How to Be an Effective Manager

How to Be an Effective ManagerHow to Be an Effective ManagerBeing an effective manager is a complicated job Youre part strategist, part coach, part counselor and part tactician.Because your employees are your most important assets, its crucial to understand your staff and support them. While not everyone is a born manager, being aware of the qualities that separate the good ones from the great ones helps you bring out the best in your kollektiv.Are you the most effective manager you could be? Are there actions you can take to improve?Here are nine ways to demonstrate true leadership1. Value your employeesUnderestimating the effort put in by staff members and the value they add can lead to unhappy, demotivated and underperforming team members. It can also lead to a high staff turnover rate.Make sure you appreciate the role employees play on your team and the contributions they make daily to your firm.2. Express appreciationEffective managers show their gratitude to team members for a job well done. A simple thank-you can make a big difference to many employees. Its also important to provide positive feedback, whether its one on one, during a meeting or in a handwritten note. Expressing gratitude can help with retention, motivation and productivity within your team.3. Set a good exampleDemonstrate the behavior you expect of your team members. If youre kind, arrive to meetings on time and meet your deadlines, its a lot more likely your team will do the same.Similarly, managers who display qualities such as honesty, collaboration, creativity, innovation and dedication, to name a few, will likely inspire those qualities in those they supervise.GET OUR WORKPLACE HAPPINESS REPORT4. DelegateDelegating accomplishes a lot more than taking a task off your plate. Giving team members projects outside of their usual scope at work shows that you trust them to handle important tasks, giving them confidence in their abilities. It also builds skills throughout the team and keeps team members engaged by expanding their abilities. As an added bonus, skills development is an excellent retention strategy.Just remember that when you do delegate work, you need to trust that your team can handle important tasks. In other words, dont micromanage the process.5. Communicate clearlyIf employees dont understand whats expected of them, youre not an effective manager. Clearly communicate your expectations for each person in both their jobs and projects, and make sure everyone knows what success looks like to you.Its also important to be transparent in communications. If employees believe they are being misled or information is being withheld, it can lead to a breakdown of trust and undermine the employer/employee relationship.6. Know your teamGet to know your employees. What motivates them and what do they really value in their job? If you find out that an employee wants to move up in the organization, for example, you may be able to provide a mentor or training.Others may be looking for flexible hours, more challenging projects or improved software to be able to do their job more efficiently. Discovering what motivates each person on your team is a great way to improve the overall work environment and retain team members.7. Resolve issuesIf two members of the team have fallen out or just cannot see eye to eye, youll have to mediate the conflict. You might first ask them to try to find a way to fix their differences themselves. But if that doesnt work, you need to transsumpt yourself into the process. Encourage the two people to find common ground for the sake of the project or company, and make it clear that not resolving the issue isnt an option.For the sake of overall performance and productivity, it is important to address such situations quickly and effectively - before they spiral out of control.8. Listen closelyAs a manager, you need to be able to listen to what your employees have to say, whether its a work matter or something more person al. Either way, its important your team feels you are willing to listen and support them in any way you can.9. Never stop learning and networkingEveryone needs to constantly develop their skills and work contacts, and you should, as well, if you want to be an effective manager. Whether its understanding the latest software your team is using or maintaining key work relationships, dont become complacent. Youll make yourself more marketable and set a good example for your team by keeping your technical and networking skills current. Managing people takes a diverse range of skills, but aspiring leaders can acquire them - and behauptung efforts are often rewarded with increased employee performance, loyalty and retention.