There’s an unfortunate truth about most managers that no one really talks about. More often than not, good employees are rewarded for their hard work and are then promoted into a managerial position because it’s the next step up in the company ladder. As well deserved as that promotion may be, whether it’s at your current company or you’ve accepted a new role at a different company, chances are no one gave you any training on how to be a good manager.
Being a hard working, detail oriented, creative, and overall amazing employee, doesn’t necessarily mean you have the skills you need to be a good manager. We’re not saying you’re not capable of being a good manager, but it’s unfair to expect yourself to just wake up one day ready to manage employees. You can totally learn all of these skills, but you may have to take initiative to build them on your own.
Keep some of these tips for how to be a good manager in mind.
Managers give feedback, that’s a very important part of their job description. But it’s also important to accept feedback and constructive criticism without getting defensive. You’ll learn how to be a better manager if you don’t get defensive and can take feedback from your employees into consideration. Chances are, if they’re coming to you with complaints, this is an issue they feel strongly about. You can work together with your team to ensure you all become better at your jobs.
Managers are people too and like anyone else, they have their preferences. We spend a lot of time with our coworkers so it’s understandable why we tend to make friends on the job. That being said, just because you like someone more on a personal level, that doesn’t mean you should play favorites when it comes time for promotions, raises, bonuses, or for assigning out exciting projects. Before making a decision about an employee, ask yourself, am I letting personal feelings come into play here?
Good managers have an open door policy. Your team should feel like they can come to you with any issue and like you won’t penalize them for “complaining”. It’s so important to make sure your employees feel heard. For example, if you set weekly check-in meetings with individual teammates, don’t cancel them randomly. Even if you have nothing to discuss with them and feel swamped that day, they may have something they want to discuss with you. By shutting down opportunities for them to speak with you, they’ll feel less supported. Listen without being defensive and try your best to take action if they address concerns that you can assist with.
One major mistake managers tend to make, especially new ones, is to focus more on how they look to their boss than to their team. We all want our boss to be happy with us, but if a manager feels the need to throw their own team under the bus or take credit for work they didn’t do in order to please their boss, they’re being a bad manager.
While many companies have robust internal training programs for managers or pay for their managers to attend external training, all too often managers don’t receive the education they need to be good at their jobs. Sometimes you have to take your career education into your own hands. These are some of our favorite management books that can help you learn how to be a better manager.
These books offer a range of perspectives and approaches to management and leadership, and can provide valuable insights for managers at any level and in any industry.
Are you ready to take the next big step in your career? Enroll in Leveling Up Your Career for more insight on building a career you’ll love!
Aelyn’s reason for existing is simple — to teach everyone the life skills necessary to not only survive, but thrive.
With every course, you take one step further towards building your dream life.
The trademarks AELYN and FIND YOUR SUCCESS A Logo are owned by AELYN. All rights reserved.
