TIPS TO BUILDING A BETTER BUSINESS MANAGER/LEADER
Michael Owokiigbe
There’s a difference between a manager and a leader. A manager’s responsibilities might include task delegation and timecard, but a leader focuses on the growth and well-being of their team members. The best managers know how to do both roles, and can strategically incorporate the strengths of each employee to build a successful organization. According to Deborah Sweeney, vice president and general manager of business acquisitions at Deluxe Corp., “Traditionally, we have been taught to believe that the person with the highest IQ in the room is the smartest, however, science is increasingly proving that individuals with emotional intelligence and its four core skills – which include self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management – are actually the top performers within any company.”
Below, you’ll find what you need in order to become a better leader and how best to manage the most common types of employees.
1. WORK WITH YOUR TEAM, NOT ABOVE THEM.
You might be accustomed to fully controlling your workload, but becoming a boss will force you to give up that control and delegate some responsibilities. According to Ora Shtull, “If you don’t break the addiction to doing it all, you won’t have the capacity to step up and do more senior stuff,” she also said: “Letting go involves delegating. But it’s important to note that delegating doesn’t mean deserting the team or sacrificing accountability.”
As a manager, you have a different set of responsibilities from your entry-level team members, but you should still get your hands dirty, as well as, include your team in decision-making processes. "By choosing to lead by example and demonstrating that you are an expert at what you are asking employees to do, it will often result in more respect and productivity,” said Sacha Ferrandi. It is often impossible to deny the fact that the work ethic of a boss is contagious. As a leader, If you work hard for them, they are more likely to return the favor and work hard for you.
2. GET TO KNOW YOUR EMPLOYEES.
Every employee has different strengths, weaknesses and ways of learning. As a manager, it’s your duty to really understand each person’s characteristics to effectively lead them, and to create a positive boss-employee relationship. This can be done by merely observing the work they produce, but asking simple questions periodically also provides details and according to their answers, you can then tailor how you delegate tasks to this employee to obtain the best possible outcome.
3. CREATE A POSITIVE AND INCLUSIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT.
The example you set for your office can greatly impact the success of your organization. It is important to create a positive, fun work environment that makes team members feel included and respected. A happy employee is a more productive employee. You can create a diverse and inclusive work culture by exemplifying good behavior on a daily basis, as well as implementing occasional team bonding activities.
You should frequently provide recognition for team successes (whether small or big). Great leaders recognize their employees and express their gratitude whenever possible. Employees want to feel appreciated and have their work noticed. When you credit them for a job well done, it motivates them to keep working hard.
Offering praises can boost team morale and build a positive work culture. If you fail to give positive feedback and recognition, employees may think their work is going unnoticed and start to care less.
4. COMMUNICATE GOALS, EXPECTATIONS AND FEEDBACK.
One of the most important parts of being an effective manager is successfully creating goals and communicating expectations to team members. Managers should focus on creating SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound) goals for their teams. De Souza said the objectives that are set at an organizational level should also be translated into departmental and individual goals.
After setting goals, good managers are transparent with team members about their expectations (reviewing goals on a structured basis). You can regularly check in with team members to ensure they are happy and feel challenged in their roles. Communication is not one-sided, though, you must listen as much as you talk. “Leaders who don’t listen will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing to say, nothing to add,” Shtull said. “In addition to giving up control of all the work, as a boss, you’ll also have to break the addiction to being right all of the time. Don’t always promote your own view. If your own ideas sound set in stone, your team members won’t want to offer theirs.”
Having said all the above, try to assess yourself, know what type of manager you are and find the most effective means out of these four (4) listed above to implement, in order to make a better manager/leader of yourself.
Thank you.
