Develop and execute plans to avoid, reduce, transfer, or accept risks. This may include diversifying suppliers, improving cybersecurity measures, or purchasing insurance. Mitigation Strategies

5. Monitor and Review: Continuously monitor the risk environment and the effectiveness of your mitigation strategies. Adapt your risk management plan as necessary to address new and evolving risks. Monitoring and Reviewing Tips

6. Foster a Risk-Aware Culture: Encourage open communication about risks and educate your team on the importance of risk management. This includes training and involving employees in the risk management process. Building a Risk-Aware Culture

7. Leverage Technology: Invest in risk management software to streamline the identification, assessment, and monitoring of risks. Technology can provide real-time data and analytics to support decision-making. Risk Management Software Solutions

By following these steps and continuously improving your risk management practices, you can enhance your organization’s resilience against uncertainties and capitalize on opportunities for growth and innovation.

How to Display Risk Management Skills on Your Resume

11. Communication

Communication, in the context of a General Manager, is the strategic exchange of information, ideas, and instructions, both internally and externally, to effectively lead, make decisions, and achieve organizational goals.

Why It's Important

Communication is crucial for a General Manager as it enables effective leadership, coordination of tasks, clear direction-setting, team motivation, conflict resolution, and fosters a positive and productive work environment.

How to Improve Communication Skills

Improving communication, especially for a General Manager, involves honing both verbal and non-verbal skills, actively listening, and ensuring messages are clear and concise. Here are concise strategies:

1. Active Listening: Focus on understanding the speaker's message fully before responding. MindTools offers insights on active listening.

2. Clarity and Conciseness: Be clear about your message. Avoid jargon and be concise. Harvard Business Review discusses clarity in communication.

3. Non-Verbal Communication: Pay attention to body language, maintaining eye contact, and using gestures appropriately. HelpGuide provides tips on non-verbal communication.

4. Feedback: Encourage and provide constructive feedback. Forbes highlights the importance of feedback in communication.

5. Adaptability: Adjust your communication style to suit your audience. The Balance Careers talks about adapting your communication style.

6. Conflict Resolution: Develop skills to handle disagreements effectively. The American Management Association offers strategies on conflict resolution.

7. Use of Technology: Leverage technology for efficient communication. Zapier explores tools for better team communication.

Implementing these strategies can significantly enhance a General Manager's ability to communicate effectively with both internal and external stakeholders.

How to Display Communication Skills on Your Resume

12. Time Management

Time management for a General Manager involves strategically organizing and prioritizing tasks, meetings, and projects to efficiently achieve business goals while ensuring optimal use of available time and resources.

Why It's Important

Time management is crucial for a General Manager because it enables effective prioritization of tasks, ensures efficient use of resources, maximizes productivity, and helps in meeting organizational goals within deadlines, thereby enhancing overall business performance and profitability.

How to Improve Time Management Skills

Improving time management, especially for a General Manager, involves strategic planning, prioritization, and the effective use of tools. Here's a concise guide:

1. Set Clear Goals: Establish SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals to focus your efforts. MindTools offers a deep dive into setting effective goals.

2. Prioritize Tasks: Use the Eisenhower Box to differentiate between urgent and important tasks. This helps in focusing on what truly matters. Eisenhower explains this method in detail.

3. Delegate Effectively: Identify tasks that can be delegated and assign them to competent team members. This Harvard Business Review article discusses the importance of delegation and how it can be effectively done.

4. Use Tools and Technology: Leverage technology to organize and manage your time better. Tools like Asana or Trello for task management and Google Calendar for scheduling can be invaluable. Check out Asana and Trello.

5. Limit Interruptions: Allocate specific times for checking emails and messages to minimize distractions. Forbes offers strategies for minimizing distractions.

6. Review and Adjust: Regularly review your time management strategies and adjust as needed. Continuous improvement is key to mastering time management.

Remember, effective time management is about working smarter, not harder.

How to Display Time Management Skills on Your Resume