Management styles can be as varied as the managers who use them. When a worker rises to the level of managing a team, however, he or she needs a set of core skills essential to any management position.
Here are four core traits to reinforce in existing managers and to cultivate in promising staff members:
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Consideration
One of the most valuable skills a manager can utilize is that of careful listening. When managers begin by listening to their teams, they gather the information that can help them make more considered decisions. They also provide the team with the opportunity to explore and share what they know, making them active participants in the decision process. They also communicate the consideration of their staff members as valuable contributors.
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Flexibility
Managers often find themselves playing the role of teacher, as they show their staff how jobs can be done more effectively and why certain methods are preferred over others. Just like classroom teachers, managers do best in this role when they are flexible enough to adapt their teaching methods to the needs of individual team members. When managers can adapt to each staff member’s needs, they can better ensure that each person understands their role and can work more effectively with others.
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Integrity
Integrity is foundational to earning respect, and it also prepares a manager for future endeavors. Managers who have integrity demonstrate it by aligning their daily activities with their highest stated values, as well as the values of the organization. They “walk their talk,” place their egos aside, and encourage the members of their team to do the same. When managers demonstrate integrity, they lead with an example that incorporates the best values of the organization and encourages the best work from their staff.
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Empathy
Listening, adapting and exemplifying their highest values are all supported and enhanced by a manager’s empathy, or ability to place themselves into the perspectives of others. The best managers know how to balance empathy with boundary-setting: They can see a problem from every participant’s perspective, but they use this information to find a well-rounded solution rather than to automatically take the side of whoever is speaking to them.
At THE RIGHT STAFF, LLC, our recruiters help our clients improve their leadership and build strong teams, based on some of the best available talent in the St. Paul area. To learn more, contact us today.
