There is a lot of pressure on managers to drive a business forward and to keep a team inspired. For this reason, we have put together seven steps to help you boost your management skills today:

 

Step 1: Identify your vision

The first step is to clearly identify and define your vision for the company, on your own. Make sure that you know exactly what this entails. Ask yourself questions like “What is this company?”, “Why does it matter?”, and “What can it become?” Think about your bigger picture goals for the business, where you’d like to take it, and how it can improve. Write it all down.

 

Step 2: Share your vision

The next step is to communicate this vision to your employees. There are various ways of doing this, other than the conventional meeting or general email. You could pin it up on the company walls, create a vision board as a team, or host a brainstorming session in which employees can contribute their input and ideas.

 

Step 3: Break it down into finite tasks

Breaking your vision down into finite tasks is integral to executing your bigger-picture goals. What are all the things that need to happen in order to see this vision in reality? Write out a list. Number that list in order of priority and logical sequence. Include everything from the biggest, most daunting task to the smallest changes that need to be made.

 

Step 4: Align tasks with employees’ talents

This step requires you to know your employees’ talents, interests and skill sets quite well. Now that they all know your broader vision for the company, your team can engage in the process on a deeper level as you all share a common end-goal. As you delegate work, align every task with a suitable employee, ensuring that the task speaks to their respective talents and passions.

 

Step 5: Provide regular feedback

The importance of providing feedback cannot be overstated. Feedback should be constant, together with regular follow-up sessions. As a manager, you need to make yourself available for this even when it’s difficult to do so. After aligning the necessary tasks with the right people, you still need an open line of communication on how those tasks are being handled.

 

Step 6: Give constructive criticism

Constructive criticism should preferably be given one-on-one, in a sensitive and considered way. Remember that constructive criticism is not only reserved for your employees. Constructive criticism should be applied to yourself too. Realise where you could improve as a manager and review your own mistakes. Don’t shy away from them; get your team’s input on how you can improve too.

 

Step 7: Recognise great work

Appreciate people’s efforts. Thank your employees personally and publicly, as individuals and as a team. Great work deserves to be recognised and serves to motivate people to give their best. Make praise and personal recognition a habit.

 

If you want to become a manager, you might be interested in enrolling in one of our business management or online courses.

 

Also read: 14 Expensive Mistakes that Business Managers Make and How to Avoid Them