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An ideal manager has good and friendly relations with subordinates and colleagues, ensures the team and its members reach their maximum potential, and develops their strengths. Their subordinates also enjoy working for them. Does this sound like an impossible combination? Here are four tips to help you at least approach this ideal.
These tips were published by Entrepreneur.com.
The first step towards the ideal of an excellent manager is being completely transparent and authentic in how you communicate with subordinates. Put aside all the guidelines you have learnt from manuals for managers, and talk to your team members as a normal human being. Do not hide anything from them, talk to them straight, and never try to deceive them in any way.
Many managers try to maintain their authority by not giving their subordinates enough power. However, this approach is ineffective in the long run and leads to micromanagement and frustration among team members. Give subordinates enough space to use their own initiative and work independently.
Your subordinates are a bottomless source of invaluable information concerning your management skills. If you want to learn and advance as a manager, which you should in any case, it is essential you obtain ongoing, honest feedback from subordinates. And the only way to achieve that is to establish friendly relations with them.
In order to keep both manager and subordinates happy, it is essential not to stagnate, but instead develop continuously. Educate yourself, keep up to date with new trends and make sure team members do the same, especially those who clearly want to.
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