Maybe not. Fewer than one in five companies believe their leaders are extremely strong in the areas most critical to thriving post-recession. That’s according to a recent survey by Aon Hewitt.

And while your company probably has its own priorities for what’s important in a leader within your culture, there are certain skills that are critical to success across the board.

4 must-have skills

Take a look at the “big four” skills your managers will need to succeed in the coming years. Then step back and think about just how ready your existing supervisors are on each of these fronts:

1. Meeting business goals. A mere 12% of respondents in the Aon survey gave their managers an “A” here. But ask yourself: Are your managers set up for success? Your firm’s goals, both short- and long-term may have shifted in recent years, based on the economy and changing market conditions. Now’s the time to be sure that’s been communicated up and down the chain of command. Could be an expensive disconnect otherwise.
2. Hitting profitability targets. You certainly want to get your CFO involved here.  Just 14% of firms feel their managers currently excel in this area. Once you’re confident that profitability goals are both clear and clearly communicated, enlist Finance’s help. Perhaps they could share their expertise with non-financial managers to help them grasp how they impact profitability. For certain departments that link may not be so obvious.
3. Delivering service. This was the most encouraging news, relatively-speaking, in the survey. Almost one in five (17%) feel good about managers’ talents here. Again, this is an area where not every department (or department head) may realize its potential. Be sure people understand that service includes both internal and external customers they deal with.
4. Retaining talent. A paltry 7% feel good about their managers here. This factor is about to become even more critical now. With the job market picking up, you want to be sure your supervisors are doing what it takes to keep their best and brightest working for you and not your company’s competitors.

Marketing is a key component of just about any company’s growth strategy, no matter what its size. And there’s good reason you’ll want to incorporate social media as part of that plan of attack.

Chances are your competitors are doing it: Four in five of your peers with more than 100 employees say they will go that route in 2011, according to a new report by eMarketer.

That’s a huge jump from the scant 42% who were tweeting and Facebooking about their biz in 2008. And by 2012, you could well be be one of the scant few not using this channel — that figure is expected to jump to 88% of your peers.

The key to success for small businesses

Even if you’re a smaller company, you can harness the power of social media to your company’s advantage. But it’s a slightly different game. Take Twitter, for example.

Sure, small businesses can set up Twitter accounts as a way to drum up interest in their companies. But beware: Business Twitter accounts don’t tend to generate much excitement (or attention).

That’s why you’d be better off setting yourself up a personal Twitter account. And encourage other key members of your corporate team to do the same. Then you can all tweet updates about your company from there.

In a recent BusinessWeek interview, business expert David G. Thompson cited these seven traits as common practices among the top 5% of today’s high-growth companies:

1. The ability to deliver unique and exceptional value to customers: Top companies know how to differentiate themselves from the competition in such a way that customers associate the brand with superior value and service.
2. The foresight to target a high-growth market: Netflix revolutionized the video rental industry by identifying a need other major rental companies weren’t capitalizing on. The company expanded its reach by allowing members to stream movies online, and eventually, stream them directly to their TV. PriceLine has pinpointed a similar need in the travel industry, and its profits continue to soar as a result.
3. Having customers not only buy, but also sell for them: More than 70% of Amazon’s rising profits last year came from product suggestions — recommendations made based on either past buying history or customers suggesting products for one another based on common interest. The best companies are set up in such a way that customers become advocates, sometimes even earning incentives for recommending the business to
   friends and colleagues.
4. Leveraging alliances to break into new markets: Fast-growing companies forge strategic partnerships with other companies that can help them target new demographics, regions, or industries. Smart partnerships also allow companies to offer more products and services to their customers. Consider, for example, the partnership between Apple and AT&T to market the iPhone. It created a win-win for both companies, where exclusive demand drove subscription rates and profits sky high.
5. A business plan based on reinvesting profits and paying off debt: The most successful companies pay off their long-term debt as quickly as possible. This keeps their credit in line, while allowing them to reinvest profits and perhaps even borrow more, if there’s a plan for rapid expansion. The company may grow incrementally at first, but if there’s a solid business plan in place, there’s a potential for profits to boom and remain consistent.
6. Inside/Outside management teams: These companies split management focus and responsibilities based on internal operations and external factors. Specific managers focus on customer needs, industry trends, market changes, and business growth, while others keep their eye on improving internal operations, production, and morale.
7. Create a diverse group of top-level managers with different backgrounds and perspectives: Successful corporations fill their boards with business leaders, customers, industry experts, and others who have a vested interest in the company, but different perspectives on how (and why) to achieve success.

What do you think? Is Thomson’s assessment on the mark? Are there any keys that he missed?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Source: “The 7 Essentials of High-Growth Companies,” by David Thomson, BusinessWeek.com

The projections, based largely on statistics from a national study conducted by the Monthly Labor Review in 2007, predict these 10 industries will offer the most potential in terms of jobs and salary over the next six years (also listed is the estimated annual rate of expansion):

1. Management and technical consulting services: 5.9%
2. Individual and family services: 5.7%
3. Home health care services: 4.5%
4. Securities, commodities & financial investments: 3.9%
5. Facility sevices: 3.8%
6. Residential care: 3.3%
7. Independent artists, writers, and performers: 3.3%
8. Computer systems design: 3.3%
9. Museum and historical sites: 3.1%
10. Day care services: 2.9%

It may be worth considering how you can tap into these markets or target prospects in related industries. Meanwhile, here are the 10 industries that are experiencing the most rapid decline:

1. Sewing manufacturing: -8.7%
2. Footwear manufacturing: -7.3%
3. Federal enterprises (except the USPS): -5.2%
4. Knitting apparel factories: -5.1%
5. Textile and fabrics mills: -5.0%
6. Leather and hide manufacturing: -4.9%
7. Apparel manufacturing : -4.1%
8. Tobacco manufacturing: -4.0%
9. Computer manufacturing: -4.0%
10. Iron and steel manufacturing: -3.9

The message is clear: As automated processes (and cheaper foreign labor) make it easier for companies to cut down on manpower, a lot of traditional American manufacturers are on the decline. Now may be the time to determine how your organization can adjust to those changes, and maintain (or increase) its market share.

Click here for the U.S. Department of Labor’s full list of “Industries with the fastest growing and most rapidly declining salary employment”