How I became a better manager by observing my manager.

The word 'manager' has been drilled down as a chase in our corporate careers - the chase of being in control, people working for you and attached ego statuses.

In my decade long career, I saw numerous managers and their management styles. Every style was unique, and it worked for most of them with a few niggles here and there. But, I saw only a few who were in absolute control – their teams were happy, everyone got together well, got equal growth opportunities, backed each other and performed well as a single unit. I liked that style, so I observed, made notes and moved on.

Then came the pandemic where being a manager acquired a new meaning overnight. Remote working brought together a lot of challenges, and the most significant challenge out of them was to maintain motivation across the team, help them work together remotely while learning yourself and maintain the overall workflow.

Xiaomi gave me my first team to lead, and it also gave me one of the finest managers to learn from. A manager who embodied the traits of a new-age digital-first leader and showed me how new-age teams are built and managed.

Here are the top 5 things which made me a better manager just by simply observing my manager:

1. Drop the facade – the first thing we acquire with being promoted as a manager is a new self superior image. You are not wrong. It's built into the corporate structure as the throne of being in control. We want to be in control, so we start portraying ourselves in a certain way that is nowhere closer to our authentic selves. We walk different, more authoritative to feel in control. By doing this, all we are doing is to add another character in our already busy lives to play. Drop that!?

Be one because people can see through deceptions, and your team will be the first one to do that. It's okay for your team to see you as a whole, imperfect, work-in-progress person who is also a role model.?New age teams are built on honest bonds, and the bonds you hold with every member define you as their leader.

2. Treat them equal – and they will surprise you. No matter our education or good intentions, all of us are susceptible to bias. The two superpowers you need to almost immediately acquire as a manager are 1. the ability to define your own opinions, which aren't based on hearsay and 2. the ability to see and cut through perceived notions.

These notions can be gender-based, culture-based or as basic as fundamental attribution error, and you might be treating people unfairly - without even realising.

In my opinion, top-class teams are built of equals. Team members have felt more secure and connected to the overall mission statement in these teams. The safe work environment brings in more focussed, collaborative work done by equals, and once the first win comes in that door, the second one is already in works with even better TATs. You see, winning is contagious, and it all starts from one place. Treat them equal.

3. Collaborate – A new-age manager is a doer and leads by example. In a non-hierarchical workplace which is how most companies are built today, older management techniques like the end of day reports don't work anymore. To lead is to collaborate and be present for your team throughout the day.

4. Right balance of IQ + EI – Today, as a new-age leader, you are not just expected to carry the ability to solve complex problems. But you also need to pay close attention to team members as if they were family and accurately perceive and understand emotions.?

There is no perfect mix of intelligence and emotional ratios. But as managers who see their team members for more hours than their own families on some days, paying attention to small cues & behavioural patterns can help individual team members and the organisation overall.

5. Chase Big, Chase Loud – Chasing big targets is usual but chasing them loud usually isn't in the corporate circles.

When you start chasing your goals loudly, you announce it to the world, which brings in appreciation & support for the team members working on the project and reinstates their commitment and determination to win that specific one.

At work, vocalising what we are chasing acted as a significant catalyst for most of our team wins. We (softly) recommitted to our goals in almost every meeting and catchup - consistently reminding ourselves what we are chasing as a team, resulting in crystal-clear communication amongst team members and tight TATs. See, the more committed you are as a team, the likelier your vision will come true.

These have been some of my key learnings on how new-age teams are built and managed. I would love to hear your thoughts on whom you think a new-age leader is and what softer traits we all should be acquiring to become better leaders.

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