Everyone who works in the corporate world, knows that being a manager is a sign of career growth and success. Although many people dream about becoming a manager, not everyone has the skills to get there. People management is challenging. Leading a group of people with different skills, and driving them towards company targets, is not an easy task. Being confident, approachable, driven and focused, will help you to effectively manage a team. Developing the perfect balance of certain core skills, will set you apart from your colleagues and help you to secure that promotion.
Effective communication
Communication is a key aspect of people management. If certain members in a team don’t understand an instruction, it can bring down an entire project. A great manager makes sure everyone is on the same page. A leader should also be someone that staff members can take their concerns to. Establishing an open door policy and being approachable in the office, will ensure that you’re the first to hear about any disputes, or personal problems.
Creativity
The working week isn’t always exciting, but a manager’s job is to keep their team inspired. A motivated team will keep coming up with new ideas, be more open to suggestions and more likely to work well with other team members, to reach a common goal. The right office atmosphere will challenge your team, encourage them to work more efficiently and give them the confidence to be more innovative.
Flexibility
Although a manager’s role is to get the most out of a team and guide them towards success, individuals matter too. A skilled manager will coach and mentor each team member, to reach personal and company goals. Not everyone will have the same learning curve, so effective managers need to be flexible in the targets they set and the expectations they have. Think about motivating factors, strengths and weaknesses in your staff and make them work for you.
Intuition
People management is often about what your staff don’t say, more than what they do. As you work with many different people, you’ll find that situations will not always develop in the way you expect them to. Staff can be unpredictable. A successful manager is observant, can read between the lines and uses their intuition to predict outcomes. Analysing the way your team acts, or interacts with each other, will help you to respond appropriately.
Structure
Despite being flexible, an excellent manager will always have a game plan that underlies the way they manage their team and handle daily tasks. Being organised, writing a schedule and following to-do lists, will mean that you have all bases covered. It’s easier to ensure that your team is complying with company policies and regulations and meeting standards, if you stay on top of what needs to be done.
Commitment and dedication
Once you become a manager, your team’s future is in your hands. It takes commitment and dedication to drive them towards success. People management is all about bringing the best out of your staff. As a manager, you also need to continuously learn about the products, or services, your business offers, maintain standards and pick up the slack if anyone falls behind. It’s all about taking responsibility for your team.
Inspiration
If a team is a ship, then the manager is the captain. Your team members will always look up to you, so it’s important that you set a good example. Maintain a positive attitude at work and focus on results, but remain approachable and friendly. Your attitude will set the tone of the office, influence how individual members of a team feel and bring your staff together on good days and bad days.
People management requires patience, determination, and talent. With the right attitude and disposition, as well as the core skills needed to be a great manager, you can become a leader that shares success with a team and build up your own CV at the same time. Study with Stonebridge and get the training you need to take the next step in your career.
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