When you become a manager, your focus transfers from your role as an individual to the success of your team. It is important you understand your team members’ career goals and support them in achieving those goals.
Fast Company offers the following three skills every new manager should develop.
- Identify your leadership style. Leaders often adjust their approach to fit specific circumstances. For example, in the face of mass layoffs that increase employees’ workloads, a delegative leader might assign the responsibility of addressing skills gaps and managing training to subordinates, while a servant leader might proactively provide resources and support to employees. It is important to explore which style is best for you and your team, and there is training available to help you align your leadership style with your team’s goals.
- Shift your focus from tasks to people. When you become a manager, your primary focus shifts from the project to ensuring your team has the resources and support needed to achieve results. Building relationships with direct reports can foster trust and lead to less stress and burnout and more productivity and engagement. Prioritize one-on-one meetings and let your team members do most of the talking so they can share their concerns and aspirations.
- Learn to delegate tasks. As you start to delegate, be sure you identify your team members’ strengths and interests and are aware of their workloads. Consider how much work they can realistically handle without affecting performance, and monitor workflows to avoid over-delegating, which can lead to employee burnout.
