189k views
3 votes
Are great managers born with the necessary skills and abilities, or can management be learned?

1) True
2) False

User Snuffn
by
8.2k points

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

While some individuals may have natural qualities for management, management skills can be learned and honed. Strengths-based management emphasizes leveraging individual strengths, but addressing weaknesses is also critical for performance. Effective managers are often those who combine their innate abilities with cultivated managerial skills.Therefore, the answer to your question is: 2) False - Management is not solely determined by genetics or innate abilities.

Step-by-step explanation:

Are Great Managers Born or Made?

The debate about whether great managers are born with the necessary skills or if management can be learned has been a long-standing one. While some individuals may have innate qualities that could make them effective managers, management as a skill can be learned and developed. According to research by Donald Clifton on strengths-based management, it is beneficial to focus on an individual's strengths rather than their weaknesses. This approach suggests that strengths like public speaking and strategic planning are valuable for consistent, high-quality performance in related tasks.

Even so, it is essential to recognize that focusing solely on strengths without considering weaknesses can be detrimental, as found by Kaiser & Overfield (2011). They observed that managers often neglect improving weaknesses and overuse strengths, which can impede performance. Therefore, effective management training should involve identifying and enhancing one's strengths while also addressing and mitigating weaknesses.

A well-rounded manager, as envisioned by many, would likely embody not only technical expertise but also qualities such as fairness, appreciation, responsiveness, trustworthiness, and approachability. These characteristics contribute to a manager's ability to inspire and support their team, indicating that beyond intrinsic traits, management involves a set of skills that can be cultivated and refined over time.Therefore, the answer to your question is: 2) False - Management is not solely determined by genetics or innate abilities.

User Kim
by
7.5k points