What is a general manager?

We explain what a general manager in the business field is, his functions, responsibilities and the requirements for the position.

1. What is a general manager?

The term general manager, CEO or even CEO (of the English Chief Executive Officer ) is used to refer to one of the highest ranks of executives in the hierarchical structure of the business world . He is the maximum responsible for the administration of a company or organization.

A general manager represents the tip of the business pyramid, who has the highest share of responsibilities and is also the maximum spokesperson for the company. He is an authority figure in the business field; from it the strategic leadership and the decision making of height are expected, to achieve the fulfillment of organizational objectives .

Above them is usually only the board of directors of the company, composed of its shareholders, that is, its owners themselves. The general manager can be fired or hired by them, since he is the highest-ranking employee of all .

In many organizations, general managers are difficult to identify if they have more general or horizontal organizational methods, but there is always someone in charge of that function. In the case of public organizations, this figure can be called in other ways, as president or director.

2. Functions of the general manager

The roles and responsibilities that a CEO performs can be summarized in:

• Planning, organization and general supervision of the activities carried out by the company .
• Administration of the resources of the entity and coordination between the parts that compose it.
• Strategic conduction of the organization and act as both a leader within the company, as a spokesperson for the external part of the company.
• Make critical decisions , especially when it comes to central or vital issues for the organization.
• Motivate, supervise and mediate among the work team.

3. Requirements for the position of general manager

The requirements for a general manager are different, depending on the profile of the company and its particular history. It should be considered a vital charge, which implies high confidentiality and commitment fees.

Therefore, it is not usual for general managers to be hired among a set of unknown applicants. On the contrary, they usually come from the company’s own cadres or are chosen by the board of directors among the individuals that result from their total trust and conformity.

However, an appropriate general manager is expected to have:

• Business vision and strategic planning capacity in the medium and long term.
• Leadership capacity , charisma, motivation and a high commitment to work.
• Very high command of oral and written expression , which allows you to be a spokesperson for the organization when necessary.
• Business instincts , decision-making ability and much courage.
• Commitment to the company , honesty and a professional journey that inspires the work team.

4. What is a manager?

A manager is an individual in charge of conducting an organization or a specific area of it (sales manager, finance manager, insurance manager, etc.). In other words, he is in charge of materializing his objectives, to ensure that they are fulfilled in the best way.

Therefore, managers are the identifiable head of a work team : they are the ones who will respond for the successes and mistakes of the same, and they are the executive link of the team with the other parts of the organization. Managers are individuals of authority, with a high level of commitment to the organization and, therefore, occupy the top of the hierarchical pyramid in their area.

The term manager comes from the Latin gerens or gerentis , which means “the one who carries out something” or “the one who manages something”. The general manager of a company would be, in some way, the manager of managers.