The biggest mistake many business people make is to assume that, because they are the boss or the head of a department, they know what they need to in order to manage people effectively. This is just not true. And although managers and leaders do require many of the same skill sets, the training required to be proficient at either leadership or management (or both) is quite different.
These basic skill sets are vital to managers:
- Can this individual build rapport?
- Can they set goals?
- Can they give honest constructive feedback?
- Can they make the tough decisions?
And this is just the tip of the iceberg of skills required of good managers. However, adding anything more to the list would be foolish unless it is customized to a particular industry or business.
How to do that? Sit down and brainstorm a list of tasks that are absolutely necessary to manage employees working for your particular company or industry.
After that, the most important step toward becoming a bona fide manager is to change your mindset, because even though you are a leader, this does not mean you are going to manage people well.
Thus ask yourself what management styles you’ve experienced in your work history. Which of those styles have you relied on the most to manage? Is it the best choice? If you want to know the best management style, why not do some research? Why not read some book about being a manager? See how these books mesh with your management style. There are multiple management styles out there, so make sure you take a look around before picking the one that you intend to follow. Some managers focus on an employee’s weakness, sure that their weakest point will be trained to be their strength, and some deal only with an employee’s strengths, sure that the greatest growth will come from there.
It’s a matter of perspective and more than likely, dependent on the industry in which your company does business. Specialized jobs require strong skill sets, which are then utilized most effectively. Less-specialized jobs can take an employee’s weakness and train it into their greatest strength.
At any rate, business owners who neglect quality management training for themselves or those they hire to manage employees do so at their peril. Management is an art, and in the past few decades, has become somewhat of a scientific endeavor. There are many best practice textbooks available and even more different management styles to choose from.
