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If you have ambitions to move up to a management position, you must first show the people around you (both managers and other colleagues) that you have what it takes to be a manager and the necessary skills to lead a team. If your long-term goal is to become a manager, you should demonstrate the following five traits on a daily basis so people around you notice you and you can be considered for a management role.
This list appeared on the website of the TED project.
First of all, it is necessary you show an ability to work on your own and take full responsibility for projects and tasks you are in charge of. Show that if someone gives you a task to do, you will simply take care of it.
A good leader is able effectively to involve others when necessary. If you need help with a project, or one of your colleagues is an expert in the given field, you should be able to negotiate a form of cooperation and involve relevant people in your project in an efficient way.
A manager must have a certain self-confidence as well as their own opinion. Show you are not afraid to speak up and voice your opinions in a constructive manner if it helps the project at hand.
Tolerance and the ability to find compromises are key traits of any manager. Show you are able to make compromises in debates, and find solutions to problems and negotiations that make everyone happy.
This point goes back to the first one. Taking responsibility for your own projects does not necessarily mean you must do everything on your own. On the contrary: it means you are capable of asking for help. The ability (and willingness) to ask for help when you are overwhelmed is an extremely important trait of any manager.
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