Six steps to becoming a great people manager

This article builds on the Better Managers Required insight article (Melius 25/04) which explored the impact of limited management skills on the productivity and potential of British businesses.

People management, and explicitly the ability to get the most from the talent within your span of responsibility, is one of the essential skills for the coming decade.

This skill is one that’s equally applicable to those working in a network, flat or matrix organisational structure and to those working on multi-partner projects as it is to those with more traditional line management responsibilities.

So what makes the best people managers? And how can each of us develop our ability to get the best from those we work with?

The leadership and management development team at Melius works with organisations to build these skills in new and experienced managers using a variety of formal and informal learning techniques.

Six key components underpin the Melius approach to developing great people managers:

1.       Clarity.

Managers that can provide clarity of briefing and expectation, autonomy and constraints provide their teams with the strongest basis for effective delivery.

 2.       Personal Participation.

Managers that actively contribute to the ‘doing’ elements of team tasks and projects win credibility for their ability to walk in the shoes of the teams that they lead.

3.       Guidance.

Managers who are able to guide their teams to achieve excellence through formal or informal coaching, mentoring, advice and guidance develop a strong following among their teams.

4.       Accountability.

Managers who are resolutely fair but thorough in holding individuals and teams accountable for successes and failures win the respect of those they work with.

5.       Recognition.

Managers who publicly and privately recognise the efforts, contributions and achievements of their teams are most able to motivate their colleagues.

6.       Opportunity.

Managers who actively support the career directions and aspirations of their teams, and help them to achieve their personal goals are well regarded long after the original opportunity.

For people management programmes that directly translate into improved business performance, talk to Melius.