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Written by Professional Academy Guest Blogger Emily Walters
Peter Drucker once brilliantly mentioned that, “Management is doing things right”, but “leadership is doing the right things”. Acting as the manager for a business is a position of merit and significant responsibility, expecting only the best efforts from the person in charge.
Being a great manager isn’t about “ruling” a workplace with an iron-first like a dictator. Rather, it is about acting as both a leader and a considerate, meticulous and clear-sighted individual, affecting the outcome of short-term and long-term goals for both the company and its colleagues with your direction and influence. Here is some food for thought on the significance of management skills to aid you through the day.
By observing and understanding your natural qualities, you can implement what you already possess into professional standards. Who are you outside of work, and what can you do to incorporate the positive characteristics that will translate well with your colleagues? You also have to understand that despite being in a position of power, it does not make you “better” than colleagues who follow your instructions. The best manager is a firm, understanding individual who not only respects their coworkers, but has their coworkers respect them back just as equally. Attitude is everything when it dictates your perspectives and the perspectives of those around you. (Find more information here).
Separating tasks amongst colleagues with an organized and goal-oriented manner will always result in a productive and successful work day. Perhaps, the most monumental force in a workplace is the collaborative atmosphere that propels every person to finish their task with the utmost passion and dedication. As a manager, encourage your peers to work smart and ergonomically, all while performing to standards that personally make them proud. Give them incentive, remind them that everything they do matters, and that they always make a difference. The ultimate successes of a company are the achievements surpassed by its employees underneath excellent leadership and management and the efforts rewarded to its employees through professional and friendly camaraderie.
Allowing open and honest communication guarantees an interpersonal work environment, reassuring employees to contribute their thoughts and opinions to only better the company.
Sometimes, it is best to listen than talk when it comes to the workplace as a leader. By being aware of the feelings and conditions of your colleagues, you are able to make logical-based decisions that have everyone’s best interest in mind. You may wonder why a certain employee is slacking or not keeping up to standards as usual, for example. By keeping your doors open, it enables one to reach out to you with honesty and leads to the opportunity to develop a plan to overcome an obstacle together, and vice versa. In addition, some of the best ideas for a company come from its employees who feel that they can be acknowledged by management to aid in propelling the company into progressive directions. A transparent company is an innovative company.
Not only can you encourage team members with their current efforts, you can empower them to surpass expectations and goals.
If your employees are proud of their work, then you will be proud of them, and the company will share in the same gratification. In the workplace, it is common for tasks to be carried out sub-par or at the absolute minimum sometimes. Constantly strive to give your team goals to reach, pushing them to realize that with consistent endeavor, the fruits of labor will be that much sweeter.
Working as a manager will always present you with new tasks and difficult situations. Unfortunately, you will not possess every single answer. Take moments to analyze the environment, the level of comfortable communication between you and other employees, and think about how a superior might handle a situation that is unfamiliar to you. There will be parts of trial and error, mistakes are inevitable, and sometimes the day does not go according to plan. Regardless, it should never stop you to continuously seek answers to questions or make you feel self-conscious about carrying out a task. You are learning with everyone else and that is never a bad thing.
The happiness of your team ultimately depends on both you and the everyday atmosphere. Do you allow your team to be happy and engage with another throughout the work hours, or do you strictly keep everyone separated, cutting off any chance for conversation? Think about the kind of place you would want to work in and cultivate that environment to your team. Give them the tools to enable their peak creativity and challenges that make them work with one another and test their flexibility.
Give yourself the opportunity to also seek help and improve as well - because your own personal growth translates onto your team
The best leader is one who always asks for help and constantly seeks self-improvement. Your personal growth as a manager is rewarding and arduous, and should be seen as such by colleagues. One day, they might have to fill your shoes and will turn the examples you have made and remember the leader you were to them.
Professional Academy offer a range of Management & Leadership Training as both bespoke in-company training with the option of accredited CMI qualification pathways and management & leadership qualifications for individuals looking to progress in their management career. Why not contact us today to see if we can help you with your personal development as a manager and a leader.