The world is constantly becoming increasingly complex, and this applies to management as well. Gone are the days when you could just be result oriented and expect everything else to fall into place. The successful manager of today needs to possess a variety of hard and soft skills. He or she must ensure all employees have a high level of job satisfaction in order to achieve the desired productivity. Here are six tips that will take your management style to the next level.

Delegating is an artform

Delegating responsibilities can be extremely tricky, but all the best managers have developed this skill to perfection. Many rookie managers are reluctant to give up control, and instead, end up taking on more work than they can handle. This can lead to burning out, and nothing demotivates a team like a manager at their wit's end.

The trust you place in your best workers will pay dividends as they will take ownership of their part of the work and be more motivated to excel if they do not feel micromanaged. Not only will your employees take more pride in their work, but it will free up valuable time that you can spend on big-picture tasks.

What Is Your Preferred Management Style?

Figuring out your management style is the cornerstone to success, and it requires a considerable bit of introspection as well as frequent self-examination. You must be painfully aware of your strengths and weaknesses.

It is particularly important to pay attention to the latter, as being honest about who you are will help you a lot in your day to day business. The management styles of today are less result oriented and more geared toward building relationships.

Whatever management style you pick, it is always a great idea to develop a personal relationship with your employees. You should take an interest in their lives and goals, and actively encourage them to perform to the best of their abilities.

Use Tech to Your Advantage

There is so much management and productivity software out there that it can make your head spin. It is important to pick out the components of business process management software that works for you and your team. There is no one cure-all stack of business software that works in every situation.

Sometimes, even the best business software will not work, simply because employees are reluctant to make big changes. Communicate with them, gauge how comfortable they are with different software approaches, and innovate accordingly.  

Be a leader

We have covered the fact that managers have different expectations of their employees compared to those in the past. The exact same applies vice versa: employees expect a lot from their managers and are less tolerant of the old-school totalitarian approach. The open space office is a perfect example of the shift in mentality.

Managers who are physically present on the main lines and have hands-on approach are far more likely to inspire trust and loyalty in their employees. Just like generals of old, you need to be leading the charge from the front lines. Only then will your employees follow your lead.

Make a Nurturing Work Environment

Employees, you included, spend at least a third of their waking hours in the office. It makes sense then, as a manager, for you to make the work environment as positive as possible. This applies to creature comforts and aesthetics, but more importantly to nonphysical aspects.

Stress, disrespect, feelings of isolation and tension in the workplace can stop a team dead in its tracks. You need to be open with your employees and make time for them. This way you can deal with discontent and workplace drama as soon as it appears. You stand a much better chance of diffusing adverse situations before they spiral out of control.

Conclusion

To sum up, complacency is a death sentence for any prospective manager. You need to be willing to consistently learn and be willing to change directions quickly and decidedly. Sticking to outdated top-down management models will leave you isolated and frustrated. Be the manager you wish you had, always alert and willing to support your employees on their road to success.