In order to be an effective manager, you need to be able to lead by example and make a positive impact on your team – regardless of whether you manage five or 50 people.
Here are some of the characteristics that all employees value in a manager, many of which can be learnt on the job to help build and empower a team to be reckoned with.
Reliability
A manager that constantly lets their team down doesn’t garner much respect. Being reliable and accountable for your own actions is a must if you want to inspire the same in others.
Likewise, taking responsibility for any mistakes you may make shows your human side. In addition to earning you respect, this can also help you connect with your team on a deeper level.
Communication
All good leaders are strong communicators who are able to transcend management levels and talk to those in different areas of the organisation with ease, both in the boardroom and on the shop floor.
Working on your communication skills means being able to listen effectively too, so take the time to actually hear what people tell you before responding. Often forgotten, this is a cornerstone of good communication.
Organisation
If you’re not willing to put in the time to be organised, then don’t expect your employees to follow suit.
Poor organisation can have a knock-on effect to all areas of your department. It’s imperative that you make the effort to improve your organisation skills if you want your team to have everything running as smoothly as possible. If this isn’t an area you are naturally strong at, turn to technology; there are many great project management tools and apps that can make life much easier and the workflow much more efficient.
Delegation
If you aren’t comfortable with the art of delegation, then you won’t last long in a management position.
Feeling confident in assigning tasks to your team is just part of delegation. You also need to be able to be sensitive to the strengths of your staff to give them work that plays to their particular skill set in order to get the job done quickly and efficiently.
Confidence
They say confidence is king, and this has never been as true as it is when we think of confidence in leadership roles.
Knowing that you have been placed in a management role for a reason and having the confidence to deal with any challenges and issues that affect your team or individual staff is a must if you want to gain the respect of others. It’s important for those new to management positions to fake it until they make it as staff want a strong leader that has the courage to direct them and even stand up for their best interests where necessary.
