5 skills that a good base manager should have

• 13.06.2023.
• News, Management

A base manager in a charter company has a whole list of things he is responsible for, as well as an entire series of tasks he has to do on a daily basis. We answer the question of what skills a base manager should have in order to become a top leader.

If you are at all familiar with the business of a yacht charter company, then you surely know that the base manager in the charter company has an endless list of tasks on his "to-do" list.  
   
In addition to taking care of vessels, equipment and spare parts, he is also responsible for dealing with interventions at sea as a business manager. Damages that occur while the vessel is in the yacht charter are his responsibility, as well as resolving situations with guests and employees.  
   
In addition, the base manager often communicates with vessel owners who give their vessels to charter companies for management and care. And that in itself is a demanding task.  
   
Suppose you perform the duties of a base manager but are also the owner of a charter company. In that case, the amount of obligations and responsibilities increases many times over.  
   
That is exactly why it's essential to know what skills a good charter business manager, or base manager, should possess. This will help you focus on those skills that will make your job easier and reduce the stress you most likely face daily.  
  

Organizational skills can be developed over time  

Organizational skills are extremely important for a base manager, so you should practice them if you don't have them or are deficient. Organizational skills are crucial because of the volume of work you deal with daily.  
   
A quality manager can organize and plan the work plan for all employees in the yacht charter base, monitor the availability of fleet capacity, organize the preparation of vessels for rent and supervise the handover of boats to guests.  
   
All of the above sounds like a job for a few people, and it's true. But organizational skills can be developed over time, and in several areas, they can be:  

Physical - refer, for example, to keeping the office space tidy and keeping written documentation. Also, on the systematic maintenance of business transactions and events records, and even keeping the virtual space clean and organized.  
   
Mental - include analytical thinking and planning, data collection and research, time management, organizing meetings and human resources management, etc.  
   
Organizational skills are essential, and a disorganized base manager can endanger the yacht charter company's employees and the entire business. But the great news is that these skills can be learned and, as we have already mentioned, practised over time. They can be applied anytime, but they are the most necessary for top business productivity.  

Management skills are closely related to organizational skills  

Closely associated with organizational skills, management skills are also needed for an excellent manager of any business, including a charter company. The manager of the charter base should be competent; know how to control and effectively manage all the tasks performed in the charter base:  
   
Project management - the ability to manage projects- a managerial skill anyone can develop over time. It is essential to learn to achieve the set goals.  
In the charter base, a project can be considered anything - from developing a booking system to implementing a specific vacation schedule for guests on board.  
Planning, distribution and execution of tasks can be considered a framework "gap" for the execution of most projects. It's crucial to monitor all parts of the project to ensure the high quality of the employee's contribution and compliance with the given deadlines.  
   
Time management - due to the amount of work for which an individual is responsible (especially when performing the work of a manager and as the owner of a charter company), good time management is necessary.  
For all goals to be achieved within the given deadlines, the base manager should also manage other employees' time and organize their work. In addition to all that, it's also necessary to know how to distribute tasks when required.  
   
Human resources management - when it comes to human resources, the base manager performs the work of a "classic" manager. As such, he has a whole team below him in the corporation's hierarchy, but also additional responsibility; communicating with all employees, guests and ship owners. He should be able to organize all of this well, and in the end, he should step back and trust that his people will know how to complete the job.  
   
Stress management - it is precisely with timely withdrawal that the stress management skill is connected. Managers who need to do everything themselves usually overwork themselves, which affects their mental and physical health.  
   
Financial management - forming charter company offers and taking care of damage on vessels are only partial responsibilities of the base manager. Therefore, a base manager, in addition to everything we mentioned above, should know how to manage finances well.  
  

Excellent communication skills are essential on a daily basis  

There is a long list of situations in which the base manager should use his communication skills daily:  

• Business correspondence with business partners  
• Communication with guests  
• Development of relations with employees  
• Organization of work for employees  
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)  
• Resolving potential conflicts  
• Interventions at sea  
     

These are just some situations; and the base manager's communication skills should be exceptional. Information should be presented clearly, easy to understand and persuasively to everyone who participates in that communication.  
   
To achieve this, the base manager should proactively practice his communication skills. Whether it is verbal, non-verbal or written communication, one must use every opportunity to improve your "performance" in front of colleagues, partners and guests.  
   
Humans are social creatures, so there are many situations in life where communication skills can be practised. It's most helpful to practice through active listening and develop emotional intelligence.  

Emotional intelligence is the key to good communication  

Realistically speaking, base managers communicate with many people every day - from their teams and employees on the piers to guests, clients and business partners.  
   
Due to such dynamic and varied interactions, they must possess strong emotional intelligence. It enables them to recognize, understand and adequately react to their own emotions but also to the feelings of others.  
   
A developed awareness of one's own emotions plays a significant role here, which is the basis for achieving efficient communication and successful team management. The ability to recognize and understand one's own emotions enables managers to better understand and control their behaviour and interactions. And this is crucial in situations when it is necessary to make quick and well-thought-out decisions.  
   
In addition, empathy - the ability to understand and share the feelings of others - plays a significant role in building successful relationships. A base manager who is able to express authentic empathy can more efficiently resolve conflicts and encourage cooperation. They will also be able to create an environment full of trust and respect.  
   
All emotionally intelligent and empathic people mostly manage to turn every interaction into an opportunity to achieve constructive solutions. Therefore, base managers who possess these qualities should be able to conduct dialogues and negotiations, resulting in a solution that satisfies the interests of both parties. In this way, they can not only foster a positive working environment but also strengthen business relationships on a long-term level.  

The base manager should also be open to learning  

To be able to perform his basic duties at all, the base manager needs to have a high level of knowledge about vessels. This is necessary so that he can help other team members when they need help, organize the reception and maintenance of the vessel, and control and supervise the implementation of all prescribed legal procedures in the charter base.  
   
The base manager should also be open to learning new working principles and digital tools. Especially when it comes to monitoring the development of software and other digital products that can help save time and energy and ultimately improve the overall business.  
   
As in all other industries, the yacht charter is also working on developing digital tools every day. They can make everyday tasks easier because they automate them. At the same time, they also offer unique digital spaces that facilitate organization and achieve additional economy.  
  
In addition to the base manager's need to acquire certain basic knowledge and skills before starting work, he should constantly learn and get additional education during his working life. In today's modern world, everything changes and progresses extremely quickly. So, the base manager needs to stay up to date with the latest developments in the industry.  
   
On the other hand, the digitalization of business can provide small charter companies with a competitive advantage and unimaginable growth. Therefore, consistency in studying how digitization can be implemented is one of the most important skills today.  
   
Today, base managers should have perfected modern management skills to successfully perform their daily tasks in a charter company. Developed management, communication and organizational skills, along with emotional intelligence and openness to learning, are skills that can make an average business manager exceptional. With constant professional development, of course.  
   
Do you also agree with the skills we have listed, or is there another one of particular importance for a base manager? 

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