Anyone new to team management can find it an intimidating prospect. However, what’s worth noting is that most of those considered an exceptional manager today did not start out that way. Management skills are learned, both from personal experience and also the standards that have been tested and set by others that have gone before. If you’re looking to hone your team management style then these 8 skills will be essential.
1. You put the team first
That doesn’t mean always sacrificing your own interests or driving yourself into the ground for your team. Instead, it’s showing a willingness to step up to protect them, to take risks to ensure their success and to show that you’re working as hard for them as they are for you
2. You continually challenge your team to be better
Even the top performers can do more. Managers should always continue to challenge teams to excel in new directions – this drives both individual satisfaction and general productivity.
3. You can admit when you’re wrong
This is a tough one because being a manager means being in the spotlight and that’s a difficult place in which to hold your hands up to mistakes. However, great management requires being humble enough to recognise if you’re wrong and to take steps to change direction afterwards. If you have too much pride to admit to a mistake you could lead your team in totally the wrong direction for all the wrong reasons.
4. You are honest and up front
Hiding things, covering the truth or flat out lying will break trust with your team and that can be difficult to rebuild. Transparency is essential, especially when it comes to difficult conversations.
5. You’re able to foster genuine connections between your team
Spending time together outside of the working environment gives people an opportunity to build genuine relationships that can sustain them through tough times and disagreements. Learning how to help your team make these connections, whether that’s through bonding activities or sharing experiences, is a crucial skill to have.
6. You know how to make people feel valued
From the top performers to team members who have yet to prove themselves, it’s important to understand how to make each one feel valued. Feeling valued is crucial to engagement, which drives loyalty, motivation and productivity.
7. You have nurtured empathy
Research has shown that the higher we climb up the office hierarchy, the more difficult it is to preserve empathy. A very basic definition of empathy is to be able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, something that many managers find very challenging when it comes to their subordinates. However, the benefits of remaining empathetic include gaining a better understanding of your team and being able to genuinely engage with them.
8. You understand when emotions are relevant
If you remove emotion from the workplace it’s difficult to be a good manager. However, it’s also key to understand when emotion is relevant and when it can be inappropriate. Perhaps the most obvious example is allowing emotion to influence decisions that should be objective.
These key skills provide a firm foundation on which great management can grow.
Book your place on our
Effective Management of Your Teams course today or get in touch with PTP on 01509 889632 with any questions.