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Take any corporate blog and you’ll get a slew of ideas and tips on what makes a manager a leader. Some of them might talk about the difference between the two and why you need to be both, not just one or the other.
You’ll find people writing about management lessons learned after 5, 10 or even 20 years of experience. If you scour the web for these lessons, regardless of how creative the headings seem, there are five elements that always remain the same. These five business management lessons are: communication, reliability, empathy, trust and collaboration.
Let’s discuss each of these to understand why you need to build them as must-have skills to thrive in the workplace, especially as a manager who wants to lead.
You Need These Five Business Management Lessons
Wherever you are in your career, there will come a time when you have to lead a team. Maybe it’s a small, two-member team or a fully-formed department. In each case, there are some things you need to be mindful of if you want to:
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Achieve your goals—as a team and an individual
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Build meaningful, trust-rich relationships
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Make your team feel acknowledged
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Gain your team’s respect
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Become a reliable, responsible leader
These five management lessons are essential if you want to become a better manager. Focusing on your personal development and growth as a professional will ultimately lead you to success.
Here are the five management lessons you must make note of:
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Communication Is Also About Listening
As far as managerial learnings go, there’s nothing greater than the advantages and pitfalls of communication. When done well, it can lead to amazing results. Otherwise, it can cause hostility in a team. Remember that communication is equal parts listening and speaking. The point is to convey ideas or messages, but also to invite opinions and feedback. Be open to feedback, even as a manager. Listen to your team members. If their work is not up to the mark, they may be going through a crisis. If you listen to them they’re bound to be more open with you the next time.
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Your Team Needs To Be Able To Rely On You
Becoming a reliable manager is a great feat. It’s definitely not easy. Not only do you have to satisfy your seniors but also keep your team happy. But at the end of the day, if you can spare time for your team, act on their ideas and give them due credit, that’s already worth acknowledging.
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Practice Empathy, Don’t Just Preach It
It’s easy to talk about being empathetic. A little too easy at times. But truly understanding what it means, how to practice it and approach the idea of it, is a different story. When you talk about being an empathetic manager, make sure you practice it as well. Your team will learn from you every step of the way. If you’re someone they can expect empathy from, it’ll add to their job satisfaction. Putting yourself in their shoes, understanding where they’re coming from and giving them space to recover are a few things you can implement from day one.
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Trust Really Is The Bedrock Of All Relationships
Management lessons are incomplete without mentioning trust. Trust is the ingredient for effective, lasting and meaningful workplace relationships. If you want to build connections at work, you need to be trustworthy. Your team will trust you more if you deliver on your promises. Trust-based teams will take you further than you can imagine. If someone on your team can’t trust you as their manager, they’ll likely switch teams or quit. Try to build trust with each employee.
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Collaborate And Delegate, You Can’t Do Everything Alone
Collaboration doesn’t end at brainstorming and hearing everyone’s ideas. You have to trust your team to execute and take these ideas forward. It’s liberating to have someone trust you enough to let you take the lead. Delegation is part of managerial lessons. When you’re collaborating with your team, delegate tasks that speak to each of their strengths. Not only will this strengthen your team dynamics but it’ll reap optimal results.
There are endless management lessons and most are subjective. What you learn from them might be different from your colleague. Management learnings are part of the process of becoming a better, more efficient professional. There’s a learning curve to every job regardless of position. What you need is to be open to learn, grow and acknowledge your mistakes. The whole point of it being a lesson is to learn and become better.
Managing Teams The Right Way
Harappa’s Managing Teamwork course will teach you what makes a team effective. From formation to outcomes, learn about every aspect of team building. With frameworks like the Skill-Will Matrix and the Social Styles Model, you’ll learn to recognize the unique traits and strengths of your team members. Become a reliable, trusted and empathetic manger by enrolling today!
Explore Harappa Diaries to learn more about topics such as Project-Based Learning, Tips For Online Class, the Importance Of Cooperative Learning and What Is Peer Learning to become a well-rounded professional.
