Operations: What Does It Take?

In this post I’m going to go over some of the skills that are helpful to succeed in operations, as well as some advice. Let’s get started!

A very particular set of skills…

  1. Relationship Building.

  2. Adaptability.

  3. Reliability.

  4. Eagerness.

  5. Communication.

  6. Self-motivation.

Why these skills?

  • Relationship Building.

This is a valuable skill for someone working in operations. Oftentimes, in an operations role you will be working with people from different departments of your company. It is a valuable skill to be able to build relationships with many people from many different backgrounds.

  • Adaptability.

I think that adaptability is a valuable skill to someone working in operations, because it can be a chaotic environment. Someone in an operations role should be comfortable switching gears, and they should have an ability to excel in a stressful environment. I think that it is helpful to have a bit of background in many areas, rather than a specialty in one area. Really, it is important that someone in this role has an understanding of how the company functions, so that they can understand how to make it run in a more efficient manner.

  • Reliability.

This is a valuable skill for someone in an operations role, because they simply need to be reliable. Your co-workers need to be confident about your capability to get your job done. You must be consistent and the kind of person who is never inconvenienced. When you say you are going to do something, you need to hold yourself accountable and get the job done.

  • Eagerness.

This goes along with what I said about never being inconvenienced. Someone in an operations role should be eager to do whatever work they can to improve the company, and its’ efficiency. Someone who wants to really be successful in operations should see the value of doing grunt work. They should be comfortable and eager to work with many people in many different departments.

  • Communication.

In all forms of communication, those working in operations should be efficient and effective. In an operations role you will be required to communicate with a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds. Someone in this role should be comfortable, in the very least, with written and oral communication.

  • Self-motivation.

Someone in an operations role should be independent, and able to effectively motivate themselves. They need to be an initiator. They need to be able to motivate themselves to optimize, and to look for ways to improve the function of their company.

Some advice…

  • Operations is well-suited for people who like to get things done. I’d say if you’re not ambitious, or motivated to be constantly improving your work, operations may not be for you.

  • I am the type of person who does not enjoy doing the same thing every day. I kind of like not knowing exactly what’s in store for me when I go into work each day. If you share this trait with me, then consider taking a closer look at an operations role. Oftentimes, those who work in operations wear many hats, and are asked to accomplish tasks in many different areas. If this peaks your interest, consider pursuing this role.

  • Operations is unique because you will likely be constantly challenged in many areas of work. If you are easily worn down by change, I’d suggest a different role. However, if this concept excites you, I’d encourage you to consider operations.

  • Optimization is the staple of operations. If you want to make your company better, you might be geared for a role in operations.

Thank you!

Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read this post. Let me know what you thought in the comments!