5 answers
Tegan
Student
Elk River, Minnesota
3
Questions
Asked
523 views
What type of people do you usually work with as a general and operations manager?
I am a sophomore in high school looking to learn more about this career.
Login to comment
4 answers
Robert Epstein
General Manager
80
Answers
Naples, Florida
Updated
Robert’s Answer
As a retired General Manager in the tech and medical fields, let me add a few additional points. The other answers you've gotten here are excellent. Overall, you’ll work with a vast range of personality types. You should become knowledgeable in psychology and interpersonal relationships. As I’ve told upcoming young mangers, “Your main challenge will be dealing with folks; the product or service you provide will almost be a secondary challenge as you advance.” But it’s a tremendous reward leading a team when the results are successful! All the best to you, Tegan.
Mbah Wai-Tanyi Aguh
Agronomist
32
Answers
New Rochelle, New York
Updated
Mbah Wai-Tanyi’s Answer
Hi Tegan!
As a General and Operations Manager, you typically work with:
1. Senior Leadership: CEOs, Directors, and Department Heads.
2. Cross-Functional Teams: Marketing, Sales, Production, and Logistics.
3. External Partners: Suppliers, Vendors, and Contractors.
4. Employees: Supervising and mentoring team members.
5. Stakeholders: Investors, Customers, and Community Members.
Your responsibilities include:
1. Strategic Planning
2. Process Improvement
3. Resource Allocation
4. Performance Monitoring
5. Change Management
To succeed in this role, you'll need:
1. Strong Communication and Leadership Skills.
2. Analytical and Problem-Solving Abilities.
3. Strategic Thinking and Adaptability.
4. Collaboration and Teamwork.
5. Time Management and Organization.
As a sophomore, you can start developing these skills by:
1. Taking leadership roles in school clubs or extracurricular activities.
2. Volunteering in community organizations.
3. Participating in business competitions or case studies.
4. Seeking mentorship from professionals in the field.
5. Exploring online resources and courses.
Minnesota colleges and universities offer excellent programs in Business Administration, Operations Management, and related fields. Some notable institutions include:
1. University of Minnesota (Twin Cities, Duluth, Morris)
2. Minnesota State University (Mankato, Moorhead)
3. St. Cloud State University
4. University of St. Thomas
5. Carleton College
Consider internships, job shadowing, or part-time jobs in operations management to gain hands-on experience.
Good luck 👍
As a General and Operations Manager, you typically work with:
1. Senior Leadership: CEOs, Directors, and Department Heads.
2. Cross-Functional Teams: Marketing, Sales, Production, and Logistics.
3. External Partners: Suppliers, Vendors, and Contractors.
4. Employees: Supervising and mentoring team members.
5. Stakeholders: Investors, Customers, and Community Members.
Your responsibilities include:
1. Strategic Planning
2. Process Improvement
3. Resource Allocation
4. Performance Monitoring
5. Change Management
To succeed in this role, you'll need:
1. Strong Communication and Leadership Skills.
2. Analytical and Problem-Solving Abilities.
3. Strategic Thinking and Adaptability.
4. Collaboration and Teamwork.
5. Time Management and Organization.
As a sophomore, you can start developing these skills by:
1. Taking leadership roles in school clubs or extracurricular activities.
2. Volunteering in community organizations.
3. Participating in business competitions or case studies.
4. Seeking mentorship from professionals in the field.
5. Exploring online resources and courses.
Minnesota colleges and universities offer excellent programs in Business Administration, Operations Management, and related fields. Some notable institutions include:
1. University of Minnesota (Twin Cities, Duluth, Morris)
2. Minnesota State University (Mankato, Moorhead)
3. St. Cloud State University
4. University of St. Thomas
5. Carleton College
Consider internships, job shadowing, or part-time jobs in operations management to gain hands-on experience.
Good luck 👍
Cristina Zhang
HR Program Manager
1
Answer
Beijing, China
Updated
Cristina’s Answer
Well, you don't get to choose your colleagues, it's like you can't choose in which family you were born. All you can do is to make sure that YOU have the proper competencies and skills that is needed to do your job, keep what is required for compliance, social morality and public order. Also, you will need to consider what you want - the better you can describe this to yourself and others, the easier you get to your goal, same for work and life.
Tirzah Buie, CPA
Operations Strategy & Planning Leader
12
Answers
Atlanta, Georgia
Updated
Tirzah’s Answer
General and Operations Managers both are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the business. They are responsible for managing staff, ensuring that all operations are running smoothly and efficiently, and that the organization is meeting its goals and objectives. The General Manager oversees an entire organization’s operations and may have a specific territory while an Operations Manager has more tactical functions that relate to developing and implementing operational plans and procedures. General Managers and Operations managers are also responsible for ensuring that the organization follows all relevant laws and regulations. These roles must be good stewards of the company’s resources to avoid waste and inefficiency.
Every functional area of a business (ex., Sales, Marketing, Network, HR, IT, Engineering, etc…) has operations manager roles. An Operations Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the business helping an organization to run smoothly and also meet its constantly changing goals & objectives. The role of an Operations Manager covers an array of responsibilities. A primary function is to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of a company’s operations by helping to develop and implement operational processes and plans and ensure compliance with any and all relevant laws and regulations.
General managers lead large organizations and have to interact with all areas of a business to make key decisions and set forth initiatives for operations managers. They must be excellent communicators, strategic thinkers and influence morale thru establishing a company’s culture and policies.
Operations managers must be able to multitask and prioritize their workloads. They must also have strong organizational and communication skills, oversee budgets as well as have a first-hand understanding of the company’s policies and procedures. They help the company further by identifying areas of improvement and coming up with strategies to achieve more process efficiency and productivity to increase profits. Training and other guidance are key functions for Operations teams.
To implement operational plans or initiatives, you will work with employees from all over the company. For example, someone responsible for implementing a sales productivity initiative may need to work with HR to ensure labor laws are followed or Marketing to promote the sales incentive or Finance to ensure there is a proper budget established for the initiative.
I hope this helps you explore a career as an Operations Manager and also a General Manager.
Find a mentor in an Operations role to ask more detailed questions for real life experience. Ask family and friends.
Search YouTube for videos on differences between General and Operational Managers to determine the skills you might need to develop. Example search: What do Operations Managers do?
Read some career books or listen to audio books focusing on management or improving productivity.
Google your questions and research further to have a foundational conversation with your school's career counselor.
LinkedIn learning website has information and an application with training videos and other career resources.
Every functional area of a business (ex., Sales, Marketing, Network, HR, IT, Engineering, etc…) has operations manager roles. An Operations Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the business helping an organization to run smoothly and also meet its constantly changing goals & objectives. The role of an Operations Manager covers an array of responsibilities. A primary function is to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of a company’s operations by helping to develop and implement operational processes and plans and ensure compliance with any and all relevant laws and regulations.
General managers lead large organizations and have to interact with all areas of a business to make key decisions and set forth initiatives for operations managers. They must be excellent communicators, strategic thinkers and influence morale thru establishing a company’s culture and policies.
Operations managers must be able to multitask and prioritize their workloads. They must also have strong organizational and communication skills, oversee budgets as well as have a first-hand understanding of the company’s policies and procedures. They help the company further by identifying areas of improvement and coming up with strategies to achieve more process efficiency and productivity to increase profits. Training and other guidance are key functions for Operations teams.
To implement operational plans or initiatives, you will work with employees from all over the company. For example, someone responsible for implementing a sales productivity initiative may need to work with HR to ensure labor laws are followed or Marketing to promote the sales incentive or Finance to ensure there is a proper budget established for the initiative.
I hope this helps you explore a career as an Operations Manager and also a General Manager.
Tirzah recommends the following next steps: