And now, something for the boss

At PA Life we’re devoted to bringing you the very latest news, tips, advice and recommendations on a whole smorgasbord of topics that we hope are of interest to you in your professional lives.

Since our most popular stories seem to be those that provide suggestions on how to engender a better working relationship with your manager, we thought we’d ensure you get even more brownie points by bringing you a selection of news items of interest to your executive. In this edition, we find out how to become an effective manager.

In addition to a certain set of skills, good leaders should possess some primary characteristics, including credibility, creativity, organisational skills, time management and the ability to plan ahead. If you’re weak in any of these areas, seek training to develop your career to the next level.

To be effective, managers should first take stock of their own capabilities. Identify your strengths and weaknesses, as well as areas in which you may need to improve. Once you’ve determined your skill level, you can begin to find your leadership style.

Delegation is key. Figure out who in your team is trustworthy and give them important tasks to carry out. It’s important to treat everyone with respect so they will continue that behaviour when talking to clients and colleagues.

A good communicator should not only speak clearly and with confidence, but must also be a good listener. Be sure to think about what you’re going to say first, then pay attention to the response. If you have a presentation to make, plan ahead and visualise your success.

Finally, passion and courage go a long way to instilling confidence in your team. Demonstrate how important your work is and how much you enjoy doing it, as this is infectious and can help boost productivity among your colleagues. You may have to make tough decisions from time to time, but maintain your self-esteem and do what you think is right.

Read the original article at tinyurl.com/ot4l3u7