What are your plans for this year? Maybe it is time to improve your knowledge of finance and support your ideas with stronger analytical facts. Put briefly, to learn how better to read and interpret the numbers. What a great idea! But there are more areas where you should reflect and perhaps decide that you want to improve your skills. Delegation or micromanagement are among the typical problematic areas. Nor, according to the management.about.com website, can you ever read too much on the topic of how to be a better listener.
Do you delegate enough?
Perhaps you work long hours and don’t have time to be more strategic. Maybe you could use some extra time to spend on planning development for your team members. Examine the cause of your time shortage. Is it that you don’t have confidence in your team? In that case provide them with some training and try to know them better. Or is your ego the problem? Then it is time to talk to a coach. Or you can just make a list of your tasks and then, knowing what the root cause of not delegating enough is, you can try to delegate at least some of your less important tasks or activities.
Become a strategist
Think more long-term and in the broader perspective of your business. Step back from your everyday tactics and focus more on the “why”. Usually you only think about the “what” and “how” but this should be about the big picture.
Listen more
Learn how to pay attention and show your team that you are willing to hear their opinions and proposals. Open-ended questions, active listening and open body language can foster your ability to listen well.
No micromanaging
Even if you do delegate frequently, you should not constantly be looking over your subordinates' shoulders. Let them find their own path since often new and better ways of doing things will appear.
Solve issues with underperformers
If the poor performance of some of your subordinates threatens your own performance through an adverse effect on team morale, it is necessary to take a firm decision and solve the problem.
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