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How to Be Tough and Supportive as a Manager

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As the corporate world is continuously changing and transforming, it has become harder for managers to develop their leadership styles. Numerous studies have also revealed that leadership development is one of the key issues impacting modern workplaces. After all, it can cause friction between supervisors and employees, which leads to bigger issues for corporations.

It’s understandable that no manager can positively impact every employee. However, developing a balanced leadership style can help individuals improve and grow in their role. Whether they are results-oriented or relationship-oriented, being a tough yet supportive manager can help one gain positive outcomes. In fact, businesses that commit to enhancing their managers’ skills succeed in retaining and attracting talent, improving the bottom line and team performance.

Steve Gilliland, a Hall of Fame motivational speaker, can offer motivation to help develop good management skills. Keep reading to learn more.

Why Is Good Management a Necessity for the Workplace?

No matter the size of the business, having good managers to guide employees can be highly beneficial for companies. After all, these supervisors play a major role in motivating and mobilizing their teams. Moreover, it’s their responsibility to ensure each employee polishes and utilizes their skills effectively in order to meet company goals.

One of the key roles management has is to convey company expectations. After all, when employees don’t understand what the company wants from them, they’re less likely to meet its objectives. So, not only does it help that managers communicate freely, it’s just as important to provide opportunities for employees to clarify any confusion.

Good managers also play a major role in establishing a purpose for their teams to work toward. They plan team action, map out a path, and help each individual employee reach their goals. Their plans help teams stay organized, which optimizes workflows and increases efficiency. However, more than that, good management encourages teamwork, ensures development, and guides recruitment by identifying necessary skills.

Quality management doesn’t just benefit companies – it benefits employees. After all, managers and supervisors are in charge of managing resources to make sure teams have what they need. They conduct research to discover processes that can aid employees’ workloads and even communicate team requirements with upper management.

So, it’s safe to assume that good managers help improve bottom line financial performance, retain talent, acquire the right recruits, and ensure their company’s success. On the other hand, bad supervisors lead to low engagement, higher turnover rates, and declining productivity.

There are methods that help companies foster good management skills and ensure success.

management speaking to employees

Be Authentic and Assess Situations

Authenticity is a vital component in developing good management skills. We have all probably heard of the phrase “be yourself” a few times. However, as obvious as that advice might seem, it comes with plenty of benefits.

Many managers imitate their idols, especially in their first managerial position. It’s not uncommon to have an idea of what a leader should act and be like. However, no two leadership styles are the same.

More than that, effective management requires assessing varying circumstances before making decisions. After all, one can’t channel their image of “what would Steve Jobs do?” in a wide range of situations.

It’s good for managers to utilize flexible leadership qualities depending on the context before stepping into their position. The ability to assess situations can be extremely beneficial. This way, they’ll know when to be tough and when to play a supportive role. They can create a balanced harmony of both skills.

a manager addressing employees

Establish Relationships and Encourage Collaborations

Creating a positive environment for employees is an essential pillar of good management. Even the toughest managers ensure the work environment is comfortable for their staff.

Positive work environments can also help create employee satisfaction. That’s because general staff happiness aids in increasing and optimizing productivity. Encouraging and developing relationships can be one of the best ways to create a positive work environment.

Though most employees don’t expect companies to work like families, they do require mutual respect and creating meaningful professional relationships. This is where ensuring positive work environments can help because they ensure everyone feels heard, respected, and valued in the company.

It also helps employees know that the management cares about them as professionals and people. A team that works well together and supports each other gives old employees and new recruits a sense of belonging. This leads team members to align their goals with the company’s goals and work harder to achieve them. When they invest all of their energy for the organization’s benefit, it optimizes productivity and brings positive results.

Maintain High-Performance Expectations

When it comes to developing good management skills, maintaining high expectations from employees can prove to be beneficial. This means that instead of settling for the bare minimum, constantly raising the bar to motivate employees can help them stretch their limits.

Many managers find this difficult, but it’s important to note that the staff wants them to set expectations. After all, it’s also important for them to prevent career stagnancy.

a happy employee

It can be advantageous to set expectations early on and emphasize goals for employees. This can be all the more beneficial when done early at the recruitment stage. During the onboarding process, opening discussions centered on expectations and goal setting can work wonders. That’s because, from the get-go, the company can describe the role in accurate detail while making responsibilities and expectations clear.

This is typically done by listing expectations for the first, second, and third months as well as for the quarter and year. Another great way managers go about it is by detailing the typical day or week of the job. This helps new employees align their interests with the company before they even start working for them.

Another great method management uses is to ensure objectives are defined clearly with key results. When you define attainable key results from goals, such as quarterly objectives, it enables employees to better understand them. This helps them know what steps to take in order to achieve them, which curtails the need for micromanagement.

Give Proper Feedback

Giving the right feedback can play an important role in building a trusting relationship between management and staff. Of course, no one wants to convey difficult messages, but good management faces tough situations head-on. Often, correctly saying things prevents any problems. This is another situation where harmonizing tough and supportive management skills can help supervisors handle difficult conversations.

It’s important to be honest in the assessment and lay down expectations precisely. That being said, tact can be an essential tenet when it comes to delivering impactful feedback.

Giving specific and clear feedback leaves little room for misunderstanding between team members and management. That’s because it reduces any unnecessary comments that can be taken the wrong way. Secondly, feedback that is purposeful and relevant can also help make a difference in performance. Moreover, it’s a sign of good management to keep emotions in check while delivering feedback.

Lead Through Motivation

When it comes to developing good management skills, many managers learn to lead by example. This doesn’t mean working long hours and hoping others would join. Instead, it can be great to share tools and resources that can help employees grow and develop.

According to research, companies can boost employee motivation and productivity by 350% by increasing collective events. This is usually accomplished through company events with business motivational speakers to create a positive work environment. Motivational tools and speeches can also be beneficial in addressing specific challenges or issues the company might be experiencing.

Motivational speeches can help companies let their staff know they want to ensure employee interests are aligned with the company’s interests.

Hiring an impactful motivational speaker can also help companies utilize humor to better connect with the audience. They give valuable insights wrapped in a package of entertainment that is easy to understand.

a manager with employees

To learn more about impactful management, check out Steve Gilliland – the motivational speaker. Industries worldwide have hired him as a professional speaker for events in order to align company and employee interests. Steve has a special talent for making his audience laugh out loud while absorbing his captivating words and thought-provoking speeches.

If you want to make a difference in your company, book Steve’s services here.

“The standing ovation you received was well-deserved and, as a financial and insurance professional who has witnessed more than my share of presentations, your heartfelt delivery and message were the best ever.”     – Brian Phares, President Phares Financial Services

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