Seven Useful Technical Skills in Management
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If you are a new or an aspiring manager, you may be wondering what skills can help you to be effective in a management role. Much has been written about managerial soft skills, i.e., non-technical personal qualities and interpersonal skills—think teamwork, adaptability, critical thinking, problem solving and leadership. However, there is more to being an effective manager than mastering soft skills.
Technical skills in management—the “hard skills”—are just as important. In business, technical skills are not only necessary to perform certain job functions but may also be instrumental in establishing one’s credibility.
What Are Technical Skills?
According to Robert L. Katz, author of the classic 1955 text Skills of an Effective Administrator, effective administration (management) is tied to three fundamental skill groups: technical skill, human skill and conceptual skill.1
Technical skill “implies an understanding of, and proficiency in, a specific kind of activity, particularly one involving methods, processes, procedures, or techniques…. Technical skill involves specialized knowledge, analytical ability within that specialty, and facility in the use of the tools and techniques of the specific discipline.”1 Technical skills are hard skills—they are specific, teachable and measurable. Technical skill examples may include software proficiency in a specific software program, programming knowledge, budgeting skills or data analysis.
Human skill is “the ability to work effectively as a group member and to build cooperative effort within the team [one] leads.”1 In a workplace setting, human skill may help to facilitate the free sharing of ideas and lead to more productive team interactions. Whereas “[t]echnical skill is primarily concerned with working with things (processes or physical objects), ... human skill is primarily concerned with working with people.”1 Put simply—human skills are people skills, a type of soft skill.
Conceptual skill is “the ability to see the enterprise as a whole,” which “includes recognizing how the various functions of the organization depend on one other, and how changes in any one part affect all the others; and it extends to visualizing the relationship of the individual business” to the world around it.1 Like human skill, conceptual skill is not a technical skill but rather a soft skill.
Importance of Technical Skills for Managers
The benefits of technical skills in the managerial context are hard to overstate. Even though managers do not necessarily engage in the same day-to-day tasks as the people who report to them, knowing what it takes to complete those tasks can help them to carry out their managerial functions. For example:
- Problem-Solving: Having the relevant technical skills could make it easier to identify and solve existing and potential problems.
- Decision-Making: A manager’s technical knowledge could help to inform their strategic planning and resource allocation decisions.
- Efficiency: A manager who lacks technical skills would have to rely entirely on their employees to identify inefficiencies or suboptimal workflows and come up with ways to improve them.
- Respect: Having strong technical skills could help a manager earn the respect and trust of their employees.
Examples of Technical Skills for Managers
1. Microsoft 365 (formerly Microsoft Office) Proficiency Skills
According to Microsoft, in 2025, over 430 million people were using Microsoft 365 apps, and more than 90% of Fortune 500 companies were using Microsoft 365 Copilot.2 Because it is one of the most popular office suite/cloud-productivity platforms in the world, managers should work to develop strong Microsoft 365 skills—Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams and OneDrive are just a few of the Microsoft 365 apps that you are likely to encounter in the workplace. Managers may also need proficiency in Google Workspace, an alternative to Microsoft 365 offering similar features.
2. Digital Literacy/Computer Literacy Skills
Possessing fundamental computer literacy skills—such as keyboarding, cyber awareness and online security, spreadsheet maintenance and basic computer troubleshooting abilities—is essential in today’s digital world. But computer literacy alone may not be enough for modern managers. Managers should also work to develop their digital literacy skills, “mean[ing] the skills associated with—(A) using technology to enable users to find, evaluate, organize, create, and communicate information; and (B) developing digital citizenship and the responsible use of technology.”3 In other words, digital literacy is the combination of technical skills (using technology) and cognitive skills (understanding responsible usage), and cultivating it can help managers navigate the challenges digital world, such as those posed by artificial intelligence (AI) or cyber threats.
3. Technical Writing Skills
Technical writing involves translating complex technical information into easier-to-understand formats, such as instruction manuals, how-to guides and journal articles.4 Technical writers use animations, graphs and photographs to aid the reader’s understanding of the material.4 Although technical writing is a specific occupation, many of the skills that technical writers use can help managers convey information more clearly and effectively during presentations, performance reviews or team status meetings. Being concise, being factually accurate, understanding the audience’s level of expertise, knowing how to logically structure a document or presentation and writing in a professional tone are all versatile skills.
4. Information Technology Skills
Information technology (IT) literacy goes beyond basic computer skills. It involves being able to understand and manipulate different technologies, such as data storage and advanced software, to solve problems and communicate information effectively.5 IT literacy is increasingly recognized as a foundational element for success in both academic and professional environments,5 and so it stands to reason that managers should cultivate theirs.
The degree of information technology skill competency that a manager must possess will vary by occupation. For example, a computer systems analyst will need a deep understanding of the current state of IT and advancements on the horizon, while an HR manager may only need expert knowledge of their organization’s payroll and benefits system.
5. Project Management Skills
Project managers should have strong budgeting, scoping and scheduling skills.6 But project managers should also possess solid communication, leadership, risk management, visualization, data literacy, stress management and no-code/low-code proficiency skills, in addition to personal qualities like intellectual curiosity, objectivity and adaptability.6 Because they are transferable (i.e., applicable in various contexts), such project management technical skills and soft skills may prove valuable to managers in any field.
6. Data Analytics/Data Management Skills
Data analytics is the process of analyzing, interpreting and visualizing large, complex datasets to derive meaningful insights and make informed decisions.7 It involves analyzing past and current data to predict future trends.7 Data analysts may utilize statistical software, programming languages, data visualization tools, machine learning libraries, spreadsheet software and database management systems (DBMS).8
While many managers may not need an extensive background in data analysis/data management or expertise in specialized data analytics tools, having knowledge of basic statistical concepts (to identify trends or predict outcomes), basic HTML (to make minor changes to websites or improve communication with developers), or advanced spreadsheet functions (to automate repetitive tasks or create interactive dashboards) could lead to better insights and greater efficiencies.
7. Communication Skills
Why are communication skills included in a list of technical skills for managers? Because having strong communication skills is so important to effective business management and leadership that we would be remiss to exclude them here. A manager with strong technical skills but poor communication skills may struggle to advance their ideas within their organization or team, confuse or alienate their direct reports, frustrate their supervisors or fail to build strong relationships with clients. Fortunately, anyone can work to improve their communication skills. Practicing active listening techniques, becoming aware of non-verbal cues (such as body language) and making sure to think before speaking are just a few examples of things managers can do to strengthen their communication skills.
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1 Robert L. Katz, “Skills of an Effective Administrator,” from the Magazine, Sep. 1974, https://hbr.org/1974/09/skills-of-an-effective-administrator.
2 Nicole Herskowitz, “Advancing Microsoft 365: New Capabilities and Pricing Update,” https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2025/12/04/advancing-microsoft-365-new-capabilities-and-pricing-update/.
3 The Museum and Library Services Act, 20 U.S.C. § 9101(2), https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/20/9101#2.
4 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, “Technical Writers,” https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/technical-writers.htm (visited Jan. 14, 2026).
5 Maureen McMahon, “Information Technology Literacy (ITL), https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/education/information-technology-literacy-itl.
6 Pierre Le Manh, “The Top 10 Project Management Skills You Need in Your Toolbelt,” Project Management Institute (Oct. 5, 2022), https://www.pmi.org/blog/top-project-management-skills-you-need.
7 SAP, “What Is Data Analytics?” (Sep. 1, 2024), https://www.sap.com/resources/what-is-data-analytics.
8 Alagar, “What Tools Do Data Analysts Use?,” International Association of Business Analytics Certification (IABAC) (updated Feb. 1, 2025), https://iabac.org/blog/what-tools-do-data-analysts-use.
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