Managers carry a lot of responsibility. They need to manage their own workload, but at the same time, they must ensure that their team stays on top of their goals and objectives. Being a manager also requires understanding what drives people and how to help others succeed in what they do. Highly effective managers also care about the well-being of their employees and are looking for ways to help them become more efficient. You should also be articulate and confident enough to discuss any issues with the leadership of the company. Our tips will help you to include habits of highly effective managers in your work process.
- Set SMART Goals And Prioritise
As a manager, you need to set goals for yourself and your team. To make sure that the objectives are clear to everyone, you should learn how to set SMART goals. In other words, your objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. Then, your team members will know what they need to do. SMART goals will also make it easier for you to track the performance of your employees. Managers also need to deal with a full schedule and tackle many tasks within a day. Therefore, you need to learn how to prioritise. Start with tasks and issues that need your attention the most and then schedule the rest based on their complexity and deadline.
- Encourage Your Team To Collaborate
To make your team as productive and efficient as possible, you should encourage your employees to communicate and collaborate. First, you should ensure that everyone understands the mission of the company. Discuss with them how they can help the business achieve the goal and their role in the process. Encouraging your team members to talk with each other will help you to make them feel like they are a part of the collective. It can also help you to make the team more efficient. After all, every employee has different hobbies, interests, and levels of experience. So, if an employee is struggling with a task, they can ask the rest of the team if anyone has a solution to the problem and might be able to help.
- Soak In New Knowledge And Develop New Skills
In order to be able to support your employees and manage the team successfully, it is necessary that you constantly keep learning. Soak in new knowledge and develop new skills to become a better manager and make your clients happier. There are many books, events, and courses that can help you to build up confidence and broaden your knowledge. For instance, by signing up for business management online courses at the University of Cape Town, you can explore everything there is to your job. Perhaps there are parts of business management you have always wanted to explore but never had the opportunity to do so. Keep looking for new learning resources and enrich your skill set.
- Promote Accomplishments Of The Team
Promoting the accomplishments of the team is another habit that all high-performing managers should adopt. If the team gets good feedback from the business leader or you notice that they perform better, it is important that you acknowledge the success. Show your employees that you are proud of their achievements and share the news with other employees in the company. After all, you are working towards the same goal. By acknowledging the accomplishments of the team, you will be able to motivate them even further. In the end, they might become determined to make the results even better for the next task you provide them.
- Seek Feedback And Learn From Your Mistakes
Everyone makes mistakes once in a while, and managers are not exempt from the rule. Sometimes, you might struggle with things in your personal life, which could project into your attitude at work. You may be feeling overwhelmed and become a bit snappy at others. Of course, nobody is perfect, and such mistakes can happen to anyone. However, it is important that you acknowledge your mistakes and learn from them, so they do not repeat in the future. Ask your employees for feedback on your management style. Then, you will be able to see if there is anything you should do differently or need to work on.
- Maintain Healthy Work-Life Balance
Finally, to become a highly effective manager, you need to maintain a healthy work-life balance. However, do not let yourself believe everything books tell you to follow. Work-life balance is highly individual and looks different for every person. Find out what makes you happy and how much time you need to recharge. And even though you love your work and take it as a form of relaxation, you should take time to get away from your responsibilities. Spend time with your family and allow your mind to refresh. Then, you will be able to be more productive and come up with new and better ideas.
