Has it ever crossed your mind that one day you will become a manager at your place of work or even in your own business? (That’s if you are not already). Now imagine how relevant you will become in the course of managing other people effectively. The big question now is, ‘Are you properly managing the number one person that counts for you to deliver effectively on that role?’ Did you just ask, ‘who?’ Take a look in the mirror.
Self-management is key, and it is a great driving force of any successful enterprise. Management begins with managing from inside-out, or else we become unkempt—a typhoon waiting to happen, which can be destructive to the environment you are working so hard to fit into. As far as working with a team is concerned; the team that begins with you, you need to be on top of the game, standing out as a leader with your Self Management Skills. Let’s read through the tips below to see some key ingredients to effective self-management:
1. Manage that Stress!
Did you ever feel like a piece of pillow torn by the sides with a razor? That’s what stress does to you. There is so much demand on you from all sides, you wonder if you will ever deliver on your tasks. As a manager or an employee, In as much as you are gunning for results so you can divide the spoil, be careful you don’t get hunted in the process. Get some rest and manage that stress.
2. Manage that Time!
“Tick tack.” says the Clock. Time, if well managed, could make every second count as an achievement for you. With proper time management, you will strike the chords and make sound business. With time, you make both good and bad decisions, but without time, you can’t make quality decisions. It’s a treasure you must manage for yourself and others around your workplace for efficient delivery. Manage yourself, your team, your stakeholders by consciously using the available time resources at your disposal. One more lesson about managing time, say more noes and a few yeses.
3. Manage that Skill called Organisation!
Life is more than a game of chess where you tactically disorganize your obstacles, it is more of a wardrobe that needs to be organized whether anybody shares it with you or not. Don’t you love that awesome smile you wear each time everything just looks, feels, and appears organized?
Order and neatness are helpful for corporate organisation. Organizing people and things may not be as simple as ABC, but it’s not as difficult as reading A-Z in descending order. Organize your work tools so you can beat your chest and recap when anything goes out of place.
4. Manage that Problem!
What best way can a problem—whether technical or interpersonal—be managed? By being solved. Have you ever witnessed a piece of glass shattered before your very eyes? At that point, it won’t matter who DID IT! What matters at the moment is getting the glass pieces cleared and replacing if possible. As a manager, you clearly will be displeased with whoever caused the problem, but it is important you find a solution especially if it affects your job and your team. Identify the problem, look for affordable ways to solve, and be on guard for its recurrence – that covers dealing with the cause too if need be.
5. Manage that Decision!
Your ‘YES’ or ‘NO’ at certain moments should be firmer than the lock but sometimes flexible like the doorknob. What makes or mars a business could be a decision. As a Manager, your decisions are required to be fair, devoid of emotional sentiments, and conflicts of interests. Facts and sound reasoning will do more good than harm those on the receiving end. Don’t forget that holding a grudge is the same as holding a gun, but taking a decision without guts is like having a gun without bullets. To avoid being a brute, share some compromise with your team when certain decisions have to be made.
6. Manage that Fear!
Having a positive attitude to life and equipping yourself with weapons such as confidence in your abilities can paralyze fear. Not being able to express yourself confidently will not only rub you of your respect before your team members, but it will also keep you at the rung of the ladder. You’ll be a man taking a solo walk instead of a general leading the pack. If you ever get feedback, they will taste sore like a meal lacking the essential ingredient. You won’t be trusted to deliver because you’ll have shown everybody consistently that your confidence is low. Brace up and be confident.
7. Manage that Life!
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy; all work and no leisure gives Zack a boring life… that’s new! But the message is not new to you. If the drive for diligence, confidence, success, and every positive attribute lives in your BODY, you should treat that body like Buckingham Palace. Give it a treat, or it will demand treatment from you, and break down. The health of your body and mind is essential. The journey from employment to retirement is a marathon. It’s not a Fast and Furious race, so quit contending with Usain Bolt. Keep your body nourished and balanced to take you through the marathon.
It is essential that you manage all these qualities and keep them handy. Being managed is basic, managing others is intermediate, managing yourself and others are premium.
