BY: Ruth Steyn
Published on 14 May 2013
Article from http://www.destinyman.com/article/
Successful managers can be hard to find, as not everyone has the right balance of skills, experience and knowledge. Here’s how to build your management know-how.
Often, employees are promoted to managerial positions before they are equipped with the right skillset, and are then left with little support to face their team. In situations like this, there can be many landmines to negotiate: young teams in need of strong leadership; older and more established teams that resist new management; “difficult” or resentful team members – the list goes on. So what does it take to get it right? What do you need to know if you’re a new or aspiring manager? There’s no formula for perfection, but there are some good practises that apply to all fields and industries.
Understand motivation and group dynamics
For many people, it is not enough to hear: “You can do it”. Motivation is not based purely on confidence and self-belief. In fact, there are a multitude of factors that can affect an individual or team’s motivation. Some common reasons include poor stress management skills, difficulty in coping with change, personal concerns that are affecting performance at work, exclusionary behaviour of other team members, feelings of inadequacy, and a sense of purposelessness. These are all issues that can be addressed, but first it is necessary to identify the root of the problem. Depending on the size of your team, it may not be feasible to assess each individual. In this case, it is often wise to identify key players as well as influencers – often, one or two individuals’ behaviour can have a profound effect on the group as a whole. Understanding the dynamics behind behaviour is paramount in finding ways to create a constructive and thriving team environment.
Learn what makes communication work, and what doesn’t
Not everybody communicates in the same way, and not all communication techniques are effective in any given situation. Familiarise yourself with various ways of breaking bad news, negotiating with difficult parties, eliciting responses and feedback, and mediating. The more strategies you are familiar with, the easier it is to change tack if a particular approach is not working. This doesn’t mean you’ll always get it right, but it certainly increases the odds.
Find effective ways to manage your time
To say that the phrase, “there are just too few hours in a day” is overused is an understatement. There are as many hours in the day as there have always been, and trying to pack in an unreasonable to-do list is can be detrimental to your overall wellbeing as well as your ability to do your job effectively. Hold yourself to realistic standards, prioritise activities, and ask for help if you need it. Time management is an essential skill for good management, so trade in the time spent on complaints and excuses for the more productive exercise of finding ways of managing your time that work for you.
Develop healthy coping mechanisms
There will be days when everything seems to be going wrong, and you may feel that you are not cut out for management. Learn to understand what triggers this feeling and ask yourself (or someone whose opinion you respect) whether there is something constructive you can do to remedy the situation. However, nobody expects you to be perfect, only to do your best, so don’t let yourself down by wallowing in self-doubt. Coping mechanisms can be a saving grace, but be sure to cultivate healthy habits: venting your frustrations in the office lunch room or snapping at a colleague may seem fairly harmless at the time, but you can quickly develop a reputation for unprofessional conduct. Whether it’s excusing yourself to call a friend, taking a few deep breaths outside or making yourself a strong cup of coffee, try to develop coping mechanisms that neither alienate others nor create further problems.
Advance your skills
It is vital to take care of your own professional development if you wish to advance your career. Whether this means learning from colleagues, participating in training programmes or signing up for part-time courses to expand your skills and knowledge, prioritising growth and development is the biggest gift you can give yourself. There is no such thing as being “too highly skilled” – perhaps for a particular job, but all this means is that you are ready for a more senior position or a change of path.
Learn to be an effective manager with the University of Cape Town Effective People Management short course. The course is presented part-time and entirely online throughout South Africa by the University of Cape Town in partnership with online education company, GetSmarter. For more information, contact Dominic on 021 447 7565 or on dominic@getsmarter.co.za. Alternatively, visit www.getsmarter.co.za and choose from over 30 online short courses designed for working professionals seeking to advance their career.
Ruth Steyn
Published on 14 May 2013
Article from http://www.destinyman.com/article/