Overcoming challenges within management. Tips for managing and being managed.
Challenges within management are inevitable. Whether you’re the manager or the one being managed, it is important to equip yourself with the skills and mindset that best set you up for success. Consider the following tips the next time you are met with a challenge that requires you to rise to the occasion in the workplace.
For those being managed:
Throughout your career you will experience managers who will help you rise to the occasion, guiding you to reach new goals and recognize untapped potential. You’ll also more than likely have a manager or two who lack follow-through or haven’t quite figured out how you need to be managed to achieve the best results.
As an employee, you can help improve your relationship with your manager by following these three tips:
Be open
It is important to be honest with your manager about how you like to be managed. Reflect on positive experiences with past managers and consider what characteristics they possessed that helped you succeed in your role. Communicate how your manager can better help you in your work so that you can bring as much to the table as possible.
2. Set goals
Setting and communicating your goals with your manager allows you to be on the same page. When you are both aware of your individual goals as well as team goals, you can work together to achieve them at a quicker and more efficient pace. A good manager will be able to take note of your goals, provide you with the necessary tools, and motivate you to achieve them.
3. Manage up
Your role as an employee is to contribute the best you can to your team while aiding your manager. Managing up makes your manager’s job easier and allows you to take ownership of your work. Managing up requires an employee to be caring, innovative, and result-oriented. Knowing the expectations of your manager and working to meet those will allow your team to achieve results quicker.
For managers:
When you step into a management role, you will most likely be met with challenges that will require you to adopt new skills and take responsibility for your and your team’s actions. Your main priority as a manager should be motivating your team in order to drive results.
As a manager, you can better lead and motivate your employees by following these three tips:
Get to know your team
Taking interest in your employees is a simple yet effective way to build a foundation of trust. Take the time to understand how your employees like to be managed, what motivates them, and what success looks like to them. Understanding their goals will provide you with a roadmap for how to push them towards success.
2. Take control of communication
As the manager it is your responsibility to ensure that everyone below you has a clear understanding of what the expectations are and how they should be meeting them. Taking control of communication also looks like creating a safe space where employees can be open and honest about how they’re feeling and how they wish to improve. Setting boundaries is important, but being approachable is also highly important as a manager.
3. Motivate with recognition
Take ownership of your team’s success. Your ability to motivate your team as a manager is directly related to the success of your team. Once you understand what makes each employee feel motivated, make sure to affirm them not only when they reach a goal or learn a new skill, but also along the way. Recognition of contributions and personal sacrifices, especially when mistakes are made or things do not go exactly to plan, equips your team to grow in confidence and identify and take on new and emerging challenges.
Whether you’re the manager or the one being managed, following these tips will allow you to approach your professional relationships with more confidence so you can face challenges head on when they arise.
As a final reminder to all, be patient and have grace. Everyone will make mistakes, but it's how we learn from those mistakes that allows us to grow and achieve success.
At GGPAAS Recruiting, we work to match qualified associates with the best career opportunities to meet their needs and lifestyle. If you are looking for new opportunities to grow in your career and take on more responsibility, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out for a no commitment introductory call, where we will talk through your professional goals and possible next steps.
It’s time to build your momnt.
Connect with us today!
Email: Geoff@ggpaas.com
Phone: (917) 822-8479