Landing a job in management is a good first step to climbing the corporate ladder. But, there is more to making the big bucks than moving into a corner office. Higher levels of management generally require more leadership skills than the average novice manager currently possesses.
The following are some ideas to help you become a better leader.
Learning to Communicate
When a person is able to put what they mean into precise words, this helps them to get their point across to others more efficiently. It is hard to justify being promoted up the corporate ladder if you have deficient communication skills that unnecessarily costs the company in time and money. You should be comfortable communicating with others in meetings, one-on-one, through emails and phone, in the field and more. Not only do you have to be a good speaker, but it’s essential that you are a good writer as well.
Troubleshooting Skills Are a Big Plus
If you develop the ability to quickly size up a situation and troubleshoot problems, this proves to those above you that you can be trusted to manage more important aspects of a company’s operations. Learning to think your way through tough situations and to find elegant solutions to complicated problems is what having advanced troubleshooting skills means in terms of practical, real world applications.
Additional Education Matters
Thinking about going back to school to improve your worth as a manager is never a bad idea. A master’s degree in organizational development, for example, will boost your resume and give you the tools needed to be a successful leader. Gaining some perspective in organizational behavior and conflict resolution will make you a far more valuable asset than other managers who lack a background in these essential tools of the trade.
Learn to Be Fair
It cannot be stressed enough how important it is for a manager to learn to eliminate their biases to make room for fairness. As a person with power, the last thing you want is employees at lower levels despising you because of a poor ability to judge fairly when handling issues between subordinates. Additionally, if you come across as being unfair, this will tend to turn off those who have the power to promote you. Acting in an unfair manner will sometimes open a manager up for legal troubles.
While others are dreaming about raising to the next level in management, it takes hard work and determination to make it happen. The best way to show that you have what it takes to fill the shoes of the person leaving the position above you is to make certain others in executive positions recognize how much of an asset you are as a manager.