Management poses a number of challenges for most people, the first of which is often adjusting to the management role as one begins to supervise those who are doing the manager’s former job.
Managers in different business fields or companies, different departments or teams will need to find the best way to manage in their own place and time. The road to success is not always the same. However, there are a few management principles that are almost universally applicable and likely to help any manager in any field at any time.
Good managers have confidence in their own ability to lead. The fact that they have been hired or promoted to a management position is evidence of the fact that their employers have confidence in them as well. If the manager truly has the confidence and the drive to lead, not just manage, their team, that confidence will extend to their employees and the team will perform for their leader.
Build your confidence and your leadership skills by first examining your own management style. Assess your strengths and weaknesses in light of past experience and determine where you could become stronger. If necessary, sign up for staff development courses or management training. Embrace every opportunity to learn, and assume more responsibility when you feel able. Enjoy your successes, learn from your failures, and strive to lead your team to the best of your ability.
Many new managers (and worse, even some old ones) make the mistake of trying to do everything themselves. Especially when the manager has been promoted over a department in which they previously worked, they may feel they are the only one who can do things properly. They may not trust their employees, or simply lack the confidence to direct others. Managers with such hang-ups will usually not remain in management for long, or stay in low-level management
rather than moving up.
The job of a manager is to MANAGE and lead others, not to do their work for them. Bite he bullet, take the risk, and share the load. Even if you can do some things better yourself, you can’t do it all by yourself. Your fear, your hesitation, your control issues, your perfectionism, and your arrogance only make the team less effective, less productive, and less successful. Delegate tasks, share the workload, and develop your employees’ skills and abilities. Given your vote of confidence, they may well surprise you.
A good manager recognizes that the team is composed of people – individuals with individual needs – and that those people must work as a cohesive group in order to be productive. This requires a high level of open communication between manager and team as well as among team members.
Make your expectations clear, leave the lines of communication open, and offer frequent feedback. Be willing to listen to your employees and answer questions. Consciously work to eliminate miscommunication and ambiguity. When you delegate, set parameters and follow up. Make sure that your team members are aware at all times what is expected of them and how they are doing. Don’t wait until the annual performance review to tell them how they measure up – they should already know what you think!
A manager must be adaptable. We live in an age of rapid change, which may necessitate flexibility in your approach to management. Too often, managers fall into a rut, and keep following the same routine - even if it isn’t very effective.
Remember that the more you did what you’ve always done, the more you get what you always got! Don’t get stuck doing the same old thing just because that is the way it has always been done – be willing to explore new and better options, reexamine your assumptions, and experiment with different approaches. Move out of your comfort zone. Your success and the success of your team may depend on your willingness to shake things up.
Be self-aware. An honest self-examination and a willingness to accept criticism and make necessary changes will always serve you well. Think hard about how well you embody the management principles discussed above, and give careful consideration to where you need improvement. If you manage like you mean it, you will get results.
Baker Communications offers leading edge Management Training solutions that will help you address the goals and achieve the solutions addressed in this article. For more information about how your organization can achieve immediate and lasting behavior change in managing others, click here.
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