Being a charismatic manager seems challenging. Can you generate business results while maintaining respect?
58% of managers claim that they were not given any management training during their careers. (MDA Training)
We’ve all seen team leaders fail in one or both areas. We’ve heard of managers who juggle both successfully. Here are 11 concepts to understand before you lead a team:
Self-Awareness
Don’t become the oblivious boss!
• When are you at your best?
• When should you ask for help?
• How do you respond to things when you are stressed?
Self-awareness will unlock your potential, and it’s impossible to grow without it.
Slow is fast
You have to start slow to go fast.
You need:
• A clear plan
• A clear goal
• A clear strategy
Be ruthless about making sure all levels of your organization understand their priorities and
Why their work matters.
Inspect what you expect
It’s impossible to be an effective delegator without consistently following up to ensure your expectations are being met.
• Coach to opportunities
• Recognize success
And do it all because you care about your team.
Create problem solvers
Encourage your team to become problem solvers by resisting the urge to fix every problem.
• Ask how they would like to solve a problem
• Use mistakes as a development opportunity
Teaching others to solve problems is the only way to scale.
Everything starts with trust
Your team needs to know you are competent and have integrity.
The easiest way to show them you have both is by doing what you say you will do.
• Write down your commitments
• Proactively manage expectations
Conflict is a Constant
Hoping conflict will go away by ignoring it is like hoping weeds in your garden will disappear when you ignore them.
Your goal is not to hope conflict disappears because it won’t.
Your goal is to get better at managing it.
Seeds Depend on Soil
You can create healthy soil in your organization by listening deeply to people at all levels.
Understanding their goals and obstacles will ensure you can provide the support they need.
Creating healthy soil will allow ideas to flourish.
Be Urgent with Feedback
Don’t wait 10 days for a conversation that will take 10 minutes.
Remember, the purpose of feedback is to help.
Be direct with feedback because you are invested in the success of others.
Make it Easy to Talk About Mistakes
People are going to make mistakes. When this happens, it’s important for you to respond in a way that is aligned with your goals and values.
Creating a culture where people hide mistakes is expensive.
Follow the 80/20 Rule
80% of your results come from
20% of your actions.
Know what makes an impact and get comfortable saying no to, or delegating, everything
else.
Protect Your Refresh Time
Know the things that keep you at your best, and don’t let them become optional.
When you fail to stay energized, your team will feel it first.
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