What is a Manager’s Mindset and How Can It Help Your Business?
At one point in time, the only thing you had to worry about was doing what you do best. Perhaps you had a great idea and were able to bring that idea to life, launching a company that experienced initial success. Or, perhaps you were recognized for your talents in a certain area, such as website development or problem-solving, early in your career. Your talents allowed you to move up the ranks so that now you’re either running your own company or have been put in a management position at another business.
For many people, making the shift from an individual with recognized skills in one area to a manager who’s expected to oversee others, can be a challenge. Not having the right mindset can get in the way of your business accomplishing what it wants to accomplish and can lead to unhappy team members and high turnover. In some cases, managers feel as if they need to take on all of the responsibilities and tasks on their own, leaving their team members bored.
Developing a manager’s mindset can help you learn to work well with others. In the long run, having a manager’s mindset will pave the way for business growth and a happier team overall.
Characteristics of a Manager’s Mindset
Before examining the characteristics of a manager’s mindset, it’s important to have a firm idea of what a mindset is. It’s a way of thinking or belief that guides people in particular situations. For example, if a person has a growth mindset, they are continually looking for ways to improve. If they struggle with something or fail at a task, they don’t necessarily view it as a defeat. Instead, the struggle or failure highlights where there is room for improvement, and ideally, what they can do to improve.
A person with a manager’s mindset will have a concern for the needs of other people as well as a focus on growth, making the most of a situation and finding ways to stay positive. Some of the key characteristics of a manager’s mindset include:
- Willingness to delegate.
- Willingness to help when needed.
- Curiosity.
- Willingness to focus on improving themselves.
- Ability to trust your instincts.
How to Develop a Manager’s Mindset
Although some people are born leaders, having a manager’s mindset doesn’t come naturally to everyone. People who thought that they would be doing one thing with their lives, but suddenly find themselves expected to lead a team, can often have difficulty adjusting to the responsibilities of being a manager. Developing a manager’s mindset isn’t an overnight process but it can be done.
For example, if a business owner or manager has difficulty delegating tasks or regularly decides that it’s easier to do the work themselves, one way to develop the mindset of collaboration and connection is to quickly and clearly explain the needs of the project and what should be accomplished. Resist the urge to course-correct as a person is working on a task. Instead, let them work and, if needed, offer feedback at the end.
Having a manager’s mindset doesn’t mean leaving your team to flounder at sea. It’s important to be there to provide and help when needed. Cultivating your curiosity can help you develop your ability to help others. Curiosity leads you to ask the right questions and can help you guide your team to the right answer or towards a more efficient method.
A manager’s mindset isn’t all about focusing on your team. It’s also about knowing where there is room for improvement in yourself. One way to develop this mindset is to regularly check in and ask yourself where you can improve. You can also take the question to your team and ask them where they see room for improvement or what aspects of your managing style don’t work. You can do this anonymously so that people don’t feel on the spot.
Finally, honing your instincts and convincing yourself to rely on those instincts is part of having a manager’s mindset. If you notice something off, get yourself to take action quickly, rather than waiting until it’s too late. Trusting your instincts can be a challenge at first, and you’re likely to find yourself second-guessing, but over time it will begin to feel more natural.
Building a successful business is all about building relationships, with your team members and clients. The virtual CFO services provided by New Direction Capital can help you focus on building relationships and on making the right financial decisions for business growth. Contact us today to learn more.
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