5 Vital Tips for Becoming a Great Manager in 2023

Being an effective manager involves more than just technical expertise in your chosen sector; in point of fact, it is an entirely other ability that must be developed in its own right. The author of the classic business book “The E-Myth,” Michael E. Gerber, suggests that not all skilled bakers should go on to become proprietors of their own bakeries. This piece of advice has proven to be quite helpful to me throughout the course of my career as an entrepreneur, and it has served as a driving force behind my ongoing efforts to hone my own managerial abilities.

In this piece, I’d want to offer you five key pieces of advice that, if followed, can help you develop into an efficient and successful manager. As the founder of the cat brand tuft + paw, I put these suggestions into practice on a daily basis, and as a result, we have seen great success.

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1. Commit to the most extreme form of honesty, which combines high levels of empathy and directness.

The cornerstone of efficient management is uncompromising honesty, which strikes the ideal balance between high levels of empathy and high levels of directness. This requires you to communicate in a manner that is honest and open, while also demonstrating empathy for the thoughts and experiences of the other members of your team. Avoiding uncomfortable talks can, in the long run, cause more significant difficulties, undermine trust and respect, and, quite plainly, waste everyone’s time.

I understand that incorporating radical honesty into your management style might be difficult, particularly if you are someone who is naturally reserved, but I promise you that the return is worth the effort you put in. I suggest making it a habit to consult Kim Scott’s book Radical Candor on a regular basis in order to review the radical honesty graph. This will serve as a helpful reminder of the proper level of equilibrium to strive towards. Make it a priority to deal with problems head-on and immediately, always bearing in mind that honesty is the most important aspect of integrity. You will be able to cultivate a culture of trust and respect among the members of your team if you maintain an environment that is open and transparent.

2. Establish credibility and a sense of familiarity through in-person interactions.

Building personal trust and connection with your colleagues is just as vital as being completely honest in the office, which is why being completely honest is so important. Make sure you schedule time for unplanned get-togethers with the other members of your team. These get-togethers will provide an opportunity for genuine connection outside of the context of work-related conversations.

Attend to the talk attentively while also taking part in it. Because we are all human beings with our own unique wants, worries, and experiences, the most effective method to demonstrate that you care is to connect with someone on a more personal level. This strategy, when implemented, has a cumulative effect that, over time, helps to cultivate a sense of belonging and improves the team’s commitment to attaining shared goals. Building great relationships with the members of your team will not only boost the morale of your team, but it will also allow you to have a better understanding of the individual strengths and weaknesses of each member.

3. Encourage dialogue that is both open and honest in both directions.

The next piece of the management puzzle is to encourage open and honest communication in both directions, which builds on the foundation of your own radical honesty and the rapport you’ve established with the team. Create an environment in which all members of the team are free to voice their opinions, concerns, and ideas without fear of retaliation. As a manager, you should put your words into action by aggressively seeking out and placing value on the feedback of your staff. If you take their advice into consideration when it’s appropriate, it will show them that their opinions are valued.

In addition, establish venues for open conversation, such as frequent meetings of the team or idea boxes in which participants remain anonymous. The practice of placing a strong emphasis on open and honest communication will almost immediately result in enhanced problem-solving and improved dynamics within a team, and over the course of time, it will lay the groundwork for a company that is more inventive.

4. Provide your team with some latitude and adaptability.

Excellent managers are aware of how critical it is to give their teams the freedom and leeway to perform their jobs in a variety of ways. Empower the members of your team to make decisions and contribute creatively by placing your faith in them to take ownership of the duties and obligations assigned to them.

In the present labor market, this can be accomplished in a number of effective ways, including through the provision of choices for working remotely or with flexible schedules. You may contribute to the development of a workplace culture that places a high value on maintaining a healthy work-life balance by giving members of your team the autonomy to design work schedules that meet their individual needs. When an employee feels supported in their personal life, they are more likely to be productive and involved in their work while at the same time. Giving your employees more independence and flexibility, regardless of the method you choose to implement it, will help you establish a team that is committed to the success of the business and will boost the loyalty and drive of those employees.

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5. Encourage the personal growth and professional advancement of team members

Your job as a manager extends beyond the day-to-day operations of the company; in addition, you are expected to be committed in the expansion and maturation of the people of your team. Determine their capabilities, areas for improvement, and professional goals to assist them in realizing their full potential (can you see the connection with the second tip?). It is important to foster a culture of lifelong learning and professional growth, thus one way to do this is to offer opportunities for training and skill development.

One of the most famous sayings about business is, “What if we train people to be so good that they leave us for somewhere else?” This is one of my favorite phrases.

The retort to this is usually something along the lines of, “What if we don’t train them, and they stay?”

You can see where this is going wrong. Without properly training its employees to reach their maximum potential, a company will never be able to realize its entire potential. When you make an investment in the development of your team, you are creating a workforce that is both loyal and dedicated, which will greatly contribute to the success of the firm.

Adopting the mentality that it is preferable to train individuals to be so good that they might leave for other possibilities rather than neglecting their growth and having them stay in roles that do not please them is, in a nutshell, the best course of action to take.

To become an effective manager, one needs to devote not just to increasing their level of technical understanding but also to increasing their level of important leadership abilities. You may become an exceptionally effective and influential leader if you embrace radical honesty, create trust through face-to-face interaction, encourage open communication, provide autonomy to team members, and promote their progress. Keep in mind that the success of any organization rests squarely on the shoulders of its managers as well as the culture that they develop within their own teams. Watch as your team flourishes under your direction when you lead with honesty, empathy, and determination.