“A Good Manager is a man who is isn't worried about his own career but rather the careers of those who work for him.” - H.S.M Burns

You always dreamt of doing something big, climbing up the career ladder quickly, achieving great strides etc. Now when you are actually in the shoes of a Manager, coping up with the challenges and the responsibilities might pose a threat to you if you are not well prepared. So what is it that takes managers to become successful and perform better.

1. Evolving as a Manager:

As you pursue your career in management, it is very important for you to broader your leadership skills and think strategically about developing your career. Emotional intelligence also plays a vital role in managing and leading others. It is very important to identify your strengths and weaknesses, recognise the difference between management and leadership skills and appreciate the fact that continuous learning can benefit both your company and your career.

2. Managing a Group:

A new manager needs to have an understanding of what an effective team is and how best can it be designed to perform better. You as a manager need to understand how managing a group differs from managing individuals within a group. You need to understand the impact of group norms on team effectiveness and how to influence group norms. Resolving conflicts could be quite challenging but is again very important. You need to recognise the factors contributing to interpersonal conflicts withing the group and understand how to manage conflict in a way that enhances the group's performance. As a manager, it is very important for you to create an environment that supports group activities.

3. Understanding your New Role:

Moving from the role of contributor to manager requires broader focus and different skill sets. You could become a better manager if you realize that a manager works through other people and that success is measured by the performance of the manager's unit or group. It is also important to understand the common misconceptions held by new managers, learning to avoid common mistakes and understanding that transition from employee to seasoned manager is a process and that a combination of training, practice, reflection, and feedback offers the best opportunity for success.

4. Supporting your Boss and Organization: 

It is also very important for you to adapt your work style to accommodate your supervisor's style, understand your company's and unit's goals, and craft a personal vision for your group that supports these goals. You need to learn how to align your group and individual goals with those of your organization and unit. Forge a partnership with your supervisor that supports his / her agenda. Recognize the importance of understanding and supporting your organization's strategy.

5. Organizing Resources, Meetings and Time:

Time is a valuable resource and learning how to manage your time effectively could indeed make you an effective manager. You need to identify needed skills and resources and handle administrative responsibilities efficiently. Establishing protocols for meetings and managing meetings could maximize productivity. You need to identify which types of activities require face-to-face meetings and which can be accomplished through other communication channels.

6. Networking with colleagues:

Networking with colleagues and other individuals who could help you solve problems could be a very useful thing to do. You could learn from their experiences and also learn to choose appropriate strategies for influencing others. There is a strong need to motivate peer collaboration. Therefore you need to recognize your personal characteristics required to cultivate a strong peer network.

7. Working through others:

As a manager, you need to build positive relationships with your employees, identify your team's immediate needs and balance conflicting expectations. Managing is a people-focused activity and the majority of management time is spent managing people, networks and relationships. Employee relationships need to be based on trust. You coul d possibly use more than one management style depending on the skill and maturity of your employees.

8. Managing Performance:

It is extremely important for managers to assess employee performance. You need to clarify expectations and set performance goals. You need to understand the importance of delegating, what, to whom, and how to delegate effectively. As a manager it is important to understand how to approach and conduct performance appraisals in the context of performance management and give ongoing constructive and positive feedback.

Thus, it is not just sufficient if you are a manager. You need to be an effective and efficient manager, one who is focused on the development of himself, his team and his organization. It takes a great deal of effort to achieve great things in life. And by being a great manager, you can make a great difference ! 

Cheers!

Program co-ordinator, NexGen Managers

AVAGMAH Online School

(www.avagmah.in/nxgm)