8 Tips for Being a Better Manager

The role of an efficient and effective manager on the surface has seemed quite straightforward. To prepare a plan and commit to deliver as per the plan, in the agreed time, cost and quality required. This also means that the manager needs to be well versed in the project’s domain, while planning with a long term vision, and keeping his/her team motivated. In other words it comes down to:

Control of Processes

Guidance of People

Overseeing Expectations

However, a deeper look shows that each front requires individual skills to handle them effectively. Bearing the three aspects above, it takes only 8 steps toward being a better manager. So let’s have a look to understand why these are critical to being a better manager, and what tools you can use to improve them with.

Communication

Complementing interpersonal skills is the ability to maintain clear communication itself. This is quintessential for managers in the organizations for performance of basic functions in their role such as Planning, Organizing, Leading and Controlling, and more so at this time of pandemic, with remote working and social distancing in place. With minimal facilities, clear conveyance to the team with regard to information and thoughts is needed. Communication goes both ways; therefore it’s equally imperative to have the communication skill to listen and encourage input by others; and to motivate the other individuals to contribute ideas and solutions. Keeping the above in mind, one such tool is MultiCall. MultiCall is a calling app that allows group collaboration, be it your friends, family, or even your office team. With multiple features such as Call Monitoring and Recording, MultiCall does not require heavy-duty networks. In the case of a MultiCall, data is required only to initiate the call.

Interpersonal Skills

The element of interpersonal skills is a tool people use to interact and communicate with individuals in an organizational environment. The ability to communicate within an organization, specially from a managerial standpoint, therefore depends heavily upon people’s interpersonal skills. From a personal standpoint however, mastering interpersonal skills, specially in cases such as public speaking stand to be a fear for some individuals.

Be More Driven By Data

Complementing intuition with systematic study has been a critical communication element of efficient and effective leader. From a managerial standpoint, such an approach would mean managers are able to better examine and organise their data toward better serving their end goals. At this point, though, the tools that a manager needs to be more data driven depends on what function manager wishes to utilize said data. We are more than familiar with name of LinkedIn as a data-driven networking tool. In the case of organizational performance optimization, KPISOFT (Key Performance Indicator Software was seen as appropriate.

Give regular performance appraisals

It’s one thing that managers need to commit to progressing in their work goals toward a plan. But simply this is not enough; progress must also be also apprised to everyone who is involved. Performance updates are critical in allowing everyone to understand whether or not you are on track to hit the goals you have outlined. And one such tool that lets you to keep track of this would be the performance management app AssessTEAM.

Learn to Maintain Consistency

When committing to a plan, the setting of clear processes in the company can allow yielding of positive results, and also for repeatability and efficiency when optimized. One tool to allow for measuring consistency on that note would be the Consistency Chain app. Adapted for any given work task, the app utilizes a unique countdown through which it measures the consistency of executed tasks.

Learn to Keep Team Motivated

Everyone achieves more when together, but that can only happen as long as everyone is motivated to do so. In pressing times such as this pandemic, companies are vulnerable to having members lose motivation due to increased social distancing and remote working. ON that note, one tool that can be utilized for this is the Asana app. A project management software, its platform serves your teams so they can stay focused on the goals, projects, and daily tasks as you grow your business. This is inclusive of setting priorities and deadlines, detail sharing and task assignment. It also creates helps create visual project plans to see how every step maps out over time, thus keeping an eye on deadlines, and eliminating potential obstacles.

Manage Up

The aspect of being a good manager isn’t just about managing down the organizational chart, but up as well. Building meaningful relationship with one’s own manager means better understanding and alignment towards their goals and expectations.

Staying Flexible

While it’s critical to have a set of policies and standard operating procedures, its equally necessary to maintain enough flexibility to counteract the occasional surprise that is bound to arise from time to time.

“People buy into the leader before they buy into the vision” – John C. Maxwell