If you’re in a position of power, a leader or a manager, then you’ve got a difficult job on your hands. You have a group of people to inspire, motivate, engage, excite, and ensure they’re kept happy – at all times. They say that a business is only as good as its team members, which means that it’s in your interest to get the most out of them. As we said, it’s a difficult job. However, it doesn’t need to be impossible. Here are some of the best tips for being a good manager, whether you’ve got one employee or thousands.
Communicate
This is the one thing that managers forget to do, time and time again. If you’re not communicating with your employees, then they’re not going to feel worthy. They won’t know which direction your business is moving in, what they’re working towards, or how to complete their jobs in the best manner. By being open and honest with your staff, you’ll find them a lot more motivated and dedicated. Keep them in the dark, and you’ll quickly see their morale lessening. If you’re too busy to keep them updated every step of the way, perhaps it’s time to work with someone to put together a newsletter on a regular basis.
Make time for them
Following along similar lines, if you’re too busy to make time for your employees, then you’re not a good manager. Being a leader means you have to be a people person, which means making time for your team. Make sure you schedule time in your day or week to spend time with the people who are helping your business become a success. Listen to their ideas, help them with their challenges, and focus on those who are keeping things running.
Set goals and reward accordingly
Everyone loves having something to work towards. If your staff are coming in every day to do the same job, without knowing if they’re working above or below average, they’re not going to feel exactly motivated – which means they won’t be feeling productive. You need to be setting regular, achievable goals and targets. What should they be getting done each week or month? What happens if they surpass expectations? Is there some kind of reward system to thank them for all their hard work? A good manager knows how to motivate by setting the right kind of goals and rewarding those who do well.
Learning to delegate
As a leader, it’s all too easy to try and put everything on your own plate. Trying to do everything yourself is a fast-track way to failure. You have team members who want this business to be a success, who excel in the skills you hired them for, so delegate. Bosses sometimes feel as though they have to be the one in charge of everything, which often leads to micromanaging or trying to do everything themselves. Delegating work will help make your staff feel confident and also improve their own leadership and work skills. Make sure you’re giving everyone enough responsibility and watch the productivity of the workplace flourish.
If you want to be a good manager, then you need to tick as many of these boxes as possible. Not every leader can tick all of the boxes all of the time, but you should definitely make a start on them. Change one thing, right now, that will improve the relationship you have with your staff and ensure your business is more productive.
