A manager isn’t just someone who has the technical know-how to get things done efficiently. There’s also the ‘managing’ part of it, which mostly includes managing a group of individuals. Too often we get caught up in thinking that a manager should be good at the technical aspect and has the considerable experience that we forget that the primary job of a manager is to manage people.
Of course, knowing how the system works and being good at it to the point of relative ease, but all that skill will be useless if the manager can’t connect with their employees to create a collaborative atmosphere. Work is always a social collaboration, and it’s the manager who should be initiating that process.
But what if you aren’t entirely confident in your social skills in the first place? It can be frustrating when you want to improve as a manager but end up nowhere. Thankfully, socialization, like other skills, can be continuously improved. Here are a few ways you can better socialize with coworkers, and ultimately be a better manager.
Always Be Communicating
Communication is important, everybody knows that, but it’s also easy to overlook as an important part of management. Managing people means constantly communicating the latest updates and developments to them, and leaving them in the dark about projects will simply result in confusion and frustration.
Make it a habit to communicate with them consistently, both formally and casually. Keep them in the loop of business deals by creating an online chatroom where you can pin and post updates. This is also a great way to make sure they’d know about the latest announcements. It also allows for more casual conversations, such as going eating out together and the like, opening the doors for a better relationship. By simply reaching out and communicating, you’re making your work a lot easier. So don’t fret, and always be communicating.
Practice Patience and Understanding
One of the primary reasons many employees end up disliking their manager is because their managers seem to not think of their welfare or well-being. Sometimes employees would have difficulties accomplishing a task, and instead of receiving help from their managers, they only get admonished for failing to complete their job.
As a manager, you should always be thinking of what your employees and co-workers feel. Great quality work always comes from a place of willingness, and not force. When your employees fail, ask them how they’re doing first before getting angry at them for their failure. Be understanding and patient, sometimes they’re just worried about their home mortgage, or a family member is sick, or something along those lines. When you understand their situation, you can have a better grasp of what to do next, but never forget that your employees and coworkers are human first. Be humane and kind.
Know their Strengths and Weaknesses
Perhaps the top skill that you need to have when being a manager is the ability to gauge people’s skills and talents. This allows you to assign to the ones whose skillset best fits the task, making the process a lot more efficient and avoiding the all-too-common problem of giving someone a hard time because they lack the skills for the job.
When you effectively utilize your employee’s strengths, you are providing them with the very fulfilling opportunity of success. They will feel validated and fulfilled, and in turn, do their best every time a task is assigned. By also recognizing their weakness, you know their limitations and can step in when something becomes too much for them to handle. Not to mention you can also help them develop their talents, and potentially even turn a weakness into a strength.
