Being a manager in any industry can be a fulfilling job, but it can also be a difficult one. You will need to find the right balance of friendliness and authority. You will need to create a good team atmosphere whilst achieving the bigger goals. So how do you strike that balance?
1. Do Your Job
Managing people isn’t an excuse to let them do the work while you look on. Make sure you set an example by doing your job. Sometimes your job maybe more tedious than that of the others but your staff will respect you for doing what needs to be done and being willing to pitch in like everyone else at times. Many of us have had managers who use their role as an excuse to do less or attend more meetings thereby sharing their duties to staff. This isn’t right! Get the balance right and earn respect from your staff.
2. Acknowledge The Positive
Learn to see and appreciate the positive things in your staff and their work. Don’t be one of those bosses who only sees what’s missing rather than what’s been achieved. It is demoralizing for staff to have someone only see what they have done ‘wrong’. When you praise people genuinely you get the best from them. Always ask for a weekly report of staff activities and appraise them, during this appraisal, make sure you acknowledge all the good they have done for that week before noting their errors by so doing you instill in them the zeal to do better the coming week.
3. Don’t Be Afraid to Manage
Things don’t always go smoothly in any workplace, so when things do not go the way you want, don’t get scared or start panicking. If you need some help with this don’t be afraid to ask your own boss for help or request training. It doesn’t come naturally to everyone. To some, training is not necessary while to others they need to be trained. You can make a work situation worse by not being clear with staff if you are hesitant about managing. People appreciate genuine leadership. These things get easier with practice but people will appreciate knowing where you stand and any changes they need to make.
4. Be Vulnerable
If you make a mistake, be bold about it and apologize. It may seem like you are making yourself vulnerable, but your staff will appreciate your honesty. As the saying goes, humble yourself and you will be exalted. When you accept your mistakes in humility, your staff will respect you and follow your footsteps. No one expects a manager to be super human. Everyone likes someone who takes responsibility for their actions. Being honest will help you create a culture of honesty.
5. Lead By Example
If you want your staff to behave in a certain way (professional, good team players), then lead by example. It is not fair to expect your staff to be at their best if you are not doing it yourself.
6. Be Self Aware
Be aware of your moods and how you communicate. You may not realise how much of an impact you have on your team as a manager. You may know you are in a bad mood about someone hitting your car on your way to work this morning but your staff may feel that they have done something wrong if they don’t know this! When you are always harsh on your team no one might be able to figure out when you are happy or sad. Be aware of how and what you communicate. Your team will pick up on it.
7. Have Fun
Having fun at work can help make the work easier for everyone, forge positive relationships and strengthen your team. There is usually room for more fun in any work environment, but if the nature of your work makes that difficult, be sure to schedule fun activities when you can. Meeting for lunch or drinks after work can help build relationships and help your team to see you and each other in a new light. If you create a positive work atmosphere it also becomes easier to deal with challenges as they arise. But in all these, don’t do things to the extreme in other to still have your respect before your staff.
8. Trust Yourself
At the end of the day, there is no one right way to be a manager. Trust and believe in yourself and learn through your mistakes. Managing others is a great way to develop and enhance your leadership skills and create a positive work experience for yourself and others.
TheOracle 