Being a manager of anything is a great responsibility that needs to be taken seriously in order to make an impact. There are plenty of managers in the world that simply don’t respect what they do, resulting in poor communication between team members and a generally unproductive business. If you want to improve your company’s efficiency and productivity (we help businesses achieve this with our management training programme), then here are 10 key skills that every successful manager should possess.
1. Ability to collaborate with team members
Managers might be the ones giving orders to the entire team, but it’s vital that you start thinking about your staff as team members and not subordinates. It’s vital that you learn to collaborate with them on a regular basis so that you can work more efficiently as a team instead of clashing constantly.
2. Being emotional when the situation calls for it
Managers often focus too much on the bigger picture and will only look at statistics when judging decisions and employees. However, having empathy and understanding your staff members can help you become a better manager since you’ll gain a better idea of how your team operates. If this is a skill you would like to develop, you may wish to consider one of our emotional intelligence work courses.
3. Knowing the difference between micro and macro management
Micromanagement is usually seen as a bad practice but it can often be useful especially if you’re dealing with new employees or staff that have recently switched their role.
4. Using positive motivation to get your team more productive
Positive motivation is not threatening to fire someone. Instead, it’s all about encouraging your team and putting your faith in them so they feel like they have a place in the company instead of being treated like a disposable asset.
5. Ability to accept feedback and criticism
You’re likely not a perfect manager so it’s vital that you learn to accept feedback and criticism if you made a mistake. You’re only human, after all.
6. Not being afraid of confrontation
Confrontation happens in an office environment and you shouldn’t be afraid of it especially if an employee isn’t performing well. As long as you’re understanding and not unfair, confrontation is nothing to be scared of.
7. Becoming the coach that your team needs
Your team will likely look up to you because you’re their manager, so be a coach to them and guide them to being a more productive group.
8. Promoting your company culture
Company cultures can have a huge impact on the efficiency of your business, so nurture yours and reinforce it with your people.
9. Effectively switching between multi and single tasking
Multitasking for too long will stretch out simple tasks and put more stress on your mind. However, it’s undoubtedly an effective way to get multiple things done at once, but you should learn to switch between multi and single tasking to make the best use of your time.
10. Developing effective communication skills
Lastly, it’s important to develop effective communication skills so that your team functions like a cohesive group and not a disorganised mob. To help you out, we’ve also added an infographic that touches on some of the most essential communication skills that a manager needs .
Essential communication tips
