5 Resolutions That Can Make You a Better Manager in 2017
Gearing up for 2017 with loads of resolutions in mind? With 2016 setting out quickly and 2017 lurking around the corner, every professional in the world aspires to undertake changes to make 2017 better than the past year. It’s a huge responsibility on managers’ shoulders to introduce new success to the company and to take it to a level higher while keeping employees happy and motivated. The year-end is a time to reflect on the deeds of past and scribble down the actions that could be improved.
A Manager manages people and to manage people efficiently and effectively, the manager has to be an embodiment of many skills (soft and interpersonal) put together. A manager must keep improving his skills and keep imbibing knowledge. If you are a manager and are wondering how to make yourself a better manager in 2017, well, here are five resolutions for the new year to ponder over:
1. Greet Yourself with Enthusiasm to Infuse Enthusiasm in Others
As the saying goes, a happy heart makes others happy too! Yes, a smile is contagious and so is enthusiasm. You must have definitely come across such incident at least once in your lifetime when you were all gloomy but your spirit lifted at once when you came in contact with an enthusiast soul. It is essential to introspect self and greet self with enthusiasm.
With the dawn of 2017, make a vow to look at yourself in the mirror and affirm “I am happy and I am full of enthusiasm”, before leaving your house to go to work. Go with that attitude and your inner confidence will reflect in others as well. People will be happy to be around you, to listen to you and to give their 100 percent while at work.
2. Motivate Others Even If It Has to Be Done in a Subtle Way
It’s easy to lecture others on self-motivation for hours together but mere words must not remain words, it must penetrate others to the core. As a manager, you need to exhibit what you say and sometimes you need to show it in your action to motivate others.
For example, if your team achieves a task in spite of a close deadline with many tasks to juggle, don’t just say ‘thank you’ and ‘well done’ to collective, instead, approach them individually and pat on their backs. Such subtle move of yours will remain in their memory forever. Your pat could be a motivational factor to them. I remember how I would exhilarate when my manager would do that to me. Find different means to keep your team motivated. Spare some time and brood over the things you can do for your team members in 2017.
3. Take a Resolution to Listen More in 2017
Effective communication is the base of achieving success with your team members. To communicate properly, you need to listen intently. Spend time with your subjects and listen with complete concentration to their concerns or ideas or whatever it may be. Listening opens the door of understanding. You will understand more if you listen more and your team will feel elated that they have a good manager who pays heed to their words.
4. Organize Fun Outings for Your Team
“All work and no play make jack a dull boy”. You must have come across this phrase several times as a child. Here is a secret, it applies even to adults. There is a hidden child in every adult. Make efforts to bring that child out occasionally of your team members by organizing fun time out, outside the office premises.
You may just take them for a movie, or dinner or to farms with themed games and activities. With left brain activated, your team will perform exceptionally well, in turn making you a good manager. Do not worry about cost cutting, taking them out once in a year will not punch a hole in your company’s pocket. Besides, it will increase productivity thereby increasing profit.
5. Become a Mentor
Instead of forcing them to achieve targets, become your team’s mentor. Guide them with advice and praise as and when required.
We wish all the managers an eventful 2017 and may you touch a new height of success!!
