Being a business owner or manager isn’t exactly easy. You don’t just have to get things done, but you’ll have to oversee a team while you’re at it. That takes much more time and effort than most people think. It doesn’t need to be impossible, however, and managing a team could be more straightforward than you’d think.
You’ll always need to put some kind of effort into it, but you shouldn’t be pulling your hair out over it. By being practical and following the right tips, you’ll make it a lot easier than you’d think. No matter what industry you’re in, they’re sure to help you.
Managing A Team: 7 Practical Tips
1. Acknowledge Good Work
Quite a few team leaders have no problem pointing out when employees make a mistake or do a poor job. While you’ll need to acknowledge mistakes, it doesn’t mean focusing solely on them. Acknowledging good work can be just as important as pointing out peoples’ mistakes. It could even be more important.
If your team does something better than expected or if someone goes above and beyond, be sure to point this out and praise them for it. It’ll let them know their work is appreciated and valued, making them more likely to keep doing it that way. Do it anytime they do anything worthy of praise.
2. Schedule Properly
Scheduling is a vital part of managing a team, especially if not everybody is working a proper nine to five. You’ll need to come up with a schedule that works for everybody, which might seem difficult at first. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be. It’s simply a matter of using the right software and best practices.
BuildOps field service software can be great for this, especially if employees need to be out and about regularly. While there could still be some hiccups, these should be less likely to happen when you’re taking the right approach.
3. Be Decisive
One of the keys to managing a team is being able to make decisions. You’ll be the one with the final say in everything, and you shouldn’t be indecisive about everything. If you are, your employees mightn’t see you the way they should, and you’ll have less authority because of it.
Don’t be flaky with this and be consistent with your decision-making. If you’ve decided on something, stick with it. While that could mean spending a little more time thinking about your decision before making it, it’ll be worth it.
It’ll show your team you’re a capable leader and worth their respect.
4. Practice Good Communication
You’ll need to communicate with your team when you’re trying to lead them, but that doesn’t mean doing it anyway you deem fit. Make sure your communication with them is as effective as possible so you can get your point across. Be as positive as possible when you’re doing this so there aren’t any issues.
This should go both ways, and your team should feel free to communicate with you. Keep them in the loop with everything, and they’ll be sure to do the same with you. Be clear when you’re communicating everything and encourage your employees to do the same thing. It’ll improve efficiency and productivity in the long run.
You’ll build more loyalty because of it.
5. Manage Conflict
Conflict comes up in every workplace, no matter how much people try to avoid it. The key with this is to know how to manage and mitigate it rather than outright avoid it. It’s not something that should be ignored, as it’ll just build up more and more. You’ll have to actually get rid of this tension.
Thankfully, it’s much easier to do this than you’d expect. It’s simply a matter of getting to the root of the problem and tackling it. By focusing on this as much as you can, you’ll get rid of all the negative connotations. Productivity gets back to where it was, employees will be happier, and you’ll have lower turnover levels.
Address any issues as they arise so you don’t have to deal with larger problems in the future.
6. Build Positive Relationships
It’s natural to have relationships with employees. If you’re too hands-off and distant with them, then you mightn’t be able to communicate with them too well. You’ll also be less able to manage them the way you want to. If you want to manage your team properly, put some time and effort into building relationships with each of its members.
Take the time to get to know them, as well as their strengths and weaknesses. Know what drives them, and play into this. The more you know about them and the better the relationship is, the more likely they are to follow your lead and do what you need them to do. It’s a vital part of being a team leader.
7. Set A Good Example
You’ll want your team to work to a high standard, but you wouldn’t be able to push them to this if you’re not hitting that standard yourself. You’ll have to set a good example for your employees and be an inspiration for them. Lead by your actions instead of your words, and your employees should follow suit.
If you don’t take this approach, your efforts will just undermine your words. Your team will be less likely to follow your lead, and they mightn’t work to the standard you want them to. Be the employee you want them to be, and you’ll see them work better and better in time. If they see you go above and beyond, they’ll be much more likely to do it themselves.
Managing A Team: Wrapping Up
Managing a team seems overwhelming when you first start, but it should be far from a hassle. It should be relatively smooth sailing, and you shouldn’t have to pull your hair out because of it. You’ll just need to be practical with it and follow the right tips. You’ll still have to put the work into it, but it should be much easier than you would’ve thought.
