Management is a matter of stewardship: the project, and the collective efforts to get it done, have been placed in your hands.
And you’ll want to take the best possible care of this leadership opportunity while you can. Here are some tips on how you can be an effective manager.
- Your Role - You need to know what it is. It’s a bigger thing than you think. Not only are you going to be responsible for leading the group but you will also be responsible for mentoring your employees. They’ll be looking to you for guidance, particularly as the project will be a significant portion of their lives.
- You Are Not Alone - You earned your way to a management position, hopefully. You probably did it on your own, and under your own initiative. The truth of the matter, though, is that you’re not alone. You have other employees working with you. Know when to get involved, and know when to delegate.
- Be Fair - Look, every now and again you’re going to have to say or do something that nobody’s going to like. It’s going to happen. But at the same time, you don’t want to be blatantly self-serving. That will ruin the morale of the group.
- Be An Adult - Treat others like you want to be treated. If you have to discipline your people, allow them the dignity of a closed-door meeting. Otherwise, do your best to give them the benefit of the doubt.
- Leverage - Everyone has a unique set of strengths. Look for how you can use them for the benefit of the group.
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