Establishing a successful career in a managerial position is not just about winning at interview skills and claiming the job title, but developing the right skills to improve in that role, adding value to the organisation you are working for and being part of an efficient and improving team. Below are a few practical skills it’s essential to be aware of and always seeking to hone as you develop your career as a successful manager.
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Motivation and Communication
A good manager must be adept at communicating at all levels within a company and by every means that the modern office environment demands. From new interns to well-established CEOs, a manager is the communication conduit for all messages, mediation, and motivation. Establishing strong, trusted relationships with staff is critical to building an environment in which excellent communication flows fluidly. This is best achieved by listening, understanding and being present for your team. If they feel that their manager is approachable and honest, you will get the opportunity to learn more about what motivates them and how to get the best out of them.
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Time Management Skills
Without proficient time management skills, productivity can be significantly compromised; procrastinating over tasks, being busy without being productive, prioritising the wrong jobs, or not assigning the right tasks to the people with the key skills to complete them efficiently can all affect the bottom line. If you feel that your day is riddled with unnecessary interruptions and your office is regularly pulled off course and away from crucial, productive tasks, then it’s wise to address your time management skills. There are lots of resources available online to help point you in the right direction, or you could invest in a training course to learn more about how you, as a manager, can help your team to overcome wasted time (and also hone your own professional development); this course from corporatecoachgroup.com is a great example.
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Appropriate Delegation
As you hone your time management toolkit, you’ll find that the ability to delegate. Finding the right person for the right task is a critical managerial skill. You hired your team for their unique skill sets alongside their potential to develop within the business and to fit the overall culture of the company. Delegating effectively is not unlike hiring staff in many ways as you need to identify not only existing abilities to get a job done but also to understand what motivates your team members and where staff training or new skills might better suit your task plan. This can help to increase the number of productive accomplishments while developing your team both in terms of new skills and confidence.
In 2015, Oscar Pierre was doing everything for his business, Glovo. Now he operates in over 124 cities and employs over 1000 staff. He claims delegation was the key.
There are lots of ways you can develop as a manager, and these are just a few of the key, practical skills that can help you succeed, but improving time management, focusing on communication and getting better at delegation will help create a more productive and happy working environment.
