First Time Managers | Life As An Engineer | Building Successful Teams

At a basic level, there are four personality types that managers display. Some managers have a distinct personality style while others tend to have a combination of a couple. If you can identify the personality style of your managers, you will be better equiped at dealing with your superiors.

The Monopolizer

Monopolizers are fast decision makers. They stick to all decisions they make, rightly or wrongly, and they like to be in charge of everything. If you work for one of these managers you need to be direct with your communication – have all the facts and be clear and assertive. You will also need to be prepared to take action on their decision, whether you like it or not.

The Methodical

The managers with the methodical personality style are those that are more analytic. They like to have information from multiple sources before committing to a decision. If you work with a methodical manager, you may find yourself being asked for suggestions as to the best course of action. Make sure that you are able to demonstrate that you have considered your proposal and can explain the reasoning and logic to them.

The Motivators

These managers seem to have good relationships with everyone in the company. They are often creative and have a high energy. Often, work takes a backseat to the socializing around the office. If you need to get their attention you may need to ask them about their weekend or children before getting down to business.

The Mixers

Mixers shy away from conflict and they are resistant to change. They are patient, sympathetic, understanding and are probably more concerned with the needs of others or how people are going than the work itself. You might need to communicate with them with particular emphasis on feelings and teamwork.

A manager’s future career path often will depend upon his/her subordinates and superiors.

Should you be loyal to your manager?

Nobody follows a leader blindly these days in management circles. If a policy has been made that contradicts your expressed opinions you may be expected to follow it or even implement it regardless. See if you can find out how that decision came about and the processes that led to the decision. Don’t be narrow sighted, people don’t like change generally and you have to see the bigger picture as much as possible.

Your responsibility to your manager

You need to keep your manager informed of your plans, actions and team projects. Where you need to present arguments or concerns make sure this is done factually with back up evidence and examples where possible. Be open minded and listen to your manager’s point of view because they may be right.

Dealing with an unreasonable manager

Sometimes it’s hard to see the big picture when you’re covered in the proverbial at work. If you and your team have a long term problem with your manager you need to think why top management is allowing this to continue. If it is a problem only for you, then it’s a different situation. Believe it or not, sometimes bosses don’t realise if they are causing you problems so the best approach would be to be direct but professional in bringing the problem to their attention. It also helps to find a mentor somewhere else in the organisation that can offer you advice on how to handle the situation.

Driving good people away

During an economic downturn, some companies may take advantage of this and make their employees work harder as it is more difficult for people to leave. Doing this however can cause the top performers to leave, retaining the less capable employees. At the same time, it has a major impact on morale and production.

The skill to attain is to learn how to manage your boss. You can begin to do this by first study his or her management style…

Styles Of Leadership That Can Motivate Anybody!

There are six main responsibilities of a manager, regardless of where they work or who works for them.

1. Hiring – a manager finds individuals that are suited to positions required to complete a job as part of a larger project. The individuals must have the required skills and commitment, or can be coached or trained to succeed in the role.

2. Communicating – with employees. A manager needs to share the goals of the organization and company objectives so that employees know how their role fits into the bigger picture.

3. Planning - A manager needs to plan the works to ensure they are completed by the right people in the right time frame.

4. Organizing – Managers are responsible for ensuring that the right resources are put in the right roles to complete the job. This means deciding which employees do which tasks and means they also have to understand their teams strengths and weaknesses.

5. Training – If there are gaps in the skill level of your team, managers provide opportunities for training for development.

6. Monitoring - this involves monitoring each of your employees and ensuring they are succeeding in their tasks. Managers need to also be aware of the work load of their employees so that they are not bored or snowed under.