People management is a crucial skill for any leader, but it can be challenging to master if you have limited experience. How can you excel in people management with limited experience and build trust, engagement, and performance among your team members? Here are some tips to help you develop your people management skills and grow as a leader.
Before you can improve your people management skills, you need to know where you stand. Take some time to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses as a leader, and ask for feedback from your peers, managers, and team members. Identify the areas where you excel, such as communication, motivation, or problem-solving, and the areas where you need to improve, such as delegation, conflict resolution, or coaching. Be honest with yourself and open to constructive criticism.
Spend time in understanding People, Process and Clients - these are the three pillars standing on a bedrock of Empathy, Integrity and Commitment. Let me elaborate. Understand People - to know what drives, motivates and worries them. Work towards providing them fulfilment on these needs. Understand Process - to know what your people are supposed to be doing. What are the NVAs, where are the bottlenecks and eke out the improvement opportunities - this will have a direct impact on your team's morale. Understand Customer - to be able to create strategies for 'wow-CX' and align your people's efforts with that mission. Empathy in each interaction, Integrity in everything you say and do, and fulfilling commitments are non-negotiable.
Listen! Listen! Listen! Conduct what I like to call a 'Listening Tour' with leadership, peers, stakeholders and your direct reports. Identify what makes them excited to come to work / login and understand the challenges and barriers they face to truly stand out and improve their corporate brand. Find the things that you can change or influence and ensure your team is aware that you've taken their feedback into account when making changes.
-Rigorous reading on everything social psychology - Talk and interact with industry experts whenever you can (consultants, trainers, coaches, etc) -Find a mentor (do your research, reach out) and assist/observe when they facilitate HR interventions -Be Proactive. take on any responsibility that involves people. Be it- screening resumes, designing content for trainings, coordinating HR projects, making reports. Just do it.
Treat people with respect and kindness, these are the bases of people management skills. Also, remember that not everyone have the same mentality as you do and you need to adapt your management skills to their ways of understanding the tasks ahead
Understanding our people is a niche skill that involves not just experience but also one's intent to understand the grass root... That's the start to by being a People's Manager
One of the best ways to learn how to manage people effectively is to observe and emulate other successful leaders. Seek out mentors, role models, and coaches who can offer you guidance, advice, and support. Ask them how they handle different situations, challenges, and opportunities, and what skills and strategies they use to lead their teams. Learn from their experiences, mistakes, and successes, and apply their insights to your own context.
A mentor in my past once told me "Hire people that you'd want to work for someday, and lead the way you want to be led." That is the best advice anyone gave me early in my career as a people manager. Every person on your team is a human with needs, desires, and aspirations, and they're all different. When you respect them and treat them as individuals instead of cogs in a machine, you've started on the right path! Be unpresuming, and not a know-it-all. Attend any leadership courses offered- ask if you aren't told about them! Find leaders you respect and trust and reach out to them for input when you really are uncertain.
Look back at your own work experience, and think about the best managers you've had and the ones who were not so good. What made them different? Take with you the best of the best and remind yourself how not to manage from the others. I found that the best of mine started from a position of trust, and that's what I've done.
I believe developing the listening skills plays a pivotal role for this. You will find the solution in people ideas and thoughts also you will learn faster. You just need to lead and respect associates experiences.
One of the best things i've learned to accept is that I don't have to know everything, and i don't need to pretend that i have all the answers! And that takes practice! Practice saying to yourself before others that you don't have all the answers; and thats ok! When you do that, you help others to be comfortable in their vulnerability, and create? trust amongst people. Impact does not necessary include the entire organization all at once, but a small group of people practicing this minsdet can create a ripple effect!
I advise new people leaders to be humble, ask questions, be quiet and listen. Don’t act like you know things you don’t know. And recognize that your primary goal as a people leader is to inspire those you lead to believe in and pursue the highest version of themselves, and your job is to model the way!
As a leader, you need to provide your team with a clear vision, direction, and purpose. Set SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goals for yourself and your team, and communicate them clearly and frequently. Explain the rationale behind the goals, how they align with the organizational objectives, and how each team member contributes to them. Establish clear expectations for performance, behavior, and collaboration, and monitor progress and results regularly.
ROME was not built overnight. Similarly, great results take time and planning. Encourage your team to come forward and share their ideas this will add cherry on the cake to existing goals. Keep your goals SMART Clear ownership and timelines. One trick that always works - Divide your goals into Quick Wins / Short Term and Long Term. Have regular connects with your team to keep track of progress. Positively challenge their timelines and push them to go above and beyond. Appreciate each milestone.
Operations Manager | Connected cars | Six Sigma | Everything you go through, grows you|
Establishing clear and attainable goals are key to excelling in people management. This belief stems from the understanding that people evolve. Clear and achievable goals enable individuals to measure their progress effectively. Moreover, regular meetings to align expectations with delivery are essential to prevent unsatisfactory end results.
This is perhaps the most difficult thing for new people managers. Not only you are understanding your new role, but you are suddenly expected to provide clear goals and expectations for someone: - Ask for help, training, resources. It is okay to ask for help and is not a sign of weakness. You are in the role because of your potential and 70% of your learning will be in the role - Be honest with yourself, if it does not make sense for yourself, seek clarity for yourself - Show empathy and your real self. Do not shy away from being vulnerable and show your real self. This will help to connect with others - There is no right or wrong way, be courageous to experiment with your style, seek feedback and course correct - Join support groups
Goals is not just an ending Goals like an objectives that occur when team get work together Direction from people manager has to be clear from starting the project or setting the Goals Because in a way to reach our goal , obstacle always happen , so when there is the clear direction, team can focus on Goals
People look to the leader to provide a foundation and direction. Concern yourself with your team and remember that they are looking to YOU for foundation and direction. So provide it. Setting clear, understandable targets that anyone who sees them can understand them. When all the team knows where they stand, and where they are going, the work becomes the priority because everything else is well defined and people find comfort in clarity. Keep on top of this, the leader goes first and sometimes that means doing it alone. Do not be afraid of that, and seek help from those who have done it before.
People management is not about controlling or micromanaging your team, but about empowering and motivating them to perform at their best. Delegate tasks and responsibilities according to your team members' skills, interests, and potential, and give them autonomy and flexibility to complete them. Provide them with the resources, tools, and support they need to succeed, and encourage them to take initiative and be creative. Recognize and reward their achievements, and celebrate their wins.
The biggest weapon in your arsenal is listening. Listen to your people and hear what they have to say. This helps you to identify their "hot spots" and begins unlocking the technique you need to motivate at an individual level, so that team level motivation works! To add to listening, always close the loop, link and label their insight to action, and empower your people. Hearing "you can" over "you cant" can really define your success and growth within your role. This normally starts with the leader.
In my perspective, excelling in people management with limited experience involves a shift from control to empowerment. Delegate tasks based on team members' skills, interests, and potential, allowing autonomy. Offer resources, tools, and support, encouraging initiative and creativity. Recognize achievements, provide rewards, and celebrate team wins to foster motivation and a positive work environment.
- Have empathy. Do not micromanage, the more you show trust/faith in your team the more likely they are to deliver - Coach your team. Do not spoon feed answers, instead lead them to find these answers.
Helping your team to recognise their own strengths is important, as is helping them to self seek development areas in their current role, and gaps to their desired progression if relevant. Understanding what each individual needs to grow confidence at a point in time is essential. Do they need tasks they are already competent at to reinforce their self belief, or tasks which stretch and challenge them to grow. It’s not about having a team of clones but a team who are recognised for their individual traits and abilities, which when operating as a whole, complement each other’s abilities.
Actively listen to the team’s ideas, communicate expectations clearly, and lead by example to inspire trust. Regularly recognize and appreciate their efforts, delegate tasks to empower them, and provide growth opportunities to fuel motivation. Encourage continuous improvement to enhance your leadership skills and keep the team motivated.
People management is also about helping your team grow and develop their skills and capabilities. Provide your team with regular and constructive feedback, both positive and negative, and help them identify their strengths and areas for improvement. Coach them to overcome challenges, learn from mistakes, and achieve their goals. Provide them with learning and development opportunities, such as training, mentoring, or shadowing, and encourage them to pursue their career aspirations.
Most importantly allow your team to make a mistake by creating an emotionally safe environment. Don’t be a people manager, be a people leader.
Developing and supporting team is paramount for sustained success. Regular feedback offers insights for improvement, coaching refines skills, and training enhances capabilities. Shadowing provides firsthand experience, mentoring imparts wisdom, and all contribute to skill development. A supportive environment for career growth fosters motivation and loyalty, leading to a cohesive and high-performing team. Each element, from feedback to career development, plays a crucial role in nurturing a team's potential and ensuring long-term success
A group of employees/ persons becomes team only by support and development. When the team feels that their leader is supporting them in difficult times or under pressure they become stronger team.For development of the team it is necessary to know their strength and weaknesses and provide them opportunity for skill development by training and learning opportunity. For a leader it is also necessary to be strict if there is regular negligence or wrong intensions to bring good results. Sometimes personalising relationship also helps to bring unexpected results due to strong bonding. Leaders have to create the atmosphere of belongingness for the company by showing confidence on their ability.These activities will help to become successful.
Effective people management involves nurturing the growth and skill development of your team. Offering regular and constructive feedback, addressing strengths and areas for improvement, coaching through challenges, and providing learning opportunities are key elements for fostering a motivated and successful team.
Always Lead by example & sharing your knowledge with the team. Encourage them & guide them rightly towards the growth factor
Communication and collaboration are essential for any leader and team. Communicate with your team openly, honestly, and frequently, and use different channels and methods to suit different situations and preferences. Share information, updates, and feedback in a timely and transparent manner, and listen actively and empathetically to your team members' opinions, ideas, and concerns. Encourage your team to communicate and collaborate with each other, and foster a culture of trust, respect, and diversity.
Principalmente quando se é novo líder, ou se tem uma equipe nova e pouco experiente, estabelecer uma comunica??o clara com os seus liderados, alinhar expectativas do que a empresa deseja versus o que o colaborador almeja em sua jornada profissional, demonstrar o “lado humano” exercendo empatia, aumentará o nível de confian?a do time em você. Partindo dessas atitudes, você construirá pontes de relacionamentos de longo prazo e rela??es ganha-ganha.
Communication and collaboration is an important part of people management that is often done wrong. Many people leaders assume that they need to continuously communicate and collaborate to ensure the team members stay on track to corporate objectives, but the fundamental they tend to overlook is relationships. Communication and collaboration can help to foster strong relationships when you show an interest in engaging the whole person, and not just their work-self. What are they doing in the personal lives? how are they coping with a transition at home? What are their personal deveopment goals? How are they doing on those? What help can you offer them? Build real relationships, and better communication/ collaboration follows.
Ao ser um gestor além do profissional, você pode criar um ambiente de trabalho onde os funcionários se sintam mais motivados, produtivos e felizes. Aqui est?o alguns exemplos específicos de como um gestor pode ser além do profissional: Um gestor pode oferecer apoio a um funcionário que está passando por um momento difícil em sua vida pessoal. Um gestor pode ajudar um funcionário a desenvolver novas habilidades ou a aprender uma nova tarefa. Um gestor pode organizar eventos sociais ou atividades de voluntariado para que os funcionários possam se conhecer melhor e se conectar fora do trabalho.
Listen attentively to your team members' opinions, ideas, and concerns. Show empathy and understanding, acknowledging their perspectives. This encourages open dialogue and fosters a culture of trust. Foster an environment where collaboration is encouraged. Emphasize the value of teamwork and collective efforts toward common goals. Collaboration often leads to innovative solutions and increased productivity. Respect individual differences and create an inclusive environment where diverse viewpoints are welcomed and valued. Embracing diversity enriches problem-solving and decision-making processes.
People management is a mixture of many things out of which experience is only one of those many things, what matters for your team is "do they feel valued by you, not the owner of the company but you", " are you approachable" and what "value you are bringing to the table as a people manager" and these questions does not need experience per say, they need a bit of humanity, learning, ideation and yes, the most important your plan of execution which includes each and every member of your team with equal opportunity and responsibility
Whatever actions are taken, evaluate this... - is this going to help the person in some form - is the action ethically correct - look for the right action, not the popular one - you are looking for trust & respect, not limelight & popularity - do not preach and be a 'fixer', allow them to participate and learn while working with them - acknowledge that what worked for you may not work for them. - listen, listen, listen, respond, listen, listen, listen, respond and so on..
In my experience as a new people manager here are few things to consider: 1- Build connect with team, have multiple connects with them. 2- 30 Days - No action only observation. You need to observe your people, their working style, challenges they are facing, having sessions just to hear them out and creating a action plan. 3- Build an inventory of experience and skills of your team members. To empower them by giving them opportunity on tasks that they are great at. 4-Kindness and Compassion - As simple as saying take care when someone is unwell makes huge difference. Give rest to WHY in your dictionary. "why you were late" vs "All ok at your end". 5- Trust - Trust your team to do their job and appreciate the results they are bringing.
“Empathy, integrity, and the ability to motivate”. A natural predisposition toward human values and an innate understanding of people management are fundamental. These inherent qualities, such as empathy, integrity, and the ability to motivate, are vital and often differentiate great leaders. While some skills can be developed and refined over time, a natural inclination towards respect, understanding, and caring for others is often necessary to excel in people management. Moreover, effective people management requires not only continuous learning and observing other managers but also the ability to distinguish between proficient and inefficient ones. It's crucial to identify and emulate leaders who achieve results ethically and sustainably
Think back to your own experiences, of the times when you when you were being managed: what were the behaviors you appreciated and what made you responsive to your manager? What were the traits that they held and that you would like to emulate? What was important to you and your colleagues? What created results? From a more self-centered perspective: What would you like your team members to say about you as a manager? What were the management practices that you disliked — think back to these and consider doing the opposite!
I think one has to focus on the kind of trade one operates in and has to choose multiple tasker employees and just create a proper reward system. Hiring right manpower as per their skills and your requirements would solve the issue.