43 Powerful Ways to Become a Good Manager. Ever thought about becoming a manager? Want to know what it takes and how to move up from your individual contributor role?
Becoming a manager opens a whole new world of opportunity. With the right mindset and skills, you’ll find it is interesting, challenging, and rewarding.
Organizations keep on hunting great managers who have full potential, having knowledge of management traits. Today I will explain to you 43 Powerful Ways to Become a Good Manager.
You can’t seem to manage if you can’t manage people. Being a supervisor is difficult, as what works for one team or one person rarely holds to everyone. 43 Powerful Ways to Become a Good Manager.
Understanding humans is crucial to effective management. You must understand what drives people, as well as how and when individuals are one of their most productive.
It’s much simpler to say than to accomplish. You can’t simply ignore your personal objectives and growth, either, because job advancement doesn’t end when you reach that desired managerial position.
We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of 43 suggestions to assist you to navigate the complex world of managing and becoming the greatest people manager you can be.
These are the categories in which our 43 suggestions fit:
Be Human
Get the most out of your people
Be the best you can be
Be strategic
Set Goals
Represent the Company
Be fair, honest, transparent, and ethical
Be human
1. Be interested
Want to know your team, and we don’t mean just a little bit.
Who really do they live with, what is their family history, and what is the name of their puppy? Start asking questions, pay attention to the replies, and take notes. These are the real skills of a good manager.
Learn about their personal lives and what matters to them outside of work, and then do everything you can to recognize and defend it.
- Do they look forward to spending Saturdays with their families
- Forget to ask them to work on weekends.
- Is it true that they only see their spouse on certain evenings?
- Send them home as soon as possible that day.
- Do they have any kids?
- Keep an eye on their provisions for child care.
- The tiniest things can often have the most effects.
2. Be approachable
Every day, communicate something to your colleagues, even if it’s only a simple ‘Good morning, how are you today?’
Always stay connected, and make yourself available and available. Do not even put yourself above the team or ask them to perform things that you wouldn’t.
Schedule room for them, and make it evident that you respect their effort and contribution, and that you worry about their feelings and ideas at work.
3. Be calm and collected
Nobody loves working for a supervisor who is tense and can’t relax, so don’t take yourself or your position too personally.
A simple smile can go a long way.
Pressure and anxiety spread; if you’re nervous and tense, thinking about next month’s numbers and expressing panic, your colleagues will pick up on it.
4. Admit your mistakes
Trying to be perfect implies that you have high expectations for your staff, which no one can meet.
Becoming honest sets a good example.
Never delegate responsibility down the chain of command to appear perfect; your employees will know when you’ve made a mistake, whether they’re brave enough to admit it or not.
Instead of losing their respect by refusing to accept responsibility, teach them how to accept blame for their mistakes, learn from them, and move on.
5. Make well-being a priority
Take some time off and put your health first.
It’s as much for the advantage of your colleagues as it is for yourself – you don’t want to give in to the notion that to become successful and achieve higher layers of management in your company, you must work all around the clock and always be ‘present.’
If your coworkers see you taking a vacation and choosing relaxation so that you can bring your finest self to work, they won’t be scared to prioritize their own health when it’s necessary.
Managers who are worried and exhausted are poor managers who make bad decisions.
If you’re unpleasant and restless, your coworkers will not appreciate you showing up every day!
6. Be flexible
Break the rules and have a more interesting existence. It’s healthy to deviate from the norm every now and then.
Interrupting typical patterns of behavior is quite beneficial in avoiding becoming stuck in a rut.
Is it 26 degrees outside and sunny? Move the meeting to a nearby park. Better yet, reschedule for the following day and finish ahead of time.
Someone has used up their vacation time, yet a major family event has arisen. Allow them to borrow money from the following quarter. Don’t follow plans and procedures to the letter if common sense suggests otherwise.
Get the most out of your people
7. Strike a balance
A solid squad is an effective team.
Good leaders ensure that the right individuals are in the proper jobs and that the team is diverse.
You’ll want a mix of complementary responsibilities and abilities, as well as distinct personality types and a good mix of ages and genders.
You need your team to push each other, provide value, and express various perspectives.
8. Listen
If their ideas and viewpoints aren’t acknowledged, a well-balanced team is useless.
Pay attention to what they’re saying.
Give individuals your whole attention, listen to them out, and, if appropriate, demonstrate that you’ve considered their opinions.
9. Adjust your style
Find out what motivates your team, as well as their work goals and objectives, and then consider how you can support them in becoming their best selves and achieving their objectives.
- Do they respond better to goals and rewards or liberty and responsibility?
- What are their pains?
- With whom do they get along best/worst?
- Recognize their preferences and manage them appropriately.
For some individuals on your team, you may need to adopt a somewhat different management style.
You’ll get the most out of everyone if you’re flexible and adaptable.
10. Don’t hire talent, develop it
According to psychologists, intrinsic talent is a myth, and most people, with a few rare and extremely specific exceptions, can be taught to accomplish anything.
Of course, you can recruit people who are exceptional at what they do, and you will demand a certain amount of knowledge and experience for practical reasons.
However, the environment has a big influence on talent. A rising star in one firm may become a stalemate in another.
Instead of recruiting someone who has already reached a plateau, you should seek to bring out the best in people and help them improve.
It will also encourage your employees to perform harder if they believe there are prospects for advancement and promotion rather than seeing more senior positions filled by external candidates.
11. Encourage knowledge sharing
When workers are on vacation or unwell, mix up teams and assign people to different jobs and areas.
This allows for a wide understanding of what goes on in all parts of the team, such as the workload.
- What skills can be used in other situations?
- What kind of expert knowledge do people have?
- This can help projects take on new life and provide new views.
Implement this across departments and hierarchies if applicable or viable to create a genuinely holistic workforce that is aware of each other’s actions and goals.
12. Push their comfort zone
People should be challenged. Help them perform things they don’t want to do.
Demonstrate that you have confidence in them and urge them to move outside of their comfort zone when they are doubting themselves.
Part of your job entails assisting your employees in their development; not everyone can do this on their own.
13. Reward success
It’s not always about the major occasions. Reward daily accomplishments, and don’t miss any opportunity to appreciate your team, personal goals achieved, and targets exceeded.
It does not have to be large or costly. A casual “well done” to acknowledge a modest victory can go a long way. Don’t take anyone’s contributions for granted, and always express gratitude!
14. Continually raise standards
If your team frequently meets its goals, don’t be satisfied with a compliment; set the same goal for the following week, month, or year. Never let your team become bored and frustrated.
They’ve demonstrated their abilities, and you understand they can go much further. Continue to raise the bar to demonstrate that you trust in their ability to progress. They’ll strive to meet your high standards.
15. Step in at the right moment
Learn to recognize when others require assistance, whether it’s technical assistance, encouragement, or comfort, or if they’re burdened by an unjustly large workload that has gone unreported.
Not everyone will beg for assistance; don’t make anyone a martyr!
Be the best you can be
16. Keep learning
You should always be working to improve your skills and abilities. You should be a good communicator who can motivate, lead, and inspire your team in particular.
- You should always be learning something new.
- Management books should be read.
- Attend training sessions/enroll in free webinars.
- Keep investing in yourself.
- Keep current with your field’s research.
- View TEDx lectures.
- The world is always changing and progressing.
- Set a good example for others by continuing your education.
Your employees will be motivated to improve their skills and qualifications as a result of this. Set up a tuition reimbursement scheme or allow for study leave flexibility to help with this.
Obtaining an online business degree will assist you and your team in meeting the demands of the ever-changing business world.
17. Get a mentor or a coach
Mentors and coaches are not playing the same role, so make sure you know the difference before deciding which you require. Find somebody you respect, who you can trust, and who has time to spare.
There has to be someone just a few years your senior in their management career, and preferably someone who has mentored or coached others.
Gently ask them, explaining that you’d like to benefit from their knowledge and expertise.
It shouldn’t be a major investment of time for either one of you; only a few hours each month should suffice. Decide on what is required of them from the start.
Pay attention to their tone and the types of issues they bring up. A smart manager will also coach their team, so take notes from your personal coach and use what you’ve learned in your squad.
18. Question everything
Eliminate confirmation bias by being open to fresh viewpoints and knowledge.
Analyze everything, form your own opinions, and help ensure that all of your decisions are supported by scientific, well-researched knowledge and that you comprehend the data that supports them.
Never take somebody else’s word for it, and just never trust the first time you hear.
19. Encourage feedback
Eliminate confirmation bias by being open to fresh viewpoints and knowledge.
Analyze everything, form your own opinions, and help ensure that all of your decisions are supported by scientific, well-researched knowledge and that you comprehend the data that supports them.
Never take somebody else’s word for it, and just never trust the first time you hear.
Obtain (and provide) feedback.
Encourage your team what you’ve been doing properly and that you can better assist, guide, and grow them, whether through anonymous surveys or one-on-one meetings.
You can’t expect to get something without giving something back.
Make sure you convey how employees are developing in a good way, recognizing their accomplishments, and suggesting areas for further growth.
20. Learn from mistakes
Learn from your own blunders as well as those of others. Who was the most dreadful boss you’ve ever worked for?
What did they do to make it so difficult to work for them? Focus on the qualities that people dislike in a manager, and make sure you’re not one of them!
When the team makes a mistake, point out how you can learn from it. Instead of assigning blame, consider what went wrong and what you can do differently next time.
21. Leverage technology
Keeping up with technology and making use of it. Put your focus on the pace and contribute any tools, hacks, or strategies that could make your team’s day-to-day tasks easier.
Employ online meeting platforms like Facebook, Pinterest, Canvas, and Monday to encourage even closer and more productive teamwork, and use video calls for remote workers.
These create new spaces for teamwork that don’t require everyone to be in the same room, which is also wonderful for making distant team members feel more connected.
22. Demonstrate a ‘can-do’ attitude
Create a favourable and progressive workplace environment by being positive and optimistic.
Never bring a terrible attitude to work, and don’t let your bad day affect others. Positive, can-do mindsets should influence an office, and it all starts with you!
23. Focus on the customer
Any team’s success is mainly determined by how well they can meet the needs of their end consumers, whoever they may be.
As the team leader, you must foster a customer-centric culture in which all actions contribute to improving client satisfaction.
Be strategic
24. Make time for people management
The ability to organize and manage one’s time is required. You can’t keep everything running well for everybody if you’re in a mess and churning too many dishes.
Wherever possible, delegate to allow you to focus on people management. You must have time and mental energy to assist someone who comes to you to address the issues.
Make sure you constantly know where you are in order to avoid being derailed and hampered by a crisis or difficulty within the team or from outside.
25. Accept that plans change
A strategy rarely works out as planned. Frequently, the information you rely on for your preparations proves to be incorrect, or the scenario differs from what you anticipated. People should come first, followed by plans.
Your folks are your rock; they’ll keep things together if plans must be altered. Develop adaptability and problem-solving skills in yourself and your team.
26. Prioritise, prioritise, prioritise
Make your workload and the workload of your team a priority. Not everything needs to be done right away, and not everything can be done at the same time.
An overworked team will not be productive or successful. Don’t be surprised if workers start shifting to other teams or quitting altogether if you’re leading an environment where everything has to be done yesterday.
Give your team the time and space they need to perform at their best by being reasonable, prioritizing, and giving them the time and space they need.
27. Take (calculated) risks
Demonstrating your colleagues because you’re not afraid to try new things and think outside of the box will instill confidence and inventiveness in them.
This exemplifies and encourages bravery and imaginative thinking, which can unleash enormous potential if others are inspired to do the same.
28. Find and address the root cause
Concentrate on solutions rather than issues. When things are going wrong, don’t focus on the negative or who is to criticize.
Concentrate on how to resolve the issue so that the project or job can move forward.
It’s more vital to look for the main cause of a problem here than to look for quick fixes.
- What led to this predicament?
- How can we make sure that doesn’t happen again?
29. Involve your team
Make use of your team and include them in decision-making. They probably have more experience, abilities, and information than you do – recognize this, collect it, and put it to good use.
30. Lead the change
When something isn’t working, don’t be scared to switch gears. As a manager, you have the authority to do so.
Your group looks to you for direction and decision-making. Make a call and try something fresh if something doesn’t feel right or isn’t working.
Always search for ways to improve your and your team’s performance, and then take the initiative to make it happen.
31. Deal with difficult situations
You’ll have to deal with challenging situations from time to time. Undesirable behaviours or staff disagreements have a propensity to develop, so deal with them fairly and confidently.
Don’t be inclined to brush it under the rug if a member of your team is failing. Rather, actively handle the situation by first discussing the problem with the person involved.
Attempt to analyze why it is occurring, and devise a strategy to help that person get back on track.
Set goals
32. Set both performance and development goals
Motivate individuals and groups to develop goals on a regular basis.
Why don’t you ask employees where they want in 6 months, one year, and five years, and then hold them accountable with appropriate development objectives, in addition to creating performance-related goals?
Monitor their performance and demonstrate your commitment to assisting them in achieving their objectives through on-the-job learning or external training courses. All objectives should be clear and unmistakable.
To guarantee that goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, consider adopting the SMART approach for goal formulation.
33. Set management goals
Make your own team management objectives. Personal satisfaction can be found in the advancement and development of your team.
- Their victories are also yours.
- How many people on your team have been promoted?
- How long do your employees stay with you?
- What kind of feedback do you get from your coworkers?
Consider some objectives and areas for growth, write them down, and aim to better them each year.
34. Share your goals
Be honest about your individual goals and objectives, as well as what you’re aiming to accomplish with your team and when you intend to reach them.
Make it clear to your team that you rely on them just as much as they do on you. These goals can flow down to the team level if they are communicated.
Everybody should be conscious of how their daily job affects and helps the company’s overall goals.
35. Review progress regularly
Regularly check in with each person in the team through one-on-one meetings. Discuss their objectives and how they’re doing on current tasks and initiatives.
Do this in a quiet, confidential setting so they can discuss any concerns or issues they don’t want to bring up in front of others.
You can use these sessions to raise any concerns you have about their performance or behaviour informally, giving them the opportunity to correct or address them without being ambushed by a more formal warning or punishment.
Represent the company
36. Understand and follow company policy
While it’s acceptable to break the rules sometimes (see point six), it’s still your responsibility to follow corporate standards, be clear about policy guidelines, and be continuous in your execution (exceptional circumstances aside).
Make clear what you anticipate. It’s important to emphasize these are all your standards, not the company’s, and that you want some standards to be followed as well as certain habits to be maintained.
A prime example is absenteeism — companies should have a specific strategy on holiday entitlement and other absenteeism and handle them carefully so that you don’t wind up with a frustrated employee carrying the task of a whole team who has scheduled the same week off.
37. Communication is key
Promote cross-team collaboration, sharing information outside or with other teams, absorbing information from other divisions inside the organization, and learning what other teams in various areas are doing.
There must be no one operating alone. Connection and communication throughout the organization help to maintain strong motivation and morale while also creating a circle of responsibility.
38. Command respect
Keep in mind that you are the link between your team and the rest of the organization. They don’t respect the company if they don’t respect you.
While being cordial is crucial, you cannot constantly be a friend. First and foremost, your team must respect you.
You’ll have to make tough judgments, deal with problems, and go through disciplinary procedures at times.
Any apparent personal connection or commitment makes these situations a million times more difficult than they need to be, therefore setting limits is crucial.
Be fair, honest, transparent and ethical
39. Lead by example
Build authentic relationships built on trust and mutual respect by leading by example, and keep your team accountable by addressing any behaviour that does not match these standards.
40. Discourage rivalry
Encourage amicable rivalry rather than rivalry. To get the best outcomes, don’t put people against each other.
You want members of your team to work together rather than compete for first place.
41. Show you care
Make your team’s concerns and challenges your top focus. If a person in the team presents you with any difficulties or concerns about their job, do everything you can to fix them as soon as possible.
Ascertain that they understand that assisting them in completing their tasks and succeeding at work is your top concern.
42. Stay professional
Don’t vent your frustrations about coworkers to anyone on your team; keep it to your boss and your partner!
This jeopardizes your position and authority, as well as the relationships that your team members have with their coworkers.
If the critique is valid, take it to the person who needs to hear it. Not only is it dishonest to vent your frustrations, but it also generates resentment and causes mistrust and tension, as people wonder what you said about them…
43. Take responsibility
You may need to drop on your swords and take one for the team on occasion. Don’t criticize your teammates if something goes horribly wrong, such as a missed target or a blown pitch.
Give them some credit for their accomplishments and congratulate them, but keep them safe from criticism and blaming when they fall short.
Your staff is your obligation and recognizing that responsibility in good times and bad is an important element of being an effective people manager.
Conclusion
We’re confident that you’ll find some useful tips above, whether you’ve been a manager for twenty years or you’ve just been hired or promoted into a new management post.
All success hinges on the ability to learn. Learning about management is crucial, but learning about yourself and your team is even more important.
Good managers don’t sit still; they’re always seeking new methods to get the most out of themselves and their teams, and they’ll soon be getting positive feedback from both above and below.
Good luck, and keep in mind…
