A Discussion about Being a General Manager
September 21st, 2011 | 
Author: Article by Robin Brain
A general Is a business executive who has an overall authority and control over the management of both aspects of business, finance and governance. Often abbreviated as GM, the position of a general manager is a respectable position with excellent scope of development and learning. Apart from the finance, a manager balances his time in the fields of marketing, sales and operations (mostly on a day today basis).
Not only is a general a decision maker, but he needs to have an active involvement in the profit and loss aka P & L aspects and responsibility.
Often known as the manager of managers, many general distribute their work load (delegation) onto the managers of respective domains in a firm.
Educational Aspects
A post graduate in management or administration will lead to a smoother passage towards being a general manager, but a graduation studded with quality years of experience along with successful completion of projects can lead to the ladder of corporate crown aka general managerial position.
Career Choices
Once you become a manager, you can start planning in detail. It is a myth that all managers after a certain number of years will become managers. Being a manager is strategically, a critical position for which only the best of lot are groomed.
Career Scope
If we go by the general definition of the word management, it can be rallied into anything and everything. Management is a vague field, which cannot be limited to a core competency. You can become a manager in the service industry, hospitality industry, social work, marketing, finance etc.
As a general , you can move on to be a Vice President, CEO (chief executive officer), President, CMO (chief marketing officer), COO (chief operating officer) etc. Actually, many companies have different nomenclatures (some companies have vice presidents and managing directors reporting to general managers as well) and positions wherein general managers may move on to be included in the board of directors or any other same level position.
All in all, an MBA or any equivalent degree along with certifications and trainings plus a positive attitude and lots of hard work would be required to become a manager.
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