The work landscape is ever-changing. Generational makeups shift over time, cultural standards morph, and worker preferences evolve, all of which can make your current management style less effective or even inappropriate.
Luckily, you can improve your style of management with some effort and due diligence. Here are five approaches that can help you get started.
- Cultivate Self-Awareness
Knowing yourself is powerful. When you have an understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, feelings, and motivations, you can make better choices, especially when under pressure. Self-awareness also helps you learn about your current management style, giving you the ability to see the situation as it is and create a path for improvement.
While looking inward can always help you cultivate self-awareness, you can also request feedback from trusted colleagues and team members. Just make sure to remain open-minded and avoid getting defensive, ensuring you get the most value from the experience.
- Welcome New Ideas
Whether you need to solve a problem or want to improve a process, requesting input from others can help. Every person has their own perspective, so you may learn about options that you would otherwise miss.
Additionally, the process of requesting and welcoming new ideas can benefit your management style. You may become more open, ensuring you never overlook an opportunity just because it came from somewhere outside of you.
- Reflect on Your Core Values
Everyone has a core set of values, and they don’t always show up in the workplace. If your management style doesn’t align with your larger priorities, you may be dissatisfied professionally, and that will show through in how you manage.
Reflect on your core values and see if they mesh with your management style and overall approach to work. If not, see what needs to change or improve to make things more cohesive.
- Adjust Your Communication Style
Workplace communication has changed dramatically over the years. While the email was once the preferred method, many professionals now favor instant messaging or texts. If you haven’t adapted to the changes in technology, then your management style may be suffering.
As a manager, it is your job to make sure your team is at their best. Take a look at your communication preferences and see if they align with your staff. If not, consider making a change and see if productivity, efficiency, or morale improve.
- Find a Mentor or Coach
Just because you are a manager that doesn’t mean you don’t need guidance from time to time. Reach out to another manager that you respect and see if they would be open to mentoring or coaching you.
A mentor or coach can give you valuable perspective on your actions, attitude, and management approach. Then, you can take their feedback and find ways to make positive strides, allowing you to improve over time.
All of the five tips above can help you improve your style of management. If you’d like to know more, the skilled team at SSi People can help. Contact us with your questions about management styles today and see how our workplace expertise can benefit you.
