Employees don’t just look for jobs—they also look for a good working environment. So, even a leader’s presence to a team can help hugely in encouraging them to become better employees and even individuals. Managers who guide workers every step of the way rather than just command them are sure to portray good leadership, but is that all there is to it?
Once you take on the administrative cloak, you’re no longer just an individual tied to his own responsibilities. You’re a key person entrusted by the company to lead, mentor, and liaise with different kinds of employees. With this in mind, you should know the facet you must work on to become a better manager.
1. Mentor.
As a leader, it is your responsibility to provide thorough guidance to your subordinates. If you’ve been a manager for quite some time and still don’t know how to do it, you can start off by motivating your employees. Provide them with emotional support in case their jobs are too stressful to handle. Sounds pretty easy, right? Although this can be challenging at first, we know you have just the skills to adapt to the role.
2. Appreciate and acknowledge success.
Showing appreciation need not be extravagant. A small “thank you” and “good work!” is big enough for an employee. Don’t be afraid to express your gratitude genuinely to those who contributed success to a project. As a manager, it is also important to acknowledge those who cannot perform well and give them tips on how to be better employees. They will be forever thankful to you for this.
3. Motivate.
John Maxwell once said that you don’t overcome challenges by making them smaller—make yourself bigger instead. Become a better manager by being someone who understands, motivates, and supports. Employees often thrive in a setting where emotionality and respect are constant, so showing a bit of emotional support is a really good start. To motivate them, you can either give them positive feedback or simple rewards. It really is easy, you just have to start doing it.
4. Welcome new ideas and approaches.
As a manager, you have to be open and approachable to new ideas. By leading, you also have to understand that if your employees feel trusted to craft new ideas, they can create more and better things. For example, many firms provided extra time for their employees to break from routine tasks just to think of new concepts and ideas. This simple brainstorming session will be enough—just be sure to encourage your workers to share fresh ideas, and provide support to each other when needed.
5. Set clear goals and be transparent.
Don’t be the manager who cancels a project without any heads up to the employees involved. Those poor workers are going to continue the project and exert all their efforts in it only to find out later on that the project is no longer existing. That is a clear breach of respect to the employees. On the other hand, communicating your goals and plans also gives your employees the security they need to work comfortably. So, don’t violate your people that way.
Supporting your employees comes in many ways. Practicing effective communication, creating new and positive work environments, and entrusting them with projects are some. But keep in mind that all of these don’t happen overnight. Working on oneself to become a better manager is a long process, but it is surely worth the effort.
Photo by Scott Graham on Unsplash
