Be awesome at managing people. Why? Because everyone needs to be managed. Whether it's your employees, your boss, your manager, or even a spouse or partner, when you work closely with others, you need to understand how to effectively manage and lead them.
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| Managing People |
Top 18 Best Ways to Be Awesome at Managing People
Managing people is hard. You're responsible for getting stuff done, but you don't actually get to do it yourself. Instead, you have to motivate and inspire a team of very different people to work together toward a common goal.
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But don't worry, because you can do this! You just need a few tips and tricks to help you along the way. Here's how to be awesome at managing people:
1. Take a deep breath.
People are unpredictable creatures. They have bad days and good days, they have personal issues that spill over into work, they have lots of emotions, and they're not always rational. So when someone on your team says or does something that throws you off, take a deep breath before responding. Remember: The other person is probably more upset than you are.
2. Show at least a little vulnerability.
When people know that their boss is human, it makes them feel more comfortable being human too. Everyone on your team will make mistakes — it's inevitable — so when it happens in your presence, don't blow up or go ballistic. Show some empathy instead by saying something like: "I know I've made mistakes like that myself," or "That happens to me sometimes too." This helps the person feel less defensive.
3. Treat your team like you would treat your friends.
Being friendly, making small talk, and remembering personal details about team members' lives will go a long way. A boss is someone a person sees at work five days a week; it's natural for people to want to like their boss (and it's human nature for bosses to want to be liked). If you're friendly and considerate, it makes the workplace more pleasant for everyone — and more productive as well. However, remember that the relationship between you and your employees should remain professional at all times.
4. Be specific in your instructions.
There should never be any confusion about what an employee is supposed to be doing or how he or she is supposed to do it. You need to make sure that everyone is on the same page by providing every last detail in your work requests — and following up if something isn't clear. Otherwise, you could end up with subpar results.
5. Help them make their own decisions.
The worst thing a manager can do is micromanage someone on their team into failure. Help guide them toward decisions they can make on their own so that they aren't constantly relying on you in order to do anything at all.
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6. Don't be afraid to delegate out responsibilities.
If there's something your team members could be doing well, don't just do it yourself so it gets done faster — send it down the line and teach them how to get it done correctly the first time, so that next time they can do it without any assistance.
7. Teach them about teamwork
In order for a business to succeed, everyone needs to be moving toward the same goal in unison. Doing things as individuals might seem more efficient, but working together is ultimately more effective. This includes helping your employees understand how their roles fit into the bigger picture of the company.
8. Be flexible with your employees so they can be successful.
Whatever it takes to make them feel comfortable — whether it's allowing them to work remotely or giving them the freedom to set their own schedule — give it to them, within reason.
9. Offer positive reinforcement.
Don't just tell people they're doing a good job when they make mistakes. When they do something right, let them know you appreciate it.
10. Be genuinely interested in what they have to say.
It's not enough to just ask people how their day is going and then be on your phone while they're talking. Listen to what they have to say, and make an effort to respond thoughtfully and genuinely.
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11. Give them as much freedom as possible, within reason.
No one wants to feel like they don't have control over their own work — it's boring and frustrating. Let your employees choose their tasks when possible, and allow them some flexibility in meeting deadlines. This lets employees pick work they like, which will help motivate them to get it done well and on time.
12. Don't let problems fester.
If there's a problem with an employee's performance, address it quickly — don't let it go for weeks or months before speaking up about it. That just leads to resentment on both sides of the issue. It also gives you less time to fix whatever issues are going on with your employee's performance. It's harder to undo bad habits than it is to stop bad habits from forming in the first place.
13. Listen to them, learn from them and understand their issues.
No matter how talented your employees are or how much they think they know about their jobs, there's always more to learn. After all, the world is constantly changing around us and so is business.
14. Be respectful of your employees' time and strengths.
People hate being unfairly criticized or micro-managed. If you're going to give feedback, be specific about what you liked or didn't like about a project, and ask for suggestions on how to improve next time. If an employee isn't meeting expectations, don't just throw more work at him — find out what's holding him back and help him get past it.
15. Praise your team often.
"I'm proud of our team!" "We did awesome!" Everyone wants to hear things like that once in awhile. And when a person does something really great, give them specific praise and make a fuss about it! You don't even have to give out money bonuses—just let people know how much you appreciate them.
16. Make sure you've hired the right people.
If you've brought the wrong person onto your team, it will be an uphill battle to manage them effectively. You want people who can work well with others, who are able to work independently as needed but are also team players when necessary.
17. Treat your employees like adults.
Don't micromanage them or do their work for them. Instead, set clear expectations and give them a reasonable amount of autonomy in completing their tasks.
18. Communicate clearly and often.
Make sure your team members know what is expected of them so there's no confusion about what needs to be done and when it needs to be done by. Set up regular check-in meetings with each employee to see how things are going and if they have any questions or concerns about the project or their role on the team.
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Bottom Line
Every manager makes mistakes, but you can still try to be awesome at managing people. So whether you're managing your first employee or you're a seasoned manager, there are a few things that can keep you on the right path. While there's no magic formula for being an awesome manager, the methods above can certainly help you get started.