How to be a good manager

There are so many bad managers out there that let power go to their heads and believe that because they are the manager, they can do what they please. However, a good manager will earn their employees respect, not expect it.

Ask, don´t tell

When you would like someone to do something, ask them, don´t tell them. Many people are much happier for it to seem like they´re doing you a favour, than to be told what to do, it´s basic psychology. Furthermore, once they have completed the task, thank them for doing so. Let’s face it, everybody likes to be appreciated and I can assure you, your employees are the same.

Don´t take out your stress on your employees

As a manager, it is likely that at some point you will be really stressed. Perhaps you are getting close to a deadline or you have lots of work to do. However, it is important to remain calm and continue to treat your employees how you would like to be treated. It is not fair to take your stress out on them, no matter how tempting it may be, and it is one of the quickest ways to lose the respect of your employees.

Be organised and don´t suffocate your employees

This may seem obvious, but it is amazing how disorganized some managers can be. Develop your own system to organize your work in the most efficient way possible. It is really important to organize yourself, before you can even think about organizing other people. With regards to your employees, make sure you have a system that lets you know what they are doing, without making them feel like they are being watched constantly. To do this, you could hold meetings at regular intervals to catch up with what they have been doing or ask them to keep a record of what they have done that you can access. Work with them to agree a system that ensures maximum productivity, whilst giving them the freedom to work without feeling suffocated by you.

Know your employees

As a manager you should know all your employees (yes, even the interns) and treat them well. Knowing a few things about each of your employees and asking about them will help them feel appreciated. For example, if you know that one of your employees has children, ask them how they are doing from time to time, so that they know that you pay attention to them. This will really help to build effective working relationships. Furthermore, treat everybody equally. Never treat anybody as if they are beneath you, as this will only reflect badly on you in the long run.

Written by: Olivia Taylor-Firth