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Transcript

10 Skills All Effective Managers Have · Enhance.training

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: What makes an effective manager?
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: I take you through 10 skills all effective managers have that make them successful.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_00: Effective managers are those that get a lot done through their teams, keep their teams motivated through thick and thin, create the right environment for individual and team success, develop the skills of their team members so they can do more, and manage all the people relationships and deal calmly with the pressures involved.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: And unsurprisingly, these managers are recognised and promoted consistently.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: I've worked alongside a wide range of managers, observed and coached many more, and the 10 skills that are straight away on my must-have list that each effective manager consistently demonstrates are firstly good self-awareness, secondly, are very good at building relationships, third setting clear expectations, fourth great communication skills, fifth are constantly educating their team, sixth they are effective delegators, seven they are good at giving useful feedback, eight.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: They're always planning and thinking ahead.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: If you keep improving these 10 skills all effective managers have, you'll keep progressing your management career as you become more and more effective at delivering results.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: If you're new to this podcast, Enhance.training shares business and people management expertise to help you improve your performance and that of your team and business.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: And do visit us at enhance.training and take a look at the courses and resources for you to improve your management skills and the outcome your team delivers.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: The first skill all effective managers have is good self-awareness.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_00: Self-awareness is how aware you are of.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: Firstly, what you are good at and what you are not so good at.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: Secondly, how your beliefs and reference points built up over your life influence your decisions and actions.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: Third, how aware you are of your own reactions to viewpoints, events, situations, challenges, etc.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: And how you manage these reactions.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: Fourth, your self-confidence and your own internal belief in your value and capabilities.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_00: Having good overall emotional intelligence which incorporates self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management is incredibly valuable to being a good, effective manager.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: And then lastly, be clear what your own values are and how you use these to guide your own decisions and actions consistently with those you manage and interact with in work and also outside of work.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: I believe that you should get good at managing yourself before you can think about managing others.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: Being consistent in what you do is important to being fair to each of those you manage.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_00: Consistency of action drives trust, and trust is very important for managers to build quickly and maintain consistently.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: Three very accessible tools to help you learn more about yourself, include firstly Strength Finders, secondly, Myers Briggs, and thirdly, Insights.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_00: In fact, there are so many tools out there to help you find a little bit more about yourself.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: For instance, there's a whole range of personality tests which can each show you a different view of yourself.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: So take the time to reflect on how your own emotions and thoughts, when you notice you're having a strong reaction to a statement, an event, a situation, etc., ask what is driving this reaction and is it appropriate?
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_00: Experiment with different ways of reacting to different situations and to develop your management toolkit.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: Professional coaching programs are also a great way to discover more about yourself and provide very useful feedback on lots of areas impacting your management skills.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: Take the time to learn more about yourself.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: It will pay dividends in becoming a more effective manager.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_00: The second skill all effective managers have is being very good at building relationships.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: As a junior manager, part of your day job is managing relationships.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: As you get into senior management, nearly all of your day job is about managing relationships.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_00: So to progress your career, you must learn how to build relationships on a professional and also a personal level within the workplace and with staff at customers and suppliers.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: Eight actions to help you build better relationships faster at work include, firstly, be a likable person, you know, be friendly, positive, welcoming, energetic, always have a smile on your face, etc.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: Secondly, meet face to face wherever you can.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: It certainly beats phone and video calls by a mile.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: Third, do your homework to create talking points on the professional and personal likes and dislikes of those you are meeting.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: Get them talking about themselves and listen.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: Fourth, find excuses to meet, which gives you the best opportunity to build relationships.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_00: Fifth, build a personal as well as a professional relationship.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_00: We are all social creatures and the personal stuff matters at work too.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: Sixth, aim to help first and ask second.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_00: This is reciprocity where we feel obliged to think well of and help those who help us first.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_00: Seventh, deliver what you say you will.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: Being nice will only get you so far.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: You have to deliver at work to build a solid professional relationship and be viewed as a reliable and competent co-worker or colleague.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_00: And eighth, ensure consistency of effort and action.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: Consistency builds trust, and trust is a must in all relationships.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: So do a good job and be friendly every time rather than just some of the time.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: The third skill all effective managers have is setting clear expectations.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: If your team members or other stakeholders in the business don't know what is expected of them, how can they deliver to these expectations and how will you know what you're going to get back?
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_00: And the same works in reverse.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: If you don't agree clear expectations to those you are providing work to, how do you know if you are delivering what they need and how can you plan effectively?
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: Good steps to follow when setting expectations are firstly thinking ahead so you know what capacity you and your team have to undertake additional work.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_00: Secondly, understand the why of what you're being asked so you can proactively solve the problems that will come up.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_00: And third, plan ahead so you can put yourself in the best place to deliver what you commit to consistently.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: And when you've done these three steps in your head or on paper, etc.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: Then, fourth, you can set expectations clearly with the other person so you all know what is going to be done, when and by whom.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: And then fifth, regularly communicate until the work is finished, so there are no surprises and you can adapt plans and expectations if needed.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: There is more that goes into setting clear expectations than most people think, which is why many people can improve in this area to the benefit of all.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: The fourth skill all effective managers have is great communication skills.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_00: Communication skills cover a wide range of skills.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: For example, writing skills, second storytelling, third, verbal communication in one-to-one settings through to talking to groups, fourth presentational skills, fifth persuasion skills, sixth managing your tone and pace of voice, seventh managing your own body language, and eighth picking up clues from the other person's tone and pace of voice and their body language.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_00: We start learning communication skills when we're still in nappies and hopefully continue to practice and improve until the day we die.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_00: Taking the time to put yourself in the other person's shoes and understand or at least appreciate their pressures, fears, reference points, drivers, learning styles, etc., gives you a huge advantage in communicating effectively so the other party takes in what you are trying to communicate to them in a positive way that they can relate to.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_00: Tailor how you communicate to the audience you are communicating with as much as you're able to.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_00: I personally find trying to avoid corporate speak, you know, using words and sayings found typically in management textbooks, and trying to use everyday language as much as possible is really helpful.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_00: Make your messaging easy to understand by keeping it well structured and concise.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_00: Less is often more in terms of the key points in the messaging.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: Say the key message or the most important points first and then justify them second.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_00: Repeat the key points as needed.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_00: This way you make sure the other party takes in the message while they are most likely to be listening.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_00: This is the same as having a summary at the start of a report.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_00: I also find being as honest as possible helps a great deal.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_00: Humans are generally good at spotting a fake, certainly in face-to-face conversations, so avoid giving messages that you don't believe in where at all possible.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_00: The fifth skill all effective managers have is to be constantly educating.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: I have not found a better way than educating others to improve skills while creating goodwill, motivation and loyalty in others.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_00: I believe a massive part of being an effective manager is to support and help others to get the best out of themselves.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_00: There are so many ways of educating, seven common ones being firstly training programmes, secondly mentoring, thirdly coaching, fourth buddy or peer learning systems, fifth exposure to difficult challenges, fifth exposure to different challenges, tasks and problems with the right level of support, of course.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_00: Sixth reading lists, seventh video lists to watch, etc.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_00: All of these education methods to work really effectively requires you to understand the other person's strengths and weaker areas, their ambitions and motivations, and what you are trying to achieve with education.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, you usually get more value from improving strengths than improving weaknesses, and your team member will certainly enjoy this a lot more.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: I've also found that spending dedicated time mentoring and coaching those you directly manage each week is very effective and helps build strong relationships with your team.
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_00: You also learn a lot in these sessions about what they do, their ideas and solutions, their frustrations, and what you can do to de-hassel their work days.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_00: The sixth skill all effective managers have is effective delegation.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_00: Good delegation is another key skill of an effective manager.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: Delegation is not just telling a team member to go and do a task or project and then waiting for what you've asked for to be delivered on time and exactly how you want it.
• 11:09
  SPEAKER_00: There is a lot more to effective delegation.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_00: Good steps to take during the delegation cycle include, firstly, knowing what to delegate and what not to.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_00: Secondly, playing to team members' strengths as much as possible by giving them tasks they are suited to do.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: Third, define the desired outcome, preferably with the person you are delegating to so everyone is clear about the goal to reach.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_00: Fourth, explain why you are asking so they have the ability to deal with all the minor problems that will come up without having to ask you each time.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_00: Fifth, provide the right level of resources, training and authority to the individual or team so they are equipped to succeed.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: And sixth, provide support, mentoring and coaching so the individual is more likely to succeed and learn in the process.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_00: 7.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_00: Allow for learning time and for unseen problems to be resolved.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_00: 8.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: Give plenty of feedback, you know what is going well and what needs to be worked on.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_00: This maximizes the learning opportunity for the other person and means you will need to get involved less next time.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: And 9.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_00: Finally, give praise to reinforce positive behaviour where it is due.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_00: The simpler the task or project you are delegating, the quicker you can go through these steps.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_00: For more complex projects or tasks, you might go over several of these steps multiple times.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_00: Learn to delegate well and you will be able to scale your time and deliver more, which gives you the platform for promotions and career progression within management.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_00: The seventh skill all effective managers have is giving useful feedback.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_00: Giving useful feedback is an absolute must to be an effective manager.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_00: Feedback is needed to improve what a team member does, for them to know what is being done well and what is falling short.
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_00: Effective managers give feedback, positive and negative, without offending the person, without creating resentment and without damaging the relationship.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_00: Remain calm, professional and considerate when giving feedback.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_00: A framework for giving specific feedback covers these points.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_00: Firstly, describe exactly what happened.
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_00: Secondly, go through the impact of what happened.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_00: Third, explain why the action was good or bad.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_00: And fourth, talk through how to improve in future for both positive and negative feedback.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_00: Your feedback should be, firstly, designed to help the individual and aid their learning.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_00: Second, timely.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_00: Give the feedback soon after the event, issue or achievement.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_00: Third, be honest.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_00: Tell it how it is.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_00: Don't beat around the bush or sugarcoat your feedback.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_00: Fourth, be specific.
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  SPEAKER_00: Make the feedback detailed with examples and facts.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_00: Fifth, focus it on the actions taken or not taken rather than opinions about the person.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_00: Giving feedback that the other person pays attention to and takes in gets easier with practice.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_00: Always give feedback with the other person's development as the first priority.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_00: The eighth skill all effective managers have is planning ahead.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_00: The ability to understand and keep track of all the outcomes that they and their teams have to deliver, the queries and the requests the team needs to respond to, and the activities and projects that need to be undertaken to deliver requires good planning skills.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_00: If you are not firstly looking ahead or weighing up the time it will take to complete an activity or project, or thinking about who is the best person to do a task or respond to a query, or what problems might come up that delay completion or add in complications, or what might happen to take away the team's capacity and skills, then you as a manager and your team will fall over quickly or fail to meet expectations of multiple stakeholders.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_00: I'm sure you can picture what that disaster would look like for you.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_00: Here are six examples of planning, from the simple to the complex.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_00: Third, creating project plans, fourth, building forecasts, fifth, budgeting, and sixth strategy creation.
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_00: As your team gets bigger, get your team members to do more of the simpler planning.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_00: Keeping out of their way so they can plan is as important as doing planning yourself.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_00: The ninth skill all effective managers have is being good at problem solving.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_00: We're all employed to solve problems.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_00: Typically, as we get more senior in our careers and enter into the management ranks, we have to personally solve or organize others to solve a wider range of problems andor more complex problems, and we have to problem solve more often.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_00: Understanding the problem that needs to be solved is usually the hardest part of problem solving.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_00: Getting through the symptom problems to find the root cause problem is where many problem solvers fall down.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_00: Solving a problem but missing the key problem is not nearly as effective.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_00: So take the time to keep asking questions and looking at the data until you are sure you understand the full extent of the problem.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_00: The next four steps to take in standard frameworks to solve problems are secondly, generate options to solve the problem.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_00: Third, evaluate the options and choose the best option.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_00: Fourth, implement the solution, and then fifth, measure the impact of the solution or progress being made and adjust the solution as needed.
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_00: Implementing the solution is another step that many managers struggle with, particularly when there are lots of moving parts to organise and you have to take people through change.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_00: The tenth skill all effective managers have is effective decision making.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_00: Managers typically make the decisions, firstly, that have a bigger impact on the business or situation, secondly, are about situations out of the normal, and third are decisions on problems complex in nature.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_00: The consequences of getting these decisions wrong for the company and for us as individuals can make reaching a decision much harder.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_00: As we climb our career ladders, we get more and more practice and understanding different types of problems and working out how to make a decision.
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_00: I think a big mistake people make is thinking that all decisions can be made with the same approach.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_00: You come up against many different types of problems or situations.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_00: Some fall into situations that you've seen before and thus can apply this approach that worked before.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_00: Some situations are more complicated and need analysis to find a sensible way forward.
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_00: Some situations are complex with no right or logical answer, or you have to choose between several negative outcomes, which makes getting to a decision hard.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes you have to make decisions in a fast changing environment where you don't have time to analyse or get the right answer, you just need to make a choice now.
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_00: Effective managers and leaders learn how to shift their decision-making styles to match changing business environments.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_00: Take a look at the Sign Fin framework, which I think gives sensible frameworks to approach decision making in different situations.
• 18:28
  SPEAKER_00: There you have ten skills all effective managers have based on my experience.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_00: As a quick reminder, these are firstly good self-awareness, second, very good at building relationships, third setting clear expectations, fourth great communication skills, fifth constantly educating, sixth effective delegators, seven giving useful feedback, eight planning ahead, nine problem solving, and ten effective decision making.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_00: Keep trying to improve and strengthen your skills in each of these areas, whether you are new into management or have made it to the board level.
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_00: The stronger these skills are, the more effective a manager and leader you will become.training and I'll get back to you.
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening, and I look forward to speaking to you again soon.