Would you like to become a better manager by the end of the week? Probably so. Rarely are people in management positions uninterested in becoming better at what they do, which is managing people. It is this drivenness to do and be better that helps them secure their supervisory positions in the first place. Supervisors can put their drive to good use by making a few simple changes that will maximize their effectiveness.
Become a Better Manager by the End of the Week
A lot can change in one workweek – especially when you take some new actions that will benefit your employees. Managers, give just one of these tips a try today:
Be more patient
Patience isn’t merely a virtue for someone in a management position; it is also a survival skill. Managers should primarily strive to be more patient for the sake of their employees, but also for the purpose of decreasing personal stress.
Teach employees about the company budget
Like parents who don’t teach their kids how to handle money, too many managers fail to educate their employees about the company budget. This can have negative consequences on a company’s bottom line. Authors Wade Miller and Richard Brodeur addressed this neglected issue in their workplace behavior manual Understanding Workplace Expectations. In the book, they encourage supervisors to talk to employees about the importance of helping the company they work for make money, not lose it. They also provide clear instructions about how to do this.
Hold employees accountable
It’s just as important that managers hold employees accountable as it is for them to be patient. The Harvard Business Review’s article One Out of Every Two Managers is Terrible at Accountability stated, “…no matter what short-term costs an upwardly ambitious manager avoids by not playing the sheriff, they are overshadowed in the long run by the creation of a culture of mediocrity and lackluster organizational performance.” By holding employees accountable in a kind and patient manner, you can reset the bar for worker performance and begin to change your company’s culture.
Never play favorites
Are you fair in your role as supervisor? You may think so, but it’s good to dig deep with this question. It is easy to prefer certain employees over others, and it doesn’t mean you’re a bad person if you tend to do this. After all, “some employees are just more likable, others more difficult,” wrote Victor Lipman, contributor to Forbes. “Good managers keep their personal emotions in check. Resist the understandable tendency toward favoritism. Fight it. Subdue it. Defeat it. You’ll be respected for it.”
Being more patient and fair, holding employees accountable, and teaching workers about the company budget are practices common for exemplary managers. In which of these areas could you stand to be strengthened?
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