If you are in charge of a team of people, then it is an important role to have. Not only are the person that they will come to for help or advice, but how you treat them can be pivotal in if they enjoy coming to work or not. We all know of a time when we have worked for someone that was hard work, right? That can make coming into work each day a real challenge for many. So it is important that you are aware of your management skills and how much impact you do have on your team. Getting the balance of manager and friend is important to be able to get the most out of your team. So if you’re in a position of authority and need some guidance, or you’ll be in a management role soon, then here are some things that you can start doing today to improve the kind of manager that you are.

Choose the Best Team

If you want to be a productive team to really make change and achieve, then you need to make sure that you have a stellar team behind you. Of course, some colleagues will be ‘inherited,’ so to speak, and will have already been employed by the business. But if you are starting out or in a position where you will be interviewing people for the role, then it is important to choose the right people for the job. The right experience is important, as well as how well you see the person fitting in with the rest of the team and colleagues. You’ll have a greater chance to succeed when the right people are in place and if the team all get along.

Team Perks

If you are in a position to give things to your team or to mark special occasions, then it is going to make for a better time at work. Celebrate small things that get done well. You could also celebrate birthdays and special occasions at work to help morale and give them a boost. Looking for small things to do to help them too, like giving rotas well in advance with some free scheduling software, for instance, and helping them to work flexibly if needed, are great little perks that can help your team to enjoy working where they do. Enjoyment at work is really key and will help the longevity of your team and also time as manager. Small things like things can make a big difference and help your team to enjoy working for you.

Motivate Them

If you go to work and your boss isn’t even enthusiastic about being there or getting the job done, then it can really have an impact on how you perform at work. So for starters, you need to be enthusiastic and motivating to your team. But you do also need to get to know your team and what makes them tick. They will want to do good work for some recognition and prestige perhaps, and they may do less well as they want an easy ride but to still get paid. So you need to figure out what each individual’s motivation is so that you can better help them, lead them, and motivate them. Someone that is more concerned about pay is likely to work harder if they know a pay rise could be up for grabs, rather than just getting a pat on the back. The team members that like recognition will work best when you acknowledge the good things that they are doing. So get to know them and learn how to best motivate each one of them.

Build a Team

It is all very well being the leader of a team. But if they don’t see themselves as a team, then you need to make some changes. You could look at organizing a team building day, for example, to help them to work together and get to know one another. If your team like to just do their own thing, then they won’t have the team vision that you have for the business. So take steps to help them become a team and to work together. You’ll never know the power of a team night out or an office party!

Improve Communication

If you want to be a better manager, then you need to have some great communication skills. If you don’t like face to face interactions and prefer thing over email, then that is something that you’ll have to get over pretty quickly. If you’re not seen as approachable, then your team won’t bother coming to you with issues if they just think that you’re aloof. Improve how you speak to people, especially things like your tone of voice and temperament. Improve how well you listen too. Some of your team members may come to you with queries and concerns, but as a manager, you have to listen and read between the lines a little bit. Is something else going on as to why they can’t get a piece of work done? You don’t want to pry, but as a manager, being flexible and helping your team’s work and life balance is important.

Improve Yourself

It can be hard for anyone to take advice from a manager that is up in their ivory tower that is definitely not practicing what they preach. So look at the things that you can be improving in your work life. Not only will it make you a better manager, but it will help you to become a better colleague and business person in general. It can help you to help your team too, as you can give examples of when you were in a similar situation and talk about what you did to help, for example. So make a start today with improving the areas that you are weaker in.

The bottom line is that management is a skill that needs to be learned. So don’t worry if you feel a little overwhelmed at first. Working on it a little each day is a great way to help you improve as a manager slowly but surely.