Being effective at the top

Anyone that has been promoted to a higher position within a company must follow certain guidelines if they wish to be effective at the top. The guidelines for an effective manager are as follows:

Guideline # 1 - Sense of Humor
This guideline is true for any manager. If you want your employees to respect you and turn to you, it is important to have a sense of humor. Humor breaks the ice and tension that some people feel when they need to discuss hard topics like employee evaluations. A sense of humor can quickly cause a tense situation to dissipate. In small and large offices, you know that there are a number of different personalities and not everyone is going to get along smoothly. Having a sense of humor can help people find a way to work with one another. When you have a sense of humor, people will look forward to working with you and to coming into the office. People will have a desire to pay attention in meetings and they won't feel like you rule with an iron fist. Giving them a little breathing room is a great way to build a strong rapport with your employees. The other benefit of a sense of humor is that it will allow you to see the joy in your job and it will make you a happier person, which is a must-have in any work environment.

Guideline # 2 - Respect
To be an effective manager, you need to earn your employees trust and gain their respect. This will happen by being a good leader. Hold yourself to the same standards that you hold them to. Show up to work on time, don't leave early and don't abuse your lunch break. Avoid goofing off at the office and don't take too many vacations. When employees see that you actually have a desire to be at the office, they will respect you for it. Build their trust through positive interactions with them. Make an effort to talk to them daily and to remember a few details about their personal life. Showing them you truly care about them helps to establish trust.

Guideline # 3 - Positive attitude
Even if the third quarter sales have slumped and your employees are feeling frustrated, you cannot show up to work with a negative attitude. It is your job to be the beacon of light to them. Show up to work with a positive attitude that is filled with hope. Give them something to look forward to. Having the right attitude will allow you to focus on the tasks at hand and find ways to overcome them. Showing up to work with a negative attitude will reflect to your staff and it will make them upset and their work will begin to suffer. If you are having personal problems that are causing you to struggle with a positive attitude, take some time off and get yourself together. People want to see you as a strong person that can carry them, not the other way around.

Guideline # 4 - High expectations
You need to hold your employees to high expectations. This is the best way to push them and to get them out of their comfort zone and to make them perform. When they meet these high expectations, reward them and praise them. It's a great way to keep them motivated and to help them advance their skills.

Guideline # 5 - Fair
A good manager is fair. You need to treat each employee equally. There is no room for favoritism in the workplace. Give each employee their own chance to expand their skills by offering them personalized projects. Hold regular meetings with each employee to find out how they are doing and what you can do to help them improve.