Listed below are ten things you can do to become a better
manager. Pick one. Do it today. Pick another one for tomorrow. In two weeks you
will be a better manager.
1. Select the best people
As a manager, you are only as good as the people on your
team. Give yourself a better chance to succeed by picking the best people from
the start.
2. Be a motivator
Human beings do things because we want to. Sometimes we want
to because the consequences of not wanting to do something are unpleasant.
However, most of the time we want to do things because of what we get out of
it.
It's no
different at work, people do good work for the pay, or the prestige, or the
recognition. They do bad work because they want to take it easy and still get
paid. They work really hard because they want to impress someone. To motivate
your people better, figure out what they want and how you can give that to them
for doing what you want them to do.
Here are
some ideas:
● The Lesson of the Red Horse
● Employee Motivation Is Key
● Employee Motivation Is Key
3. Build Your Team
It is not enough that people are motivated to succeed at
work. They have to work together as a team to accomplish the group's objective.
After all, if we just want them to all "do their own thing" we don't
need you as a manager to mold them into a team, do we?
Here are
some ways to improve your team building skills:
● There Is No "I" In Team
● Team Building
● Team Building
4. Be a Leader, Not Only a Manager
You have built the best team from the best employee
available. You motivated them to peak performance. What is missing? Motivating
a team is worthless unless you provide direction; unless you turn that
motivation toward a goal and lead the team to it. It is the ability to lead
others that truly sets a manager apart from their peers. Remember that leaders
are found at all levels of the organization, so be one.
Here are a
couple of examples, one good and one bad:
● The Best Leader I Ever Knew
● The Toxic Boss Syndrome
● The Toxic Boss Syndrome
5. Improve as a Communicator
Communication may be the single most important skill of a
manager. After all, all the others depend on it. You can't be a leader if you
can't communicate your vision. You can't motivate people if they can't
understand what you want. Communication skills can be improved through
practice. Here are two exercises you can use to improve your ability to
communicate effectively.
● Getting Your Point Across
● Writing for Business
● Writing for Business
6. Get Better At Managing Money
To stay in business, a company has to make money. That means
bringing money in the door and it means spending less than you bring in.
Depending on your function in the organization, you may have more influence on
one area or the other, but you need to understand both. You can help your
company, your employees, and yourself be getting better at managing the
company's money.
Don't be put
off by the numbers, or by the fact that "it's math". Start learning
more about money management by reading these articles:
● How To Read An Income Statement
● But Am I Making Any Money?
● But Am I Making Any Money?
7. Get Better at Managing Time
The one thing you will probably have less of at work than
money is time. The better you get at managing time, yours and others, the more
effective you will be as a manager. Here are two key skills:
● Project Management 101
● Pareto's Principle - The 80-20 Rule
● Pareto's Principle - The 80-20 Rule
8. Improve Yourself
Don't focus so hard on your people that you forget about
yourself. Identify the areas in which you are weak and improve them. The fact
that you are reading this article shows you understand the concept. You need to
put it into practice.
● Management Tips for Personal Development
● Management Books You Need To Read
● Management Books You Need To Read
9. Practice Ethical Management
Enron-like scandals have really driven home the point about
how important ethics is in business. If you want to avoid similar mistakes.
10. Take a Break
You are less effective as a manager if you are over-stressed.
You are less tolerant. You snap at people more. No one wants to be anywhere
near you. Take a break. Give yourself a chance to relax and recharge your
batteries. Your increased productivity when you return will more than make up
for the time you take off. Have a good laugh or go lie on a beach somewhere.
● Business
Humor
● Do I Dare Take Vacation?
● Do I Dare Take Vacation?
Bottom Line
Management is a skill that can be learned. You can improve as
a manager by working every day to get better. Bookmark this page and come back
every day for the next two weeks. If you pick one subject each day, and work on
improving in that area, you will be a better manager before you know it. And
others will notice it too.