4 Ways To Develop Your Skills For Your First Management Role

By Natalie Wilson

December 1 2019 - Ask the majority of employees what is an important reason for them to stay at a company for longer and they're most likely to say career development. However, many businesses fail to put processes in place that can help their current employees to develop, which is why you can easily take control of your own future and develop your career the way you want.

This can be extremely important if you're looking to obtain a management role within your current company. Of course, it's up to your employers whether they choose to put you in such a position but there are steps that you can take to improve your chances of achieving this. Developing the right skills can put you in contention for the role, so here's what you should consider if you're looking to do just that.

Experience a managerial role, even if you're not one

Some employees seeking the opportunity to become a manager tend to make a major mistake; they've never previously had experience of being in an authoritative role. As such, when they eventually come to take up the role they find that they're out of their depth and find the role difficult to perform.

It can be difficult to gain experience of managerial role without actually being one. But, there are opportunities likely to be available in an organisation which will test your skills that will be present in a managerial role and some are easier to gain than others.

One opportunity in particular that would be available is becoming an internal project manager. In this role, you'll likely need to demonstrate skills that are similar to a permanent manager role in order to complete the project. It's also likely to be a project that's being overseen by authoritative members in the organisation which is a prime opportunity for you to showcase your skills.

If you complete the project in a timely and efficient manner, you're more than likely to be considered for a managerial role in the future.

Are you able to manage people?

Team management is a key aspect of being a successful manager. Being able to control different personalities and get the best out of your team can be the difference between you achieving relevant goals and not doing. Of course, in your current role you're probably not in a position to manage people but how you interact with certain people and provide advice can be a good indication of whether you'd be able to manage a team.

Being able to deal with conflict, raising morale and even providing recognition can be some of the ideal qualities for successful team management. There are different management styles that you should also be aware of so you're able to adapt your management style to different people in your team. If you find team members are coming to you for advice and feedback, this is a good indication that they see you in high regard and potentially vouch for you when going for a senior role in the business.

Develop your communication skills

Communicating effectively is a great life skill and one that should also be applied in the workplace. Mistakes and conflict can easily be caused when poor communication is observed in the workplace, whether it be between staff, management or clients and it can occur in many places.

Therefore, being able to encourage better communication between those involved is an admirable skill for someone to have in a managerial role. Especially, as poor communication can increase issues and lead to mediation solicitors being involved to resolve dispute matters.

If you feel there are improvements that can be made with your communication skills, here are a few considerations that you can have:

• Provide clarity in your explanations and keep them straight to the point
• Actively listen to those you're communicating with
• Use repetition to reiterate that you understand the points being made by the other person
• Be respectful with your tone and try not to come across patronising

Encourage a positive working environment

Considering the majority of working people spend their lives in the workplace, it's important that the environment can be a positive one to work in. Poor working environments can have a negative effect on mental health and force staff to look elsewhere for roles. As a manager, you're likely to have a larger influence on changes made in the working environment, so try to make positive ones.

You can suggest team building exercises or offer to play upbeat music, if you have space to. Creating a more positive environment can encourage others to be more creative and innovative with their work, promoting an overall better place to work in. So, whilst making your steps towards a more senior role, be encouraging and supportive towards others because this can be something that you can enforce in the long term when you achieve a managerial role.

Feeling valued in the workplace should not be underestimated, which is why you should foster this mentality as early as possible.

Your steps to a better career

Each of the steps outlined in the article show that this is something which can't be achieved overnight. You need to be able to build these skills over time during your career and once you get a better understanding of them, you'll be ready to take the next step in becoming a manager.

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