How to be a better Manager
Some people claim that leadership and management skills are innate skills. That, if you want to be a leader, then you must be a born leader. It is undoubtedly true that some people have a predisposition to leadership. But that does not mean that leadership and management skills are not learnable and teachable skills.
Some people have a greater degree of natural leadership and management ability, but practically anyone could improve upon their existing skills, if they have sufficient desire, and good training.
Essential Management Skills
To be a great leader and manager you need a definite set of skills, knowledge and ability. There is a body of knowledge and a set of skills that are essential if you wish to be a proficient leader-manager. All managers need to be able to:
- set goals
- communicate those goals in a clear, unambiguous and persuasive manner
- develop practical plans of action, capable of achieving the goals
- resolve conflicts with those people who do not act in accordance with the goals, or the agreed plan
- motivate themselves
- motive other people
Training for new managers
New managers are often promoted to their new role, by virtue of their superior technical knowledge, or the fact that they have been in the organisation for a long time. They know the systems, customers, products and services, and therefore they are the ideal choice for being promoted to management level.
However, just because they are good at their current job, does not mean they can deal with difficult management issues, for which they have not received any training.
Training for new managers must cover the following topics:
1. How to improve delegation skills
Managers need to know how to set realistic goals and entrust these goals to individuals within the team.
2. How to improve communication skills
Managers need to communicate effectively, both written and verbal communication.
3. How to improve planning skills
Managers need good planning skills, so that large tasks are broken down into smaller, sub-ordinate tasks, put into the correct order and implemented in the correct manner, at the correct time, to the correct standard.
4. How to improve decision-making skills
So that the new manager makes good decisions based upon a logical evaluation of all the facts, as opposed to guesswork or chance.
5. How to improve the ability to correct poor performance
A new manager must improve their ability to correct poor performance, poor behaviour, or a conflict within the team. If poor behaviour or conflict situations escalate, there will be a complete meltdown in team performance. It is vital to be able to handle difficult people, in such a way that the person amends their behaviour, so that the normal functioning of the team is quickly restored.
6. How to improve self-management
A new manager needs to create and sustain their self-confidence, self-motivation, and self- discipline, in order that they can keep calm and logical when things are tough, or when others are losing their cool.
7. How to motivate other people in the team
New managers need to know how to inspire other people to gain their agreement and co-operation, so they will willingly cooperate working towards the given goal.
Managers need to know how to use positive motivators to get the maximum cooperative effort from the other members of the team. Positive motivators are the social motivators, such as praise, appreciation and rewards.
Too many managers use negative motivators, such as anger, threats, punishments and sanctions, as a means motivating a team. Negative motivators do work, but only for a short time. Very soon the negative motivators trigger an equal and opposite reaction, causing team cohesion and performance to fall.
New manager training summary
New managers need to deal with a variety of management issues, for which some of them are not prepared. They may need special training to help their confidence and effectiveness in their role of new manager.
- How to improve their delegation skills.
- How to improve their communication skills
- How to improve their planning skills.
- How to improve their decision-making skills.
- How to improve their ability to correct poor performance, or poor behaviour, or conflict within the team.
- How to improve their own self-management.
- How to motivate the team using positive methods not negative methods.
Leadership and Management Training
If you want to know more about any, of the six elements of management and leadership, then we recommend you attend our two-day leadership and management programme.
Delegation
Delegation is the process a manager uses to pass a clear task to a team member, give them the power and tools to do it, and fix the result and time limit, while the manager keeps final responsibility. Without the set task, given authority, provided support, and shared responsibility, real delegation has not taken place.
CG4D Definition
Context: Business management
Genus: Process
- The manager gives a clear, defined task or goal to a team member.
- The manager gives the member enough power and tools to do the task.
- The manager keeps final responsibility for the result.
- The manager sets clear standards, dates and checks to track progress.
Article Summary
Leadership is learned: give a new manager clear training in goal-setting, communication, planning, decisions, delegation, self-management and positive motivation, and you turn a skilled worker into a leader who lifts the whole team.