The right management style is the one that enables you to lead your team to success. But what skills or personal qualities are necessary, or even essential, to achieve this? Find out from Sandrine Bertrand, ORSYS trainer and expert in communication, management and personal development.
Whereas in the past, management was seen as highly operational, today more attention is paid to the employee as a person.
Positioning yourself well as a manager means adapting your behaviour to each employee and each situation.
For the greater good of each individual and the company.
#management special report
This article is the 3rd and final part of our special report on management.
[Also read]
[1/3] Delegating and empowering: best practice and concrete results
[2/3] How can you boost your team's creativity and productivity?
What is a "good managerial posture"?
First of all, take care in the way you introduce yourself to your team and interact with your colleagues. It's essential that this perception is positive from the outset. After all, every member of staff forms an impression of their manager from the very first moment. For example, if you're not smiling, you could be perceived as "hard" or authoritarian. Everyone's perception is unique and personal! If you become a "natural leader", you can go beyond the hierarchical posture and get each member of staff to get involved, even when the path is complicated. The right management style is one in which you lead your team towards their objectives, while building trust.
Understanding the impact of emotions on managerial behaviour
Can you be friends with your colleagues? While some people are convinced that you can, others are convinced that you can't, fearing that this will lead to a loss of authority. In reality, to know what suits you best in your context, you need to know at least a little about yourself. To do this, you need to take a step back from situations you have already experienced. Think about your own behaviour and identify what suits you and what doesn't. In particular, you need to be able to answer the question: "Why and how can I change things? Some ideas: training, discovering new worlds, etc.
The example of Pascale
"I can spend special time with my colleagues outside work. For example, going out for a drink or sharing a meal. This allows us to get to know each other in a different way and brings us closer together. On the other hand, I do this while being aware that I have to remain fair and efficient when problems arise. There's no question of emotions getting in the way.
In this case, everything is balanced and it's possible to share time apart. But if you don't feel able to set limits easily, it's best to avoid these outside moments in the first instance. The ties you've forged could play tricks on you if a professional problem arises. For example, a colleague might try to take advantage of these links by bringing them up to avoid criticism or punishment. Sometimes this also leads to a form of emotional blackmail: "I thought we were friends...".
To sum up
Finding the "right balance" in your professional relationships is essentially a question of :
- Firstly, the knowledge you have of yourself
- Then, your desire tomove towards greater assertiveness
Be assertive and inspire confidence
Assertiveness is not a natural posture; it is something you have to work on throughout your life.
And to be able to work on it, you need to know your needs, your limits and respect them.
While respecting those of your employees.
[Training]
Assertiveness and assertiveness
3 key points:
- Boosting self-esteem and self-confidence
- Saying no assertively
- Handling criticism and conflict
Alain's experience
"One day, I was asked to get my team to work on an objective that didn't seem quite right to me. The first thing I did? Discuss my feelings about the request with my own manager, backed up by factual information. But nothing helped. So I asked myself: what should I do with my team? Should I be transparent or put on an act?
I chose to explain my initial position, taking care to express myself positively. It was the right choice. The objective was achieved, even if it wasn't very motivating in operational terms. On the other hand, in terms of team cohesion, it was very positive. Everyone felt 'in the same boat'. The idea was to finish as quickly as possible so that we could move on to better things.
The fact that I was able to assert my point of view to my superior, reinforced by my honesty towards my team, made it easier to get through this difficult time with confidence".
[Also read] Managers, develop your assertiveness!
Setting limits and enforcing them
An experienced manager needs to know how to set limits and enforce them.
Best practice :
- Establish the team's operating rules, possibly in consultation with the team: communication, transparency, integrity, mutual support, etc.
- Communicate very clearly about what is acceptable and what is not
- Stick to what has been decided
Please note:
A framework defined in collaboration with the team is even more likely to be respected.
Knowing how to position yourself
The captain of a ship must be professional to the end, whatever happens. To steer the ship, you need to be motivating, reassuring, encouraging, fair, reliable and exemplary, whatever the situation. The manager is the "point of reference" for his team, and everyone needs to be able to rely on him.
So you need :
- adopt an attitude appropriate to the circumstances
- a certain courage
- managing your emotions
- say "no" when necessary
[Training]
Two key points:
- Identifying complex situations
- Equip yourself with tools and methods for as many situations as possible
Stéphane's case
"In my previous job as a manager, I found it difficult to position myself when certain problems arose. For example: an employee who's late with a deadline, another who spends all day at the coffee machine, someone who imposes their way of thinking on others... Interpersonal communication wasn't my strong point. I tended to get angry and even shout. I ended up with the whole team at my back and I lost my job.
I did a lot of thinking to analyse what had happened. This led me to question myself and I started to work on myself. As well as personalised support, I took courses in stress and emotion management. The results are there. I now have another managerial position elsewhere. And it's going really well because I've identified my needs and I'm able to manage my emotions. In fact, I've learnt to express my anger in a constructive way: saying things frankly but in a calm tone and using appropriate language. I'm also a much better listener. I've learned a lot about myself by learning to position myself correctly. All in all, it's a blessing in disguise!
[Training] Control your emotions to be more effective
How can you work on your managerial posture?
Getting the right positioning for your team requires investment. Here's 6 key areas to work on your management style:
Area 1: Understanding, managing and expressing emotions constructively
Area 2: Perfecting your active listening skills
This means letting the other person express themselves completely, refraining from any interpretation, remaining neutral...
[Training]
Develop your interpersonal effectiveness through active listening
Communication channels, synchronisation... a closer look at the techniques and postures that work.
Area 3: Developing your ability to observe and analyse each of your colleagues, getting to know them better
→ Putting it into practice: organising a "live my life" event
Axis 4: Demonstrate empathy
In other words, put yourself in their shoes, adapt to them and their way of working, and take account of their individual needs.
Area 5: Acting ethically
It means setting an example, honouring our commitments and treating everyone fairly.
Area 6: Accept challenges, be open to continuous learning and seek to evolve...
This means getting informed, training, talking to other managers, finding out about their experiences and alternative solutions...
To sum up, a good managerial attitude has many benefits. On the one hand, it helps to build team cohesion on a daily basis. Secondly, it fosters motivation and collective intelligence, by developing mutual respect and constructive interaction. It also helps to manage difficult situations as effectively as possible. As a result, the team will be all the more efficient and productive.
