Management Skills Required for a Security Manager

Introduction to Management

Management is a wide field of knowledge important to everyone at any given 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, finances, and expenditures in daily 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 occur in a business or an organization carrying out specific activities with the aim of achieving a predetermined goal (Pollo 2002). In business terms, management is one of the key factors of production. Good management skills ensure high-quality productivity, while a sound management system increases efficiency and reduces the cost and time of carrying out activities in a business organization.

Management involves the ability to plan, direct, and organize available resources in order to achieve set objectives. Coordinating people's activities and ensuring they work toward the attainment of plans is also a core managerial skill. It involves working with people and resources toward 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 today's world is a crucial factor for the success of both individuals and business organizations. Without management, there can be no order or direction. Good management of personal and organizational activities portrays a positive image to outsiders, with the advantage of attracting customers and prospective clients to the organization.

The Role of a Security Manager

The security industry has become very significant in the world of business today. Many investors are targeting this sector due to its high demand in society. A security manager, just like any other manager, must be knowledgeable about their roles in order 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 the safety of people and their properties in a specified area at all times. Security managers design responsibilities and allocate personnel to specified areas of concern. Management in security also involves handling clients' complaints and responding to them within the required timeframe.

Security managers are not only concerned with clients' demands and expectations, but also with the welfare of the security officers under them. Management in security requires an understanding of the risks faced by security personnel in their work environment (Blyth 2008). This understanding enables a security manager to provide fair compensation relative to the work faced by security officers.

Core Management Skills for Security

A security manager should have specific skills related 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 them. According to Armstrong (2005, p. 4), to lead people is to inspire them, to influence and guide them in order to achieve specific objectives. A security manager who possesses this skill has a high chance of attaining the goals of the organization, and people enjoy working under and following the direction of such a manager.

A good security manager should also have strong communication skills. A manager with effective communication skills delivers information within the organization in the most appropriate manner (Blyth 2008). Good communication in an organization facilitates the passage of information to all levels. A good security manager conveys information in a way that minimizes misinterpretation. Effective communication is necessary for delegating responsibilities and assigning duties. A security manager must also possess interpersonal skills, which enable a manager to relate well with fellow workers and to work in unity toward shared goals. Interpersonal skills enable a manager to gather the right information from employees and clients about how best to perform duties for the success of the organization.

Managers should also be proficient 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 tasks and duties are carried out successfully" (Rodrigo 2010, p. 1). Organizational skills are equally important for the effective management of an organization's duties. This ability helps a manager carry out tasks effectively and properly organize how other employees should fulfill their responsibilities. A manager with strong organizational skills is able to determine how activities flow within the organization. Pollo (2002, p. 2) explains, "Organizational skills a manager possesses enable him/her to supervise, coordinate and re-direct activities to achieve the set goals."

A security manager's skill set also includes team-building and self-confidence. Macconnel (2010, p. 8) describes these skills, noting 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 who accepts correction from subordinates creates a positive working environment for everyone in the organization.

Conclusion: The Value of Strong Management Skills

Management skills are crucial to a security manager. Management skills in any 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 toward the attainment of set goals and objectives. Good management skills utilize both human and physical resources effectively toward the target. They reduce wastage and the cost of operations. Sound management brings equality among all members of an organization and promotes a shared commitment to achieving common goals. It increases the willingness to work and the desire to prosper — both as an organization and as individuals (Elis 2004).

A good manager encourages initiative in employees. This refers to the ability of employees to do the right thing at the right time without force or close supervision. Initiative allows employees to make their own plans and implement them independently. Initiative gives satisfaction to both employees and the organization as a whole. Sound management also facilitates growth and expansion of the organization. Teamwork and motivation lead to expansion and diversification.

Good management skills improve relations among departments, groups, and individuals within an organization. Good relations foster coordination and effective teamwork, which in turn contribute to organizational and employee success. Management skills improve the overall image of the organization. Good management leads to the production of quality services for clients and society (Armstrong 2005). Management skills bring about maximum output with minimum resources and effort. Management works continuously to bring harmony among various factors by identifying problems and solving them.

In real-life situations, management is an activity like any other in that a manager directs, organizes, and accomplishes objectives. As an activity, a good manager gives and receives information about what subordinates should do in relation to 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 the organization and should therefore be well-considered. Management as a discipline requires a good manager to demonstrate certain codes of conduct that distinguish management from other disciplines.

A manager should be aware of principles that are universal, including the unity of command. This principle requires a manager to fulfill their role as a leader and authority figure — one who gives orders and directions that subordinates follow, not through force, but through respect and clear guidance. In their own conduct, a good security manager should be respectful to both seniors and juniors alike, and should remain responsible and obedient to work ethics (Armstrong 2005).

A manager sets an example for subordinates by consistently doing what is right. By being a positive example, a manager inspires others to work diligently and adhere to the rules and regulations of the workplace. A manager cannot succeed through education alone. Management requires the application of principles and skills to determine the right direction for an organization. A good security manager must have adequate knowledge of security operations, control, and application. A good security manager must also be intelligent and able to combine imagination and creativity to produce quality services for the organization and society.