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Venita joined the sales department of a pharmaceutical company as a fresher. After two years, she earned her first managerial role in charge of a team in Bengaluru. But after a few weeks, it became clear to her manager that Venita wasn’t prepared to take on the role of a manager.
Growth through a company isn’t always easy. Great workers should be rewarded with promotions when the time is right, but to assume an employee who is good at sales is automatically ready to lead is a big leap. A new manager is responsible for not just delivering numbers but also getting the best out of the team, and this can be a daunting prospect.
The good news is your employees can work on developing the skills of a successful manager. By understanding and practicing a few key leadership skills and problem-solving and communication techniques, they can take their team to greater heights.
Skills Of A Successful Manager
There are certain skills to develop as a manager that will make the transition to a leadership position much smoother. The biggest mindset shift a manager can make is taking ownership of an entire project. As a leader, they’re in charge of a team’s success and are responsible when things go wrong. There are several skills that can help managers achieve success.
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The Buck Stops With You
It’s up to the leader to work with the team, delegate and see that delivery schedules are on track. Keeping in mind the big picture, it’s the manager’s job to make sure the team works to the best of their ability.
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Resist The Urge To Micromanage
Being in charge isn’t about taking on the entire burden. Learning how to delegate effectively is critical. The leader oversees the entire project, but by creating a sense of ownership and equipping everyone with what they need to succeed, the task becomes easier. Teamwork and collaboration aren’t always easy to foster, but it’s possible to master this core managerial skill. If a leader tries to do it all themselves, it’s likely to affect a team’s productivity in the long run.
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Become A Feedback Wizard
We have all been at the receiving end of feedback we resented. We need to work on being less defensive when receiving constructive criticism. The ability to deliver feedback in effective and healthy ways is a secret weapon for high-functioning managers. Additionally, they provide guidance to team members whenever required. It connects two of the core skills to develop as a manager: guiding your team and being able to influence stakeholders.
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Don’t Shy Away From Conflict
Conflict can be daunting in any setting, and when it erupts in a professional environment, it can be a test for even the most experienced manager. Once again, it demands individuals to exert their power of persuasion over stakeholders, whether it is a client or a team member. A conflict situation encourages people to look at situations from multiple perspectives. One of the key skills for manager is keeping a level of objectivity in any situation. This helps to come to a decision that serves the needs of the individuals in question and the organization. Once the dust has settled, managers should list down the takeaways from the conflict.
Learn And Grow
Development needs for managers are important to consider. The leader can learn some of these on the job, but an organization can also speed up the learning process using the following ways.
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Provide a mentor. A workplace can arrange a senior employee as a mentor or a peer as a buddy—who can guide the new leader and help them learn the skills to develop as a manager. Encourage new leaders to ask for help when needed.
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Explore management and productivity tools to make sure your leaders are getting the most out of the working day. Time management, scheduled follow-ups and staying on top of deadlines are amongst the development needs for managers.
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Several organizations offer courses for professional enhancement. Taking time off to learn a few core skills can help improve leadership skills and confidence.
Master The Management Track
Ongoing education is an effective means of developing key skills for manager growth. The Harappa First-Time Managers program addresses the 15 thrive skills for managers in the modern world. This self-paced online learning program will benchmark current skills to develop as a manager and then help your employees work on them through classes, drills and observed feedback. By investing the time to sharpen such foundational skills, managers will increase their effectiveness as a leader in the workplace.
Explore Harappa Diaries to learn more about topics such as Must-Have Skills For Leadership, Top Behavioral Skills For Managers, What Is Business Acumen & Managerial Roles And Skills, which will help organizations tap into their employee's potential.
