I would identify not recognizing my management style as one of the errors during the initial days. Though it is not a necessity, it helps to know what kind of style you plan to utilize, and how it works in an actual setup. For instance, if you intend to use a more participative approach, you should know its steps and implications. This involves talking to previous managers who might have used it, and assessing its impact. It is not specifically a lengthy process if you have it all pre-planned. I planned to focus on handling the team based on my predecessor's advice. Even if this helped, it took me a long time to arrive at my style and test it out. Everything did work out in the end, but having an early idea and grasp would put you in the good graces of your team. More the cooperation, better the productivity in such cases.
As a C-Suite leader looking back in time, I believe I'd give myself the advice to prioritize contingency plans; while planning for success is obviously critical, having backup strategies in place can help address any unexpected obstacles that arise. Crafting effective contingencies ultimately shows decision makers that their leader has fully evaluated the situation and taken appropriate measures moving forward. While I am organized by nature and tend to project potential obstacles and map out alternate options automatically, as an early leader, i wasn't always transparent about these machinations. Failing to communicate these contingencies at times made my staff uneasy and missed opportunities to gain their trust. Thus, as I grew as a leader, I took steps to support staff during times of great change and reassure that there was a Plan B by hinting to contingencies.
One piece of advice that I would give myself is to have the courage to step out of my comfort zone and take the time to develop strong relationships with my team. Developing strong team relationships is key to being a successful leader. Before taking any action, it's important to understand the motivations and viewpoints of each team member in order to make informed decisions based on their unique needs. This means actively listening to their ideas and allowing them to express themselves openly. Make sure that expectations are as clear as possible. Setting expectations up front makes it easier to develop an environment conducive to collaboration and innovation. Leadership is about inspiring and encouraging your team to do great work. Ensure you acknowledge their efforts, offer guidance, and provide constructive feedback to help them grow. You will foster a culture of respect, trust, and appreciation throughout your organization by providing reinforcement and support.
If I could go back to certain situations where stress levels were quite high and the those who I led were feeling disconnected, and trust was lost. What I would change is the amount I communicated vs the amount I should have been open to listen to. Leadership is not about being in the front of the team, always speaking, telling or executing tasks and ideas. To be a better manager or leader you need to practice just the opposite. Listen first, trust that your team is able to create, inspire, and add value. Nurture them to feel you trust their decisions. Right or wrong, we learn from our mistakes and can create strategies for greater solutions. Practicing in saying less and listening more removed the feeling that I needed to carry everything on my shoulders. What I learned is that people want to feel like their contributions matter and feeling like they are heard. Overall speak less, inspire those you lead, trust that your direct reports will rise and deliver great results.
"Talent doesn't give you license to be an a**hole." I was both blessed and cursed with a considerable number of natural gifts and talents. I was creative, charismatic, a born salesman, and a spotlight hog. When I got the chance to be "the boss", I took that to mean I now had the ability to share my awesomeness with everyone and prove that I could do their job as good or better than they could. What a jerk I was to work for! Through the words and actions of other 'true' leaders, I've come to realize that great leadership requires humility, patience, and the ability to lift others up to levels they never thought possible. I'm ever so grateful to those who were patient enough to give me the latitude to figure it out on my own, and as a sales and leadership trainer today, I'm 'paying it forward' in helping others avoid the mistakes I made.
I'd tell my younger self to accept the fact that I can't do everything myself. Delegation is a critical skill for both successfully growing your business and maturing as a team leader. When I was just starting to get the company off the ground, I used to have that intuitive desire to handle all processes by myself. Finance, marketing, client management – I spent half of my working time trying to touch upon the areas I wasn't an expert in. As I realized how unproductive and ineffective it was, I attempted to hand off more tasks to others on my team. But since I outsourced mainly small tasks, other team members couldn't see the big picture. So small-scale delegation didn't help either. It wasn't until then that I realized how important it is to trust your team and rely on their expertise without trying to interfere with their work. Today, I'm lucky to have a team of professionals by my side who let me focus on activities that will yield the highest returns and grow the company.
If I could go back in time, one piece of advice is to practice active listening. Initially, I focused more on sharing my ideas than understanding my team. Recognizing the value of active listening, I sought feedback and created an open environment where team members felt comfortable expressing themselves. Regular one-on-one meetings and open forums encouraged dialogue and collaboration. Embracing these practices improved team engagement, productivity, and satisfaction. For mid-level managers, I urge them to prioritize communication and active listening, engaging in meaningful conversations and creating an environment for open dialogue. This approach unlocks team potential, fostering collaboration, innovation, and overall success.
If I could go back in time, one crucial piece of advice I would give myself to become a better manager is to actively seek feedback from my team. I used to be close-minded and believed that I had all the answers, but I soon realized that true growth and improvement come from embracing diverse perspectives and valuing the input of others. By creating an open and safe environment where my team felt comfortable sharing their ideas and concerns, I not only fostered collaboration and innovation but also gained valuable insights that helped me make better decisions and ultimately become a more effective leader. I hope I was able to contribute useful information to your article! If you decide to publish my information, please see below. Name: Chris Muller Designation: Vice President for Money Under 30 Company: Money Under 30 URL: https://www.moneyunder30.com/ Headshot: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zNKSkqZa75x2_geUX_tN6zMOuOji62S1/view?usp=sharing
'Adapt at Every Chance You Get' would be my advice to my younger self because I believe I would have been a much better manager if I had realized the value of adjusting sooner. Things and individuals change all the time. A competent manager accepts changes rather than resists them. This is particularly true when working with employees from various generations. I've managed staff ranging from baby boomers to Gen Z, and I can't emphasize enough how important it is to adapt to effectively communicate expectations to employees of each generation. Developing the ability to adapt quickly and think outside the box are two skills that have helped me become the versatile manager I am today. It also made me someone the employees can rely on and look to for advice.
Anyone in a top leadership role, as a CEO or CFT, roles we now commonly refer to as C-Suite leaders, should take time periodically to reflect on where they started, and what they could have done differently in order to keep moving forward in the best way possible to see continued growth in their business. Had I known what I know now about the role technology would play in day-to-day business operations, I would likely have tried to home in on those skills a little more. I would encourage future C-Suite leaders, and managers to keep learning and to try to stay on the cutting edge of technology. It’s important they understand the scope of AI and other relevant technology. Even if you have a tech department, it’s always beneficial for high-level leaders to have a grasp on how to harness tech that exists, as well as the capability to predict what might be coming next and how to implement it into your plan for growth.
Leadership and learning are mutually exclusive. When things change quickly, it is critical to constantly learn and challenge yourself. Examine other leaders' traits, demeanor, and communication style. Although you are not required to imitate another leader, you should combine some of their characteristics into your own. This is the perspective that I hold.
Early in my career, I was more concerned with reaching goals and generating outcomes than I was with team relationships. But a crucial turning point came when I faced a personal challenge that required help from my team. I came to grasp the genuine worth of this attribute because of the empathy and understanding they showed me through that trying period. Since that time, I have deliberately developed empathy in my leadership style. I try to actively listen, comprehend different points of view, and help my team members both personally and professionally. Empathy has been prioritised, and I have seen improvements in cooperation, employee engagement, and the team's sense of loyalty as a result.
One of the best ways to get the team to be really productive and do their absolute best is by involving and engaging them instead of just leading and managing them. By asking them their opinion, getting their feedback and allowing them to initiate and be innovative as well as try out new strategies, employees are so much more eager to do their best and prove themselves as they feel their value and importance. Giving employees the space to shine and prove their work gives them a chance to excel and be more productive.
To become a better manager, I’d strongly encourage myself to set SMART goals. This would allow me to effectively establish expectations and better help my team prioritize key tasks, goals, and KPIs. This process would include setting goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). By following this formula, you can lead with a sense of purpose and guide your team with a clear perspective on what’s needed for success, a pivotal quality that I certainly could’ve put to use as a young manager.
Best Selling Author & Leadership Instructor at Relationship Media, LLC
Answered 3 years ago
There is no greater value in leading an organization and its employees than understanding how to develop Relationships and use them in a Leadership role. Once this cornerstone is set, the trajectory of one's Leadership journey is on the right track. As with any organization, the culture will emulate that of its leader. Understanding Relationships and how to use them is the first step of Leadership that every leader needs to take. RelationshipLeadership.net
When I was a mid-level manager just starting out, one of the biggest lessons I wish I had learned earlier was to focus on building trust with my team. To be successful, it wasn't enough to just give orders and expect them to be followed. Instead, I had to work hard to earn their trust, and create an environment where my team felt respected and empowered. I quickly realized that when people trust you, they are more likely to go the extra mile for you -- both in terms of effort and creativity. My team members wouldn't hesitate to take risks and come up with new ideas, knowing that I had their back. This kind of trust was essential for our team to work together effectively.
One of the greatest challenges of being an entrepreneur is getting in your own way, whether that is because of your own limiting beliefs, ego, or other challenges with your mindset. The only thing stopping you from achieving more is you and if you can break out of that limiting thought process you'll be able to show up for your team a whole lot better, be more mindful and engaged, and support them a lot better to reach their goals.
Leaders must be able to deal with tough people and resolve problems. If an individual fails to perform to the best of their abilities and brings a poor attitude to work, leaders must stand up and speak with that employee in private. Leaders must be forthright and honest. This takes a lot of guts. In my view, it is difficult to point out a problem or terminate someone, so always listen to the employee's side of the story before reaching a conclusion and taking action.
To be hired for a high-profile position, you must be a critical thinker. Good leaders can anticipate possible problems before they occur. They can also devise methods to avoid problems from occurring. Good leaders are also aware of possible possibilities and seize them for the benefit of the firm and its people. In other words, I recommend taking the initiative. Instead of waiting for things to happen, anticipate them and assist the team in being prepared if something goes wrong. If you are a leader and an employee brings a problem to your attention, assist them in determining the root cause and implementing preventive measures to guarantee that the problem does not negatively affect the employees, the firm, or the consumers.
Advice to my past self for manager improvement: embrace servant leadership. Lead engineering team with putting team members first - listening to them, fostering ideas & providing necessary support - which skyrocketed motivation and improved productivity. Mid-level managers take note: ❗Establish a trustworthy, open, and encouraging culture. ❗Treat all team members equally, acknowledge contributions, and celebrate successes. ❗Encourage collaboration and communication. ❗Offer solutions when problems arise. ❗Do the right thing ethically and professionally. Consistent focus on these keys leads to empowered and trustworthy leadership.