8. Be an open communicator. It's pretty tough to lead a team behind closed doors. Sound interpersonal skills can be indispensable to managers, whether they are just beginning their careers or have been in their roles for years. "Communicate goals clearly and often to your staff to ensure your team's understanding and to help them prioritize," says Zeidman. Giving feedback, she says, is equally as important.
Being an open communicator also means providing your subordinates with a clear understanding of your managerial style. "Letting your staff know how you like to receive information and how you like to work helps to establish your management style and removes ambiguity about who you are," Zeidman says.
[See 7 Tips for Working for a Younger Boss]
9. Establish credibility. Simply landing a job is only the first step in proving your managerial prowess, she adds. "Your experience and expertise might have gotten you the promotion, however, now you need establish yourself as a trustworthy person, a person who keeps [his] or her word and does not make promises [he] or she cannot keep," says Zeidman.
10. Be confident in your team's abilities. Every team needs guidance, but an overabundance of it can prove detrimental. Young managers should trust their employees' abilities to successfully complete their assigned tasks. "Some new managers want to jump in and do everyone's work—they are afraid that the work will not get done right or it won't get done the way they would do it, or they feel very comfortable in the 'doing' role," says Zeidman. "New managers need to motivate their direct reports to do the work. They need to 'let go' of their fears that others are not as competent as they are."
The more confidence the manager has in his team's ability, the more he is willing to let them do their work, Zeidman says. "And if the manager has any doubt about the work getting done, he should have more frequent updates from his direct report to monitor progress."
Reader Comments (