Do you need to improve your management skills further? These skills are undoubtedly vital to your career. Whether you want to be a manager or are one already, there’s always room for improvement. And skills in people management remain in high demand. After all, great managers often cultivate great teams and yield excellent results. Skilled managers have the power to increase both employee satisfaction and company profits.  

Perhaps the best way to improve your management skills is through developing your leadership abilities. To be a great manager, you need to be a great leader. 

How do you advance your management skills through leadership development?

How exactly do you advance your management skills in this way? Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Build Strong Relationships to Support a High Performing Team

Successful leaders know their team. So, a critical task is getting to know the people under you. Your group should be more than just people you hired because they used a resume with picture template. Remember, everyone has their respective strengths and weaknesses. If you don’t get to know each employee, you’ll miss out on that vital information. Without an accurate view of your people, you’ll never know how to use their skills most effectively to help the company.

Strengthen Your Decision-Making

As a leader, making decisions is a big part of every day. This is especially true when you encounter problems in big projects or relational issues within your unit. When you make important decisions, it’s critical that you feel confident you’ve made the right ones. If not, it’s even harder to move forward or gain the respect of people in your company.

At the same time, let your team participate in decisions, especially if they involve significant projects. Otherwise, you’ll have a hard time implementing changes or gaining support because there could be resistance.

Be Accountable In Responding To Change

Change is inevitable. And how you respond to it sets the tone for the rest of your workers. Are there sudden and unplanned modifications to projects or staff? Or are there new company policies that catch you off-guard? Take charge to change your mindset, and you’ll be more than prepared to face even the most unexpected transitions. Workplace changes can bring about exciting growth. Accepting and even embracing differences marks a true leader. And it makes it easier for you to respond appropriately to what the future holds. 

Remember, if you can’t adapt to change, your people won’t be able to either. Also, you should not delegate leadership duties in these situations. It’s not up to your team to press forward. It’s up to you to lead them with confidence and enthusiasm.

Always Make Time for Reflection

Make self-awareness a personal goal. This practice allows you to understand your own strengths and weaknesses. When things don’t go according to plan, a skilled leader doesn’t immediately blame everyone else. Remember, you are responsible for the whole team. And even if things are going right for others, you must fight against personal complacency.  

Find time to assess your performance objectively. What things are you doing well and should continue? What are the things that aren’t working? Note these items and how you can approach them to better yourself and the team.

If you can, find a mentor who can fairly evaluate you and your skills. Carefully choose an unbiased person you know has your best interests in mind.

Motivate your Workforce

When your team members need motivation, you have to find a way to encourage them. If it means a change in the work environment, then make the change. If it means treating them to lunch, do it. Strive to be a supportive leader, not a taskmaster or tyrant. This is how you get the best results for everyone involved. 

And, this point relates back to getting to know your team. You won’t successfully be able to inspire someone you don’t know anything about personally. Make it a point to find out what encourages and discourages your people.

Final Thoughts

So, remember, to become a better manager, you must focus on developing your leadership skills. The two roles go hand in hand. Focus on cultivating meaningful relationships, decision-making, adaptability, and self-reflection. With these tips and your commitment, you’re sure to lead your team to great success.

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Mindy Carnes is a content manager at contentcampfire.com. She loves writing and talking about career tips. She also recently began her journey as a speaker and a mentor.