Clearly, being a successful manager requires playing several different roles and exercising several different skills. In the mid-1970s, researcher Robert Katz found that through education and experience, managers acquire three principal skills—technical, conceptual, and human. Moreover, managers face many different challenges in the workplace. These challenges sometimes hinder managers from being exceptional. The goal of this video is to help you navigate different managerial skills and challenges by applying what you’ve learned to the video.

Rex Communications Ad Agency just put together a new marketing campaign for Festival Cruises. After viewing the branding campaign, different managers have different viewpoints depending on their roles, skills, and levels. How would you feel if you were in the room trying to sort through the different viewpoints?

1. Sophie is thinking analytically and wants to know how much Alonso focused on core customers and market preferences. What type of managerial skill set does she seem to portray?

a. conceptual

b. task

c. technical

d. human

e. senior

2. Ashley is focused on the presentation itself—how it catches one’s attention, its opening, and so on. What seems to be her strongest managerial skill?

a. conceptual

b. technical

c. human

d. marketing

e. creativity

3. Sophie speaks very quickly and the way she communicates with Alonso confuses him. She also comes across as very aggressive. It seems she lacks ______ skills which are part of ______ skills.

a. technical; soft

b. soft; technical

c. conceptual; technical

d. conceptual; soft

e. soft; human

4. Which challenge to being an exceptional manager is related to Werner’s concerns about the customer portrayed in the video?

a. managing for sustainable development

b. managing for happiness and meaningfulness

c. managing for inclusion and diversity

d. managing for ethical standards

e. managing for technological advances