20 Key Attributes Industrial Production Managers Need To Succeed In Their Career

by Ava Rodriguez

Monday, September 14, 2015

Industrial production managers plan, direct, or coordinate the work activities and resources necessary for manufacturing products in accordance with cost, quality, and quantity specifications.

The core tasks that industrial production managers are likely to carry out include:

Direct or coordinate production, processing, distribution, or marketing activities of industrial organizations.
Review processing schedules or production orders to make decisions concerning inventory requirements, staffing requirements, work procedures, or duty assignments, considering budgetary limitations and time constraints.
Review operations and confer with technical or administrative staff to resolve production or processing problems.
Develop or implement production tracking or quality control systems, analyzing production, quality control, maintenance, or other operational reports, to detect production problems.
Hire, train, evaluate, or discharge staff or resolve personnel grievances.
Set and monitor product standards, examining samples of raw products or directing testing during processing, to ensure finished products are of prescribed quality.

In order to successfully forge ahead with their careers, analysts in a survey carried out by U.S. Department of Labor (via O*NET) have marked out the following as important attributes that industrial production managers would need. These attributes have been selected from characteristics and requirements strongly associated with the occupation. They are

Abilities: Enduring attributes of the individual that influence performance
Interests: Preferences for work environments. Occupational Interest Profiles (OIPs) are compatible with Holland's (1985, 1997) model of personality types and work environments. Six interest categories are used to describe the work environment of occupations: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. An OIP consists of six numerical scores indicating how descriptive and characteristic each work environment (or interest area) is for an occupation
Knowledge: Organized sets of principles and facts applying in general domains
Skills: These include basic skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate learning or the more rapid acquisition of knowledge. Plus cross-functional skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate performance of activities that occur across jobs
Style: Personal characteristics that can affect how well someone performs a job

We have listed out attributes which were scored 80% or more in terms of importance by the analysts.

Having a strong preference for enterprising work environments. Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Attribute Type: Interests Score: 100%

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 96%

A willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 94.8%

Being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 93.2%

A willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 89.8%

Maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 88.2%

Being honest and ethical.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 87.2%

Being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 86.8%

Being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 86.8%

Having a strong preference for conventional work environments. Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Attribute Type: Interests Score: 85.71%

Analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 85.4%

Accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 84.2%

Creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 83.8%

Being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 83.6%

Being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 81.6%

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 80%

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 80%

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 80%

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 80%

Persistence in the face of obstacles.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 80%