Management Skills Required for a Security Manager Management is a wide field of knowledge important to everyone at any particular point. Management is not only important to organizations or companies but also to individuals in their day-to-day activities. Individuals require management skills to manage time, finance and expenditures in daily aspects of life. Management is a necessary tool that enables one to carry out activities in an orderly and organized manner. In technical terms, management refers to the organization and coordination of activities in order to attain specific goals. This can happen in a business or an organization carrying out specific activities with the aim of achieving a certain pre-determined goal (Pollo 2002). In business terms, management is one of the key factors of production. Good management skills ensure high and quality productivity. Good management system increases efficiency, reduce, cost and time of carrying out activities in a business organization.

Management involves the ability to plan, directing and organizing of available resources in order to achieve the set objectives. Coordinating peoples' activities and ensuring they, work towards the attainment of the plans is also a managerial skill. It involves working with people and resources for a set goal. "Managers must have the ability to lead a variety of people. They should have interpersonal skills to be able to bridge gender and cultural differences" (Carol 2004, p.9). Management in the world today is a very crucial factor for the success of oneself and a business organization. Without management, there cannot be order and direction. Good management of personal and organizational activities portrays a positive picture to the outsiders. This has the advantage of attracting customers and prospective clients to the organization.

Discussion

Security industry has become very significant in the world of business today. Many investors are targeting this sector due to its high demand in the society. A security manager, just like any other manager has to be knowledgeable of their roles to carry out responsibilities effectively. Management in the security sector involves organizing and coordinating security officers to achieve their main objective. The objective and policy of a security manager is to ensure safety of people and their properties in a specified area all the time. Security managers design responsibilities and allocation of personnel to specified areas of concern. Management in security involves handling of clients' complaints and responds to them within the required time. Security managers are not only concerned with the clients' demands and expectations, but with the welfare of security officers under them. Management in security requires understanding of the riskiness of the work environment faced by security personnel (Blyth 2008). This will enable a security manager to provide an equal compensation in relation to the work faced by the security officer.

A security manager should have specific skills in relation to the sector in order to be productive and attain the goals of the security organization. A good security manager should have leadership skills. A good manager is a leader to the people under him/her. According to Armstrong (2005, p.4), to lead people is to inspire them in a particular way, to influence and guide them in order to achieve specific objectives. A security manager who posses this skill has high chances to attain the goals of the organization and people enjoy working and follow orders. A good security manager should have knowledge of communication skills. A manager with effective communication skills delivers information in the organization in the most appropriate manner and method (Blyth 2008). Good communication in an organization facilitates the passage of information to all levels of an organization. A good security manager conveys information in a way that misinterpretation cannot occur. Effective communication is necessary for responsibilities delegation and assignment of duties. A security manager must possess interpersonal skills. This skill enables a manager to relate well with fellow workers and work in unity to achieve their goals. Interpersonal skills enable a manager to get the right information from the employees and clients on how best to perform their duties for the success of the organization. Managers should be good in time management. "Effective time management skills are very essential in the performance of managerial roles as they enable the manager to ensure that all the tasks and duties are carried out successfully" (Rodrigo 2010, p.1).

Organizational skills for effective management of an organization's duties, is an ability that helps a manager carry out tasks and duties effectively, and properly organize how other employees should carry out responsibilities. A manager with organizational skills is able to determine how activities flow in the organization. Pollo (2002,...

2) explains, "Organizational skills a manager possess, enables him/her to supervise, coordinate and re-direct activities to achieve the set goals." A security manager's skills include being a team builder and portray self-confidence. Macconnel (2010, p. 8) describe these skills of a manager that, "managers should not be defensive when criticized. Managers should accept criticism and accept the responsibilities for their actions and those under them." Managers should respect others and listen to opinions from their subordinates when carrying out the daily activities of the organization. A manager that accepts correction from their subordinates creates a good environment to work for him and others in the organization.
Security managers should be fast in decision-making and implementation. Fast decision making enables a manager to respond to changes faster, meet the expectations of clients, and create a good image for the organization. A good manager carries out fast decision making but keen on consideration of their impacts to the organization. Managers should be resilient and flexible to regular changes in the conditions of work and the society around the organization. A good security manager is creative (Macconnel 2010). In order to survive in the rapid changes of the work, a manager has to be creative and come up with various ways of performing tasks that will be beneficial to the organization. Innovativeness and adoption to technology also enables a manager to compete effectively and survive in the industry. Managers in security should display energy and enthusiasm.

A good security manager has a passion for the job and does not show weakness or fear when faced with challenges in the work environment. Even when in stress, a good manager adheres to the work ethics and does not transfer the stress to subordinates. Managers in security are motivators and inspiring to their subordinates. They encourage employees to work hard for better remunerations and promotions. Managers award the employees fairly and without discrimination. Security managers must show awareness to their clients' complaints and promise to respond to them. The manager should always strive to meet the demands and expectations of the customers (Rodrigo 2010). A good manager is also concerned with the welfare of the society. A good manager always considers giving back to the society around the organization. Security managers should have trust in their subordinates that they can perform better. This trust enables a manager to delegate tasks to lower subordinate employees and increase the pace in handling activities in the organization. Delegation also helps to reduce the workload when the manager is absent.

Conclusion

Management skills are crucial to a security manager. Management skills for a certain profession not only increase efficiency and productivity but also improve the relationship between the manager and other employees. Quality management facilitates the achievement of group goals. Management directs group efforts in achieving the set goals and objectives. Good management skills utilize both human and physical resources effectively towards the target. It reduces wastage and cost of operations. Sound management brings equality of all in an organization and work towards achieving a common goal. It increases willingness to work and desire to prosper as an organization and individuals (Elis 2004). A good manager encourages initiative to employees. This refers to the ability of employees to the right thing and at the right time without force or supervision. Initiative allows employees to make their own plans and implement them without close supervision. Initiative gives satisfaction to employees and the organization in general. Sound management facilitates growth and expansion of the organization. Teamwork and motivation lead to expansion and diversification in an organization.

A good manager and skills improve the relations among the departments, groups and individuals within an organization. Good relations bring coordination and effective teamwork. Effective teamwork leads to success of the organization and employees. Management skills improve the overall image of the organization. Good management leads to production of quality services for clients and the society (Armstrong 2005). Management skills bring out maximum output with minimum resources and effort. Management works continuously to bring harmony between various factors. Management does this by constantly identifying problems and solving them. In real life situations, management is an activity just like any other because a manager directs, organize and accomplish objectives. As an activity, a good manager gives or receives information on what the subordinates should do in relation to the organizational policy.

Management skills also involve the ability to work with other managers especially in formulating decisions. The decisions made by managers affect everyone in…