When many people think of a manager, and the work they do, there is a focus on how they engage and motivate a team of people beneath them. Managers are responsible for the performance and output of the people below them, but managers must also link with people above them in the chain of corporate command.
Managers must support company goals
Many firms, particularly companies of a considerable size, have many layers above the management level. This means managers must act within guidelines of the company, and meet the expectations of their superiors.
A manager needs to help a company meet its goals. The management of employees beneath them is often about making sure these workers help the company achieve the overall objectives. The manager is unlikely to set these goals, but they may have responsibility for ensuring these goals are met.
This is an issue for some people regarding the position of manager. While you are in charge of people, it is unlikely you have free will or the ability to do as you please. Your decisions must sit in line with what the company wants to achieve. This is sometimes limiting, and it creates additional pressures for managers to meet their goals and expectations.
Managers must know their role within an organisation
If you are a manager, or you wish to become a manager, you must understand your position within the organisation. Knowing you are often the central cog in an organisation, linking lower-level employees with superior management and directors is a challenging task, and it carries its problems.
Managers must develop interpersonal skills
It is vital managers develop people skills, as they will spend a lot of motivating and influencing employees. While you may think you can instruct your team to do something and they will instinctively do it, the real world doesn’t work like this. As a manager, you need interpersonal skills, as this will help you to get the best from your team. Knowing when you have to press your team to work harder or when you should reward your team for their efforts so far is an integral part of the role, but it is a part of the process which is often overlooked.
Similarly, managers must negotiate on behalf of their direct employees when upper-management make a request. In some ways, a manager must be a buffer between the different levels of a company, and a successful manager protects and supports their direct employees, facilitating them in their role.
At Global Solution Services, we believe management training is ideal for current managers, and people with a driving ambition to become a manager. We are pleased to say we are running a range of management training courses in the opening months of 2020, and we look forward to welcoming you.
If you would like to learn more about our two-day management training courses with dates in January, February and March, please contact us today. We are running courses in Kensington and Croydon, so hopefully, there is an option near you.