As you’re well aware, being a manger is a very important responsibility. If you don’t hit the ground running, and keep up with what’s expected of you, you’ll end up doing a lot of harm to both your career and the company you work for. Although the prospect may be daunting, you can make a managerial role much easier with a focussed, pro-active attitude. Here are some tips on being a fantastic manager.
The first tip I’ll offer is avoid becoming attached to a single management style. There are many established management styles, each with their own little differences. However, every management style involves three main factors. These are how much direction you can provide to staff, how much of it you leave down to the employees, and how well you build relationships in the office. I’m sure you already have a certain style that comes naturally to you. However, the odds are that this will only be effective half of the time. Some staff will react brilliantly to a certain style, while others will completely ignore it. If you want the entire workforce to improve, then you need to become well-versed in a few different styles.
My next tip is to work on being persuasive. To be an effective manager, the whole team below you needs to share your vision of the business, and the specific task you’re trying to tackle. Although nearly everyone will smile and nod, you need to make sure they’re listening to your take, and not just hearing it. Again, you need to keep your tactics varied in order to persuade everyone you’re in charge with. Some of this will be purely logical; using rational analysis and hard facts. There are strategic techniques, rooted in the long-term goals in the team or company. There are also interpersonal methods, which rely on your people skills and ability to lead by example. Do your research on different persuasion techniques, and practice implementing them.
Finally, make sure you stay open to new ways of doing your job. Business never sits still, and your methods should be flexible enough to change with the times. This is especially true with the amount of millennials flooding offices in 2016! It may be worth learning about methodologies like 6 sigma, or attending seminars on new management techniques. Sure, you’re there to make sure everyone’s doing their job. However, the other half of your role is getting the best possible work out of everyone you’re managing, no matter who they are. Again, tailoring your methods to the people you’re managing is the best way of doing this. A good manager is flexible, and always open to new ways of solving problems. Make sure to be a good listener, and never let your rigidness get in the way of the team’s progress.
If you’re worrying about how good you are as a manager, then I hope this post has helped. Of course, reading is only half the battle. Get stuck into your leadership role, and you’ll learn as you go along.
