Spanish Abstract: El objetivo del presente articulo es analizar las competencias para el exito gerencial en empresas de servicios publicos, municipios de Riohacha y Maicao, departamento de La Guajira, Colombia. El estudio se sustenta en los trabajos de Hellriegel, Koontz (2013), entre otros. El mismo se enmarco en una investigacion descriptiva, bajo el enfoque cuantitativo. Los resultados evidencian que los gerentes poseen competencias basicas y administrativas para alcanzar el exito gerencial en las empresas objeto de estudio. Sin embargo, existen debilidades en indicadores de las competencias administrativas. Finalmente, se concluye que hay debilidades en los indicadores (autoridad, trabajo en equipo, toma de decisiones y comportamiento etico) en las competencias administrativas de los gerentes indagados. Tambien, se observo que solo en ocasiones reflejan la actitud necesaria para English Abstract: The aim of this research is to analyze the competencies for managerial success in public services companies in the municipalities of Maicao and Riohacha, Guajira Department, in Colombia. The study is based on research of Hellriegel, Koontz (2013), among others. It was framed in a descriptive research and quantitative approach. The results show that managers have basic administrative and managerial skills to achieve success in the companies under the study. However, there are weaknesses in the indicators of administrative capabilities. Finally, it is concludes that there are weaknesses in the indicators (authority, teamwork, decision making and ethical behavior) in administrative skills of managers investigated. It was also observed that only sometimes they show necessary attitudes to achieve managerial success. Managers do not base their performance in knowledge and experience obtained.