Facing obstacles as an efficient manager — top 5 approaches

Even in efficient and productive teams, managers are bound to come across obstacles. Newbies, changes in processes, challenging tasks, and shifts in the market can all influence teams’ performance. It also changes the approach the managers should take to working with their teams and maintaining their efficiency.?

While every manager should find their own style of dealing with obstacles, there are several universal approaches that, in my opinion, should be utilized by managers when the situation calls for them.?

Remember to communicate

69% of managers feel uncomfortable when communicating with their teams. 37% feel uncomfortable when providing their team feedback, no matter good or bad. In the long run, the absence of communication can have the most destructive effect on teamwork. A manager who shuts their team out promotes such behavior and risks its spread to everyone in the organization.?

Frequent calls and face-to-face meetings, feedback sessions, the policy of openness and honesty — these are the most crucial pieces of the puzzle we call “Efficient management”. And do not forget about education and training. With 59% of managers saying they never got appropriate training, a professional manager will always be a welcome addition to any team.?

Let go of the people when you have to

Most of the time, holding onto inefficient team members creates more obstacles than replacing them. Yet, letting people go is not something us managers like to talk about.?

We know firing a teammate can cost a business up to 200% of their annual pay. It also often leaves us with a sore and unpleasant feeling. Even despite this, we all go through this at some point in our career.?

Once again, we come to the art of communication. Knowing how to communicate will make the process of firing easier for you and for the person on the receiving end. Always explain your reasons, emphasize their strength, and do not forget to still push them towards development and personal growth.?

Hire the right people

From parting ways with those who weren’t a good match, we come to hiring those who become a perfect fit for the team.?

How can you make sure your team has all the right people??

• Establish main company values and always stick to them yourself.
• Establish an Onboarding department to take care of all the newcomers and integrate them into the team.
• Promote referrals and hire internally.
• Conduct performance reviews to make sure every teammate remains in sync with company values and tasks.?

The best part? Hiring the right people in the first place is sure to reduce the number of obstacles you will encounter in the future.?

Prevent burnout

Burnout affects about 70% of employees across all professions. At the same time, professionals who feel support from their manager are 70% less likely to experience burnout.?

Getting ahead of burnout is one of the primary tasks for any manager. Manage professionals’ workload, encourage team collaboration, promote personal connection and always celebrate the team’s successes.?

Burnout and exhaustion cost businesses around the world about $1 trillion annually. Thai means, by preventing burnout we are not only helping our businesses, but supporting the global economy as well. Not a bad mission, right??

Motivate, encourage, and retain

Seeing the team happy, motivated, and fulfilled is one of the best feelings a manager can get in their professional life. Such teams are also 21% more profitable and 20% more motivated. Such team members are easy to retain, and they become perfect candidates for internal promotions.?

When motivation and encouragement become regular practices and when team retention starts growing and more and more people who know processes, policies, and the company’s workflow will stay with the team, the easier overcoming any obstacles will be.