Do You Have What It Takes To Become A General Manager?
Everybody wants to be the boss, and it’s even better to be the boss’s boss! If you feel that it’s your personal destiny to play that role then you might have what it takes to be a general manager. This is a very important position in any organization, it’s the key leadership role and a lot o responsibility is riding on your shoulders!
One of the best ways to attain this lofty position is to attend general manager courses in Australia that can teach you what you need to know to lead with skill and confidence. If you are just getting started with planning your career path, here are some things to consider to better prepare you to make the big decisions, and the big bucks!
First, let’s take a moment to accurately define what a general manager is and what they do. This important title is for the individual who oversees operations and employees with the goal of helping them achieve the organization’s financial objectives. This great responsibility makes them a pillar of the workplace’s culture and a guiding light to all who work under them. The general manager’s goal is to lead, inspire, and shape the organization into an ongoing successful venture.
The general manager’s specific tasks will vary depending on the industry and organization, but the following are some of the most common responsibilities someone in the position will take on:
- Supervise managers and employees
- Participate in the interviewing, hiring, and training of employees
- Help employees be motivated and attain their objectives
- Organize schedules and shifts for workers
- Assign projects and tasks to individual employees, teams, and departments
- Lead employees in providing excellent customer satisfaction
- Resolve any customer complaints or issues that occur
- Serve as the intermediary between employees and the company’s senior leadership and owners
- Draft quarterly and annual sales objectives and goals
- Monitor cash flow and participate in bookkeeping activities
- Consult with upper management in the establishment of strategies to meet the company’s objectives.
The path to becoming a general manager is bound to have a certain amount of variation when it comes to an individuals’ career path, but the following steps will provide you with a strong foundation:
Earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration, with a focus on finance, economics, marketing, and technology.
Gain relevant work experience in your field of choice.
Gain additional credentials relevant to your current position such as lower level management positions like project manager or human resources manager, and aim to earn honours like employee of the year that help build a positive work reputation.
Earn an MBA in one or more of the following subjects-
- -Marketing
- -Finances
- -Accounting
- -Business economics
- -International management
- -Consulting
- -Operations management
- -IT management
Expand your professional network.
Work with a mentor who can help you fine tune your methods.
Continue to develop your interpersonal skills.
Pursue leadership and advancement opportunities within and beyond the organization.
The Australian Government’s Your Career webpage has more information on becoming a general manager. If you can achieve all the suggestions listed you have what it takes to be a general manager!