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Know Your Limits: How Far Could You Go As A Manager?

19 December 2018, 14:20 CET

Being promoted to a management position is an exciting opportunity. It can also be very challenging. The average employee spends most of their time trying to use their skills to be as productive as possible. But when they are promoted to management, their focus has to change.

At that point their goal has to become getting the most of the employees in their charge. For a new manager this can be a daunting task. The key to becoming a successful manager is to know your limits, identify the strengths and weaknesses of your staff and give them the training and support they need to be productive. That will help you be as effective as you can be as a manager.

A Whole Host Of Responsibilities

The responsibilities of a manager are many and diverse. They include recruiting, hiring, training and monitoring staff members. Managers also must coach, motivate, direct, evaluate and discipline the employees under their supervision. Other tasks with which a manager is tasked are building rapport with people on all levels of the company, engaging subordinates, clarifying tasks, reinforcing information and instructions shared and building an alliance with the staff so they can work together effectively. The best managers are also involved in planning, prioritizing and budgeting. It can be a lot for new managers to master right away.

Understand Your Limitations

To enjoy long-term success and grow into the position, new managers must understand they may take a little time to master all the responsibilities with which they are charged. They should take advantage of the resources and support available to them early and often. Wise managers ask for help when they need it and are willing to put in the additional time and work necessary to become successful and quickly grow into the job.

Cultivate Leadership Skills

Whether you work in a personal injury law firm in Brisbane or any other type of organization, the best managers display excellent leadership skills. It begins with having a service mentality, a willingness to help others fulfill their potential. Good managers are reliable, responsive, composed and focused. They model fairness and excellence, inspire trust and loyalty and bring out the best in others. Their passionate leadership creates a contagious enthusiasm. The best managers trust their people, listen to them and give them the room and opportunities to learn and grow.

Give Of Yourself

People who want to excel as managers and leaders must be willing to offer their staff the personal attention, support, training and coaching they need. They should develop and groom them and help them get the experience they need. Successful managers have the courage to champion their staff's important new ideas, provide them with the resources they need, move obstacles to their success out of their way and focus on serving them as you work together to help the company to prosper.

Effective Leadership From Managers

Most people want to work with managers who are effective leaders. Someone whose actions are aim at making their subordinates and the company as productive as possible. Managers with vision, focus and the courage to honestly address issues like improper business practices and conflicts-of-interest. This gives them credibility, commands the attention of everyone they come in contact with and compels others to respect them and follow their lead. Their goal isn't to be popular. They gain influence by being honorable and getting things done the right way.

Be A Courageous Manager

The best managers are courageous enough to take bad news and criticism and continue to move forward. They encourage orderly debate and constructive disagreement understanding this leads to the discovery of useful alternatives. When subordinates make mistakes, they use it as teachable moments without belittling the worker. A manager's willingness to listen to input from staff members makes workers feel respected and appreciated and encourages them to continue share inventive, innovative, ideas knowing the will be heard and considered.

Help People To Grow

In order to help their staff to grow, good managers allow them explore, test and interpret information and discover ways to solve issues themselves. This helps them to learn and grow and be prepares to resolve issues that are more complex and ambiguous. Good managers help worker improve their level of competence and confidence by giving them praise and guidance. This leads to consistently excellent performance.

Draw On People's Capabilities

Superior managers identify the capabilities and talents of each member of their staff and give them opportunities to use, develop and improve them. Often the person hadn't realized they possessed that ability or potential. The best managers help the members of their team to learn skills and accomplish things the never imagined was possible.

Characteristics Of An Impactful Manager

To have the most positive impact possible, a manager must possess and manifest several key characteristics. They must clearly and consistently make their expectations they have of their staff known. The manager must also be available, approachable, reliable and responsive and deliver what they promise. When faced with adversity, the manager must remain calm, composed and focused, gather the pertinent facts and information and take positive action. This engenders the trust and confidence required to build relationships that together with talent, effective strategy and good corporate culture, form the foundation of a successful company.

Transforming From Employee To Manager

Making the successful transition from a rank and file employee to a manager requires a change in the person's focus and persona. Rather than simply focusing on doing their job, the new manager must also focus on helping others do their jobs well. Their stellar work got them a management position, but they must now focus on developing trust and teamwork and delivering effective professional leadership. Being respected is now more important than being liked, although they are not mutually exclusive. Setting the appropriate boundaries and making the commitment to identifying and genuinely manifesting the proper characteristics can help them avoid perfection paralysis, step out of their comfort zone, overcome fear and uncertainty and become an effective manager.

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