Serving as a manager is about more than just being in charge. As the boss, you set the tone for your team, and they need you to be great. Much of the job involves learning by doing, because there’s no playbook explaining how to handle every situation you’ll face.
Whether you’re a new manager or a seasoned professional, a few helpful hints can be useful at any stage of your career. Here’s some advice that might help you become even more effective in your leadership role.
Lead by Example
Your team looks to you for guidance, so behave in a manner you’d like them emulate. Work hard, be kind to others, follow the rules and do your very best work every day.
Be Humble
No one respects an arrogant manager. Being in charge doesn’t give you a license to behave like an egomaniac, so don’t let the power go to your head. You’ll be much more effective in your job if you conduct yourself in a modest manner.
Don’t Micromanage
Holding court at the top is a lot of pressure, but avoid the temptation to micromanage. Your staff is composed of a great team of people, so trust them to do their jobs as they see fit. Hovering over their shoulders will do nothing but lower morale.
Learn to Delegate
Serving as a manager comes with a ton of responsibilities, and you can’t handle them all yourself. Decide what must be completed by you and delegate the rest out to your team. This will keep you from burnout, while helping your employees learn and grow.
Get to Know Your Team
Being friends with your staff isn’t advisable, but you should take an interest in them as people. Employees feel valued when the boss cares enough to ask about their kid’s soccer game or wish them a happy birthday. People work harder and have longer tenure at jobs where they feel like more than just a number.
Admit Your Mistakes
Employees won’t respect you any less for making a mistake, but you might lose their admiration if you can’t admit when you’re wrong. Saying “I’m sorry” when you mess up or taking the blame when a mishap is your fault is the right and only thing to do.
Treat Everyone as Equals
You’re only human, so it makes sense you might prefer some employees to others, but you can’t let this show. Displaying favoritism isn’t fair, and it can cause major rifts among employees, so be cognizant not to do it.
Maintain an Open-Door Policy
Having a corner office is a nice perk of the job, but keep the door open as much as possible. This encourages open communication and transparency with your team, because they know they can always come to you with questions, comments and concerns.
Being a manager is hard work, but hiring doesn’t have to be a difficult task. Wood Staffing is here to make filling open positions a breeze. Contact us today to learn how we can help your Northern Indiana or Southwestern Michigan company build your best team yet!
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