When you enter the world of employment, it takes years of hard work and determination to build your resume and show your boss you deserve a promotion. You not only have to prove your skills, but you also have to be a good team player, somebody who listens to directions and constantly tries to make work life easier for those around you.
If you’re able to combine all of these positive traits into one attractive package, your employer might just ask if you want to become a manager. This might seem like a dream come true, but there’s a lot more to think about than most people originally think when they aspire to become a manager.
We’ll talk about some of the best questions you need to ask yourself before you take a job as a manager. They’re questions that have a lot to do with patience, loyalty to your coworkers and company, and determining whether you have the ability to not abuse your authority. We’ll also discuss ways to reduce stress on the job as a manager.
#1 – Do I have the ability to lead other people?
Being a manager is about being a good leader. Your workers look to you for action and advice, and they want to know you have what it takes to put everyone in a position to succeed. Being a leader isn’t always an easy thing to quantify, as every person you ask may have a different definition of the term. Here are a few adjectives to think about in leadership:
Responsibility
Leaders have to show they are responsible for themselves and the people around them. When there is something that goes wrong in a workplace, it’s the responsibility of the manager to take the hit in public, even when they know it might be someone else’s fault. This protects the people under a manager so they don’t get fired.
Leaders also make their workers responsible for their actions in private, though. They will talk thoroughly about what needs to be done to correct an issue in the workplace, whether that’s letting an employee know they’re treating the customers poorly, or asking them why they’re not coming into the office on time each day.
Confidence
Leaders are confident individuals. They show their workers that everything is going to be fine even in the face of adversity, and they lead by example. Managers who lead effectively have the confidence to talk to customers, corporate higher-ups, and employees without getting rattled or losing their train of thought.
Good leaders know they deserve their position at the top of the ladder, but they don’t take it for granted. Managers who are confident are always trying to prove to themselves and others they deserve their jobs. They don’t act like they’re entitled to their position without continuing to work incredibly hard.
Humility
Being confident shouldn’t be confused with being arrogant. Managers who lead with cockiness are prone to ignoring the needs of others because they think they’re too good to associate with them. Arrogant managers may think they don’t need to talk to customers, or take responsibility for their actions or those of the company.
Being humble is one of the most vital traits for a manager who leads effectively. If there aren’t enough employees out on the floor stocking the shelves, a good manager will get their hands dirty and help their workers. They’ll figure out a way to improve the working conditions of their company so more people want to work there.
#2 – Am I understanding of my coworkers’ struggles?
You don’t have to be a mental health specialist to be a good manager, but you certainly need to be a good listener who doesn’t unfairly judge the actions of others. Take an interest in the lives of your workers without prying too much. Feel out how much your workers want to talk about their personal lives, and let your intuition do the rest.
For example, you might have a worker who has a drug addiction. Don’t immediately release them or treat them like they’re not worth your time. Try to get them the help they need. Maybe your worker has just experienced a death in the family and their productivity isn’t the best. Instead of jumping on them, treat them like the real people they are.
If you work in a service job, it’s just as important to be understanding of your workers as it is to be understanding of the customers. Too often people come into a place of business, think they can say whatever they want to the employees, and then expect the manager to side with them.
If you build trust with your employees by sticking up for them when they’re being treated poorly, asking them how they’re doing at home, and remembering they have other priorities outside of work, you become a truly empathetic manager who everyone will want to try their hardest for. Your managerial career will flourish.
#3 – Do I like to boss other people around?
If you answer this question with a “yes”, you won’t be a good manager. The act of telling people what to do shouldn’t make you feel powerful. Advising or instructing your employees should be a collaborative process, not a one-way street that gives you an adrenaline boost.
When you’re a manager, giving out orders should only make you feel good when they help the greater good of the company. Try to think about how you felt if you ever had a manager in the past who seemed a little too overjoyed to tell you what to do. If this made you angry, you’ll surely realize it’s best for the company to stop this trend of bossing people around.
#4 – Do I know how to decompress?
Being a manager requires thinking about a lot of things besides just your tasks for the day. You have to motivate workers, you have to think about hiring people, and you may have to talk to corporate executives or branch managers higher up in the company. These are extra stresses you don’t have to worry about as a typical employee.
Remember to find ways to decompress and have fun outside of work. Whether it’s watching a movie with family or exercising at the gym, find your little bit of non-work happiness. It’ll make your managerial skills sharper when you’re not so exhausted and sick of doing only work things.
You should see now that it’ll help you tremendously to do a little bit of introspection before simply accepting a manager job on the spot. Ask yourself what makes a good leader and whether you have the qualities to be successful. If you’re confident but kind, you have a great basis for being an effective leader.
Shawn Laib writes and researches for the life insurance comparison site, QuickQuote.com. He wants to help people with occupational questions like whether they’re qualified to manage a company or workforce.