You’re the manager of a new business, and you have employees looking to you for guidance and direction. Any mistakes that occur will fall back on you. You want employees that are motivated and happy to work so that your business can thrive. This is your dream. You are unsure if you have what it takes, so you enrol in a management training course. Management can seem like a daunting job, but with the right skill set anyone (even the timidest individuals), can become successful and respected leaders in any work environment. Management training courses teach people to lead people. They help build specific traits that are vital for managers. The tips below are a sample of what is taught in this type of course.
Obey Your Rules
We have all had the boss that stresses the importance of punctuality to us, only to walk in fifteen minutes late the next day. In order to be successful in managing people, you need to behave as your ideal employee. Too often, people in positions of power feel that they are above the rules, which can be very irritating to the people lower in the company. It’s not easy for employees to adhere to guidelines that aren’t even respected by the manager. By making demands for employees and then not enforcing them at work, you’re portraying them as unimportant as if they are there for no reason. Don’t catch yourself saying: “Do as I say, not as I do.” Not only does this encourage others to slack off and ignore the guidelines, it is highly unprofessional. Never establish a new policy unless you have implemented it flawlessly into your own routine first.
Utilize the Reward System
A great manager knows how to keep their employees motivated. To avoid getting lost in the daily grind, set a reward system. It becomes much easier to work when you have a goal in mind. This method can help prevent worker’s fatigue. For example, if you’re managing a sales company, establish a number of sales to work toward. Once an employee sells 1,000 units, they can take an extra day of paid vacation. A reward system prevents employees from becoming apathetic towards their work and can be applied to any company. This will create the extra motivation required to reach the finish line. Motivated people will have a higher morale, producing higher quality work. The reward system will also create a sense of satisfaction that they are receiving recognition. Never forget about the importance of positive reinforcement for your employees, even if it means pulling someone aside for just a minute to let them know you have noticed their efforts.
Treat Everyone as Your Equal
Learn the art of walking the fine line of being in control, but not being patronizing. This can be a hard task to master, but it is a vital lesson to learn as a successful manager. Being an overall professional and respectful manager will prevent employees from feeling like slaves instead of valued team members. No one appreciates being spoken to as if he or she are less than someone, especially their manager. Avoid making demands or nagging. Practice using a tone with your employees that is respectful. Successful managers did not gain the support of their employees by being pretentious. It’s a common mistake to believe you must establish your dominance as a superior, but this is the opposite of the truth. Think of strict parents that produce overly rambunctious children. The arrogant approach never pays off; it just makes you seem unapproachable. Mistakes are just learning opportunities, so don’t punish them too harshly. Over the course of your professional career, you will make countless mistakes. Address mistakes, brush them off and encourage your employees to learn and make progress. Understand that everyone has off days, even the most successful CEOs.
Always Be Consistent
It is undoubtedly great to have a successful business, but even better to have a business that stays successful. Consistency is obviously going to be a little bit different depending on your market, but the inner workings of a business should be consistent no matter what. Do not falter on your expectations or rewards. In general, people love consistency and are frightened by change. If you are changing your guidelines constantly, workers will become frustrated and seek employment somewhere that is more consistent. While consistency is important, don’t be afraid to fix something if it isn’t working. Learn to quickly identify when a protocol is hurting more than it is helping. Be consistent in fixing weak areas of the business in an efficient manner. Your employees and clients will thank you.
Strive to keep an open line of communication in the work environment. A successful manager should show that they care about the opinions of their employees. This can pay off in several different ways. Good communication increases the work quality inevitably by reducing the number of errors and miscommunications. It also allows employees freedom to speak up if they have any grievances that need to be addressed. They will notice that their voices are being heard and they will appreciate it. You should always make an effort to be connected to the innermost workings of the company, even if it means initiating the conversation. Sadly, most of us have worked in a facility where we felt that we couldn’t actually speak to management about issues. As a result, some might feel uncomfortable about voicing their concerns. However, if a genuine interest in fixing issues is shown, healthy communication can be established and everyone will feel safe to talk about the things that need to be talked about. Remember to be supportive and understanding when it comes to addressing issues. Employees should always feel comfortable talking with their managers. Communicating well with your colleagues creates a great environment to share new ideas. Who knows? Your next innovative product may start with your employee. To be the best manager you can be, keep the training course in mind.
