Managing people can be extremely challenging. This articles helps to map out some of the qualities you need to be an effective manager.
The title of Manager carries with it much prestige and usually a pay raise. This is probably one of the most sought after titles in corporations. Many workers strive to become managers and seek the status and the perks along with it. However, once the coveted title is acquired the reality is very different from the fantasy. New managers find very quickly that the job is not at all what they thought. Managing people can be extremely challenging. Even with multiple business degrees, there aren’t many programs that teach how to be an effective manager. This article helps to map out some of the qualities you need to be an effective manager.
Effective managers need to like people
The first quality of a good manager is that you need to genuinely like people. Effective managers like and respect people. Understand that in order to get anything done, you need people working together to accomplish a common goal. You should want to see your employees excel. Also, it helps your effectiveness if you actually care about your employees. Liking and caring about your employees are not something that can be faked. The programs a manager suggest or puts into place demonstrates whether they truly care about their staff. Once I worked for a company that didn’t want to offer a CPR class to the employees, because they were more concerned about being sued. The employees wanted the class because of the strenuous working conditions, but when the managers refused to allow the class, the employees felt the managers didn’t truly care about their wellbeing.
Effective managers need to be good communicators
Communication is vitally important to relate with your employees. Allow your employees to communicate with you any news regarding the projects their working on, the company, or customer problems. Encourage your team to submit suggestions for process improvements. Likewise, you need to have open communication with your workers regarding company changes, especially changes that affect them directly. If you don’t communicate openly and honestly with your employees they will feel blind sighted by the lack of communication and resent you for it.
Effective managers know how to build morale
There are many managers that feel that building morale is not their responsibilities. However, when the morale of your employees is down, the production of your company is also down. No one argues that the responsibility of the manager is to keep up production. Therefore if it is the responsibility of the manager to keep up production and production is down because of low morale then it is the responsibility of the manager to increase morale.
Effective managers train employees
According to Bill Gates, Founder of Microsoft, a good manager trains their employees to do the job better than they can. We know that training is important to enhance the skills of employees. However, most managers keep certain skills for themselves because they’re afraid of losing their jobs if their employees can do it better than they. If this is true for you, talk to your boss and discuss what additional opportunities are open for you. You and your employees should be increasing and growing in your skill sets.
Effective managers recognized and reward employees
Rewarding your employees will go a long way toward encouraging and motivating them. However, not all rewards are created equal. Every successful reward should be created specific for the person who receives it. This means that offering money as a reward for a job well done will not motivate all of your employees in the same way. Bob Nelson, author of 1001 Ways to Reward Employees, suggests that managers should give rewards that show true appreciation. The motivation generated will be far greater than a token gift that has little significance.
Effective managers are always learning
A truly effective manager is always learning how to be a better manager. Never think that you know everything there is to know about managing people. You may not be aware of it, but there are four generations in the workforce today. There is plenty to be learned about how to get all of these people to work together. New books, on the subject of management are released monthly. Reading informational material regularly and even taking a course now and then will keep your skills as a manager current. Everyone in your company will benefit from your continued pursuit of excellence.
Reduce Your Stress before Giving Performance Evaluations
Most managers find giving performance evaluations as a stressful responsibility. However, they can reduce that stress by taking notes of their employees' performance all year round. This process doesn't have to be a stressful task.
How to Develop Lasting Customer Relationships
Learning these tactics to develop lasting relationships with your customers is important to keep your competitors from stealing them away from your company.
Managers Should Discourage Multitasking
Managers who encourage their employees to multitask are encouraging increased mistakes. Working on one task at a time increases productivity and accuracy.
