Moving up into management can be both adventurous and overwhelming. Due to the enormous complexity involved with supervising an operation, it’s common for new managers to fall into traps that slow down business development. Here are seven of these common mistakes and how to prevail through effective leadership.
1. Assuming Respect is Automatic
Just because you become a leader doesn’t mean anyone will follow. An effective team leader builds trust through setting examples and communicating clearly. You must develop self-awareness skills to understand how your words and actions are interpreted or can be misinterpreted by employees.
2. Overlooking Communication Style
Communication style is a big part of management. It has a direct impact on how team members perceive you and the company. A friendly style works better than an authoritarian or arrogant style. Consider how integrity and emotion are key building blocks to team construction.
3. Failing to Interact with Team Members
Feedback is what turns communication into a loop, allowing two parties to understand each other. Without feedback from employees, it’s difficult to predict how long members will last on the team. Not only should you collect employee feedback, you should give constructive feedback on each member’s performance.
4. Staying in a Comfort Zone
It’s always helpful to keep learning new business strategies rather than only relying on knowledge that makes you comfortable. Be open to exploring new ideas from colleagues, team members and stakeholders.
5. Not Delegating Responsibility Appropriately
A manager usually cannot do everything necessary to run a winning operation. You must rely on others, but you should delegate responsibilities based on what’s appropriate for specific members.
6. Over-emphasizing Discipline
Employee discipline has its place, especially if anyone causes harm to the business or others. But constantly making a big deal out of rules and violations can create a gloomy prison-like atmosphere. You can create a more productive workplace by emphasizing motivation over fear.
7. Ignoring the Wellbeing of Employees
Modern workplace managers must take into account the livelihood of employees. Allowing for a work-life balance with an emphasis on personal wellbeing is essential to attracting and maintaining quality talent.
Conclusion
The best way to learn better management skills is from experience and networking with other more experienced managers. Overall, the goal of every staff supervisor should be to become an effective team builder by recognizing each member as an important contributor.