Office managers are the hub of businesses. They are the people others in the company turn to for answers to questions both internally and externally. If the office manager does not know the answer, she probably knows who does. Office managers must possess a wide variety of skills to do their jobs successfully.

Calm

One of the most important strengths an effective office manager possesses is the ability to stay calm. Office managers restore order during crises and chaos in the office. So, they must be able to remain calm throughout the various storms that come up during the day. They keep it to themselves if problems get to them so their employees and customers won't see them out of sorts.

Conflict Resolution

Office managers are adept at conflict resolution. They are in charge of employees that may have personal conflicts with each other. They diffuse situations before they become explosive, which can interrupt the entire office’s operations. They may also serve as counselors to employees who have personal problems affecting them at work.

Delegation

Successful office managers are good delegators. They know the strengths and weaknesses of their staff members and know who they can trust to do a specific task well. If no one on staff can do the job well, the office manager invests in training and development for one to do so. The office manager may also be in charge of hiring and firing certain personnel, so he can decide when it is time for someone to be let go and to make good choices about who to hire. His good hiring decisions lead to being able to delegate his tasks to his office.

Organization

Organization is vital in the daily life of an office manager. Without being able to decide what tasks are more important than others and being able to multi-task throughout the day, an office manager can become lost. Office managers should also be able to anticipate problems that could affect them throughout the day that she may not have on her to-do list. This can create less feelings of loss of control and frustration when the day’s schedule changes. Their ability to be flexible and adaptable is important to the smooth running of their offices.