How to become a manager people want to work for
As a leader in any business, you hold a lot of responsibility. Not only is it your job to manage your team and their workflow, but you should be actively encouraging them towards success in the company.
At times this role can be a difficult one. It is important to remember that as a manager your job is to expand the horizons of your employees, build their skillsets and make them feel valued.
Here at Glandore, we’re passionate about helping the companies we house grow and succeed. We recognise the importance of good leadership and how it can benefit your team. We’ve put together a selection of ways you can grow in your leadership role.
Communicate effectively
Bad communication in an organisation can ultimately lead to its downfall. Being a good communicator is one of the most important elements of your role as a leader and should be something you encourage in all your employees. To inspire this, you should be leading the charge.
Ways to improve your communicating skills can be as easy as making eye contact when speaking to employees, leaving your office door open and giving your employees your undivided attention when speaking to them. To be an effective communicator you need to be conscious of how you present yourself in the workplace.
It is also important to share what is going on within the company with your team members. If you are considering increasing the number of staff or thinking about relaunching your website, make sure your staff are kept in the loop. Finding out important information second hand can hamper your working relationships.
Actively encouraging and practicing good communication can have a positive effect on your whole company. Employees feel engaged with their work and know they play an important role in the business. Happy and engaged employees lead to your company achieving their own goals.
Empower your employees
Leading the way and helping solve issues that arise is important role all managers must play. But, it is also important that as a manager or leader in your company you also empower your employees in their roles.
If an employee comes to you with a problem or issues it can be easy to tell them what to do. A good leader instead encourages them to solve the problem themselves with your guidance and advice. This demonstrates that you trust your employees, and shows them what they are capable of.
Another way to empower your employees is to challenge them. If a new project arising in work why not ask some employees to take part. It may not be in their usual field but the project could use their input. They will be grateful for the opportunity to learn new skills and take on more responsibility.
Give and ask for feedback
Regular one-on-one feedback can separate good leaders from bad. Personalising your feedback and really paying attention to each individual employee demonstrates you care about their progression and development in the company.
Conducting monthly or quarterly meetings with all employees can help them evaluate their work and also provide you with the opportunity to see where they are excelling and where they are struggling. Employees will be grateful for the help and guidance a feedback session can provide.
In these sessions also make sure you are also receiving feedback on your leadership skills. Ask what the areas are that you can improve on and what can you do better. Employees will appreciate the opportunity to give feedback and recognise you are looking to grow in your role and meet their needs.
Show you care
Employees often feel valued when their superiors take an interest in the person they are away from the desk.
Demonstrating interest in your employees can be as simple as asking about their family or what they enjoy doing outside of work. This will endear you to your employees and show they you don’t see them as simply cogs in the work wheel.
Also, make sure to share information about yourself. Before launching into the usual Monday meeting why not share a story about your weekend. This shows your employees you’re human too and that you exist outside the confines of the office. This can help build relationships and make employees more comfortable in their environment.