Leading a team isn't as difficult as you may think, though. The main rule to follow is to avoid being too bossy and too friendly. You need to be a great professional and a role model for your colleagues. Here are a few tricks to become a better team manager at work.
1. SET A GOOD EXAMPLE
Just because you've got that promotion doesn't mean you have more power and you can relax. You should work like your team does. The key word here is a team, which means you should work together. If you have a difficult project to accomplish, don't just sit around waiting for your colleagues to accomplish it. Suggest your ideas, listen to the ideas of your colleagues, and do your best to help your team to accomplish a successful project on time. Speaking about time, make sure to come to work on time each day. Motivate your team to do the same. If you come in at noon, criticize the work of your team and then leave at 4 or 5 pm, you will never become a successful team manager. Follow the rules you apply to your team, and they will definitely respect you and will want to work with you down the road.
2. MOTIVATE YOUR TEAM
No one wants to be stuck in a position. Motivate your team members to work better to get a promotion. Inspire them to improve their career path and help them reach their career goals. One of the best ways to motivate your team to work better is to have individual meetings where you can talk about person's weaknesses and strengths, and find the most effective way to boost their productivity. Try to encourage your team members to learn something new each day. Unfortunately, most managers don't provide their team members with a better career path. It's a bad mistake that you should avoid making.
3. RECOGNIZE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
I can't understand why it's so hard for a boss or manager to recognize their employees' accomplishments and simply to say "Well done" at least once in a while. From personal experience I can say that most bosses avoid rewarding their employees because they don't even try to see a good job. They have lots of remarks, tell you that you don't do anything and you will never get a promotion. It's unfair and frustrating, especially if you work like a horse the whole day and sometimes evening. If you are a team manager, make sure you don't make the same mistake. If your team member did a fantastic job, tell them that they did well. Your team will respect you and they will never tell that you are a bad manager.
4. HAVE A HAPPY HOUR
Whether your company provides budget for a happy hour or not, it's a good idea to have a happy hour at least once a week. Being a successful team manager isn't about job only. You should also know about your team member's lives, their interests, hobbies and traits. A happy hour is a wonderful opportunity to know your team better, spend a great time together and build team camaraderie.
5. ADMIT YOUR MISTAKES
Many people have trouble admitting their mistakes, especially bosses and managers. They will always find thousands of ways to prove that you are wrong and you don't do your job well. However, no one is perfect and every person in this world makes mistakes. We should learn to admit them. Leave your ego at home and don't be afraid to tell your team members that it's your mistake. You might not be better than your team, so why not respect each other and learn from mistakes together? Your team will become more experienced and successful if they have a good and wise team manager.
Although you, as a team manager, can have a huge set of unique skills, great knowledge of the field and more power, it doesn't mean that your colleagues are worse than you. They might not be as smart as you, but you can always help them to be better team members. After all, when the team is successful, their manager is successful as well. Remember, you are the leader and role model for your team. You need to find a smart way to motivate them work better and reach their career goals. What are your secrets of being a successful team manager?
– Jennifer Houston/Womanitely/Radar.ng
