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EspañolYour staff aren’t quitting their jobs, they’re quitting their bosses
It has often been said that people do not quit a job, they quit a boss. A positive relationship between manager and employee is enormously valuable in determining company culture, employee motivation, workplace productivity, and business success.
Because of a lack of focus on soft skills in schools and because many managers are promoted into their roles because of the technical skills they displayed in previous positions, many managers, new and seasoned alike, do not possess the essential leadership skills required to manage a team.
Keep your staff by training managers in the 7 essential skills for good leaders.
Communication
Communication is an essential component of people management, yet it is one 69 percent of managers feel uncomfortable about according to a survey conducted by Interact (1). Whether it is communication regarding expectations, company goals or employee feedback, good communication is fundamental to a successful relationship between managers and employees, and it works both ways. It has been said that entire battles can be won or lost depending on how effective an army’s communication network is. Communication is also poor when a manager isn’t hearing feedback from employees or isn’t actively listening to said feedback.
Communicate like a great leader with our free eBook Communication skills.
Creative problem-solving
Problems are inevitable and issues occurring within teams is not a sign of bad management but how these problems are handled indicates whether or not a manager possesses strong leadership skills. Creative problem-solving refers to a manager’s ability to come up with a unique solution to a presented problem. This in-demand skill does not often come without training in skills such as brainstorming, collaboration, analysis, and emotional intelligence.
Get solving with our free eBook Creative Problem Solving.
Decision-making and conflict resolution
In a similar way to creative problem-solving, when it comes to conflict, rather than avoiding it, it is paramount that managers are well-versed in the skills that aid in making the difficult decisions that actively resolve conflict. Conflict resolution requires emotional intelligence and the confidence to make these difficult decisions and when companies provide new managers with the right tools to improve their skills in these areas, they will not only see a decrease in workplace friction but improved teamwork, productivity, and better communication.
Learn the tools to make great decisions with our free eBook Effective Management Decision-Making.
Empowerment
One of the most important but too often overlooked leadership skills is empowerment. When managers have the ability to encourage and inspire their team members, they will be more likely to take initiative and develop a sense of pride and ownership about their work. Teaching managers how to make their employees feel motivated and valued is fundamental and can work wonders in terms of productivity and process optimisation.
Make real change with our eBook Empowering Leadership.
Empathy
Empathy is a skill that, while some possess it naturally, some managers need to learn. Having empathy and understanding about things such as the need for a flexible working schedule, time off due to personal reasons and infrequently not hitting targets while in an executive role can do amazing things for a work environment. Empathy builds trust and respect between managers and employees while lack of empathy can do the opposite and demotivate employees due to fear and suspicion.
Empathy comes with emotional intelligence and one of the most useful soft skills a manager can possess. Having high emotional intelligence means knowing when to remain stern and professional and when and engage in emotional support, humor, and camaraderie.
Learn how empathy impacts leadership with our eBook Communicating with Empathy.
Team management
The ability to manage a team may appear to be an obvious leadership skill, yet many managers do not possess a strong set of skills such as organizational management, delegation, goal-setting, and teambuilding. For many managers, their role may be their first time in a position that requires them to lead and inspire a group of individuals to work towards a common goal.
Check out our weekly newsletter #TeamworkTuesday for weekly updates on team tips.
Without training in soft skills that aid in successful team management many managers are underprepared and overwhelmed by the responsibilities that come with leading a team.
Lead a group to success with our eBook Managing Team Members.
Dealing with difficult people
Difficult conversations, specifically surrounding feedback on employees’ performances are a challenging but inevitable part of every manager’s responsibilities. Yet, due to lack of experience and soft skills training, 37 percent of managers do not feel comfortable giving direct feedback about their employees’ performance if they think the employee might respond negatively to the feedback (1).
Ace those awkward conversations with our eBook Dealing with Difficult People.
The benefits of having a good boss are insurmountable to both employees and businesses alike and with the right leadership training focused on the soft skills that make a great manager, organisations can ensure their teams are being led by the most effective and most impactful leaders possible.
