Be a Better Leader: 5 Management Tips for 2022

Management has never been an easy task, but the last year has been especially difficult. Remote working, pandemic burnout, and employee turnover have produced new and specific challenges for managers to overcome. 

The professional landscape of 2022 is going to look a bit different from the pre-pandemic workplace. How can managers continue to give their team what they need?

The remaining challenges of post-pandemic employment are still being discovered, but here are five tried and true management tips that will help develop your team in the coming year:

Be Sure to Listen

Ask any employee, and they will tell you that the biggest reason they dislike their manager is that the manager does not listen. Work is stressful, no matter the job, and the worst thing a manager can do is not hear their employees’ concerns. 

If your team members come to you with questions or concerns about their work, make a genuine effort to listen and solve the issue.

“A leader can positively (or negatively) impact the way people feel about themselves and their value to the team with just a few simple words,” says Ocean Healthcare’s Stuart Archer. A good manager will know the value of their input on the team’s overall efficiency. 

One tip for effective listening is to hold regular one-on-one sessions with each of your team members. Having a quick, short meeting with your team once or twice a month is a good way to build rapport. 

Often there won’t be anything to discuss, but when issues arise, your team will know to bring them up during one of these meetings to be heard.

Empower Your Team 

Good managers aren’t just concerned about getting the job done; they also consider how best to help their employees advance their careers. Employees who feel their managers care about their job trajectory and their growth potential will feel more valued by the company as a whole. 

Encourage your team to look for additional resources and training if they express a desire to shift to a new job; additionally, consider having your team member give a presentation on the information to the entire team. 

A good manager encourages their team to continue learning and growing at all times, even if that growth puts them on another team. 

Keep in mind that, as your team grows and becomes more diverse, empowerment needs will change. Research the challenges of leading a diverse team and address them appropriately. 

Be Willing to Help Out

There are going to be times when work piles up; this is especially common right after the holidays. As your team ramps up to get the work done, consider if there are any places you can step in and lend a hand. 

Team members have a lot of respect for a manager who recognizes work needs to be done and is willing to roll up their sleeves and pitch in. The worst thing a manager can do is encourage the team to work harder and then leave. 

Of course, some management positions will not allow for this kind of hands-on approach. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t steps you can take to help your team deal with the workload. You can always find a way to pitch in if you ask.

Recognize Hard Work

A team that constantly puts out great work for the company deserves recognition. Even if it’s just as simple as a morning shout-out during team syncs or a more formal awards ceremony, recognizing great work helps the team feel appreciated. 

Management that doesn’t recognize hard work will create an environment where team members feel their best is never good enough. This attitude can quickly lead to burnout among your team. 

Show Transparency 

Be honest with your employees about what you do and don’t know. Management has a desire to have all of the answers, but sometimes it’s just not possible. Often your team will approach you to find out why they’re doing something, especially if it’s not obvious or the work is tedious. 

Being evasive or asserting that the information isn’t necessary for the job will negatively affect your team’s morale. Check out this Forbes article on what happens when management is transparent with their team.

Management will only get more challenging as we move into the post-pandemic workplace, but cultivating these classic management strategies will help you successfully manage your team in and out of the office. By positioning yourself as a more effective leader, you can help your team reach all its upcoming goals.