We Reveal 12 People Management Skills You Need to Succeed
Valentin Hinov
05 February 2024
You’ve probably had at least one manager or team leader in your life that you didn’t quite see eye to eye with. Maybe they were too strict, not communicative enough, or simply didn’t inspire and motivate the team.
But what sets apart a great manager from a mediocre one?
This Thankbox guide will answer that very question by going over twelve essential people management skills that every successful manager possesses. From communication to empathy, we’ll explore what it takes to lead a team effectively and foster a positive work culture.
Let’s get started!
What are people management skills?
People management skills are soft skills that help you interact with and lead others successfully. They involve understanding human behaviour, building relationships, and effectively communicating to motivate and inspire a team.
For example, flexibility is an important people management skill.
In the course of managing people, mistakes will happen, deadlines will be missed, and plans will need to change. If you’re flexible, you’ll be able to change course with minimal disruption and make the most of the situation.
Why are people management skills so important?
Every organisation is made up of people of different ages, backgrounds, and ideas. People management skills help you align these differences toward achieving larger goals.
To make sure everyone in your team reaches their full potential, as a manager, you need to build up your arsenal of people management skills.
12 people management skills to help you thrive as a manager
Here’s an overview of our 12 essential people management skills that you can incorporate into your workplace:
Giving credit when it’s due
Clear communication
Active listening
Ability to motivate
Flexibility
Conflict-resolution and problem-solving
Patience
Trust
Accountability
Non-toxic positivity
Emotional intelligence
Honest (and continuous) feedback
1. Giving credit when it’s due
Have you ever been in a situation where someone above you has taken the credit for a project you’ve worked hard on? That sure is frustrating! Not only does this foster negative feelings, it also greatly minimises the chance of you exerting your efforts again.
If you’re managing people, it’s important to know how to give credit where credit is due and give praise to the right people. It helps to develop trust between you and your team and boost their motivation.
Learning the special traits that make your team members unique is a prerequisite for employee recognition. Get to know the projects they’re working on, how they’re spending their time, and keep track of their output.
And while you’re at it, why not take advantage of the power of Thankbox to say ‘thank you’?
Our online group greeting card allows you to involve your entire team in expressing their appreciation in a personalised way. Whether it’s sharing Mr. Bean’s GIFs or writing sentimental messages, Thankbox is a unique game-changer.
Plus, you can use Thankbox to collect money from teammates to offer a thoughtful gift card to a team member who has gone above and beyond. With direct connections to 700+ retailers (and the option to redeem the cash as a Prepaid Visa), your employees will feel truly appreciated.
2. Clear communication
Clear communication is valuable in any setting. It’s a powerful people management tool that allows you to better engage with your team members, present ideas to inspire them and provide the guidance they need. Think about how you express your instructions and feedback.
Do you give too much information at once, or use confusing terms that not everyone might understand?
Make sure to provide an open environment where your team members are welcome to ask questions if they need clarification. It’s a great way to foster transparency and a better company culture.
3. Active listening
The perfect complement to clear communication is active listening. By fully taking in a person’s perspective and concerns before responding, you’re showing them that what they’re saying is valuable to you.
Minimise distractions by maintaining eye contact and providing verbal and non-verbal affirmation cues to help the person feel safe expressing themselves to you. You can also express that you empathise with their experience and ask follow-up questions to learn more about what they need.
4. Ability to motivate
We won’t pretend that every work task inspires passion.
We all have tasks that we’re excited about and those that we dread and put off until the last possible second. The ability to motivate your team is valuable when it comes to executing those tasks.
To help motivate your team to tackle these tasks, you need to identify their emotions, individual strengths and what matters to them. Once you have these in check, you can easily discover what makes them tick.
Take People Management to The Next Level With Thankbox!
Give credit where credit is due with just one click - start your Thankbox today. It’s the perfect way to bring your entire team together to celebrate a deserving colleague.
5. Flexibility
Effective people management skills don’t encompass control–they embrace flexibility and learning from others. By understanding when to be flexible and when to firmly direct your team, you can reduce burnout and produce a more dynamic team.
For example, you can let employees adjust their workflows to what helps them be more productive and analyse their results. If they’re productive using their personalised processes, then you can encourage them to share with others to boost the entire team.
6. Conflict-resolution and problem-solving
When it comes to working with people, we’re always going to encounter interpersonal problems and conflict. Thus, great conflict-resolution and problem-solving skills are key for effective people management.
If there are clashing opinions and miscommunication among your team members, you need to be able to mediate between them and help them come to a compromise, instead of shutting it down without resolution.
This is amazing for strengthening professional bonds and establishing trust in you as their manager.
7. Patience
Even when things don’t seem to be going well, patience is an important people management skill that you need to maintain.
Luckily, you don’t have to be born with this ability. You can develop patience in challenging times by taking a step back to breathe and allowing your negative emotions to pass before providing your response.
8. Trust
Just like in any other relationship, trust is important in the workplace.
It helps your team feel more empowered and encourages them to take ownership of their work. You can show your team you trust them by avoiding micromanagement, even if you think you know best.
9. Accountability
Unfortunately, as a manager, you’re not just responsible for your work, you’re also responsible for the work of your team. By taking accountability when things go wrong, your team members are inclined to appreciate your actions and may feel inspired to do the same.
You can foster a much happier workplace when your employees know that you have their back.
10. Non-toxic positivity
Attitudes are contagious, after all, and it’s up to you as a manager to make sure that you’re fostering a positive work environment and maintaining staff morale. This doesn’t mean that you should be unrealistically positive when challenges arise, but you should be able to lift your team’s spirits when they do.
Try to minimise stress and add some fun at work with fun office games and employee engagement activities.
11. Emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence is a powerful people management skill because it encourages employee well-being and a fulfilling work-life balance. An emotionally intelligent manager observes and takes note of valuable non-verbal cues that others might miss–it’s about reading between the lines and embracing a genuine interest in your team members.
12. Honest (and continuous) feedback
If you want to help your team members grow, you need to give them constructive feedback that helps them improve. This means keeping things honest, without being overly critical and negative.
Take People Management to The Next Level With Thankbox!
Give credit where credit is due with just one click - start your Thankbox today. It’s the perfect way to bring your entire team together to celebrate a deserving colleague.
Wrapping up
And there we have it–our top 12 people management skills. By working on these skills, you’ll not only improve your effectiveness as a manager, but also boost the morale and efficiency of your team. Every interaction gives you the opportunity to connect and understand your people better.
As you develop your people management skills, why not take the first step with Thankbox? Our unique platform offers an innovative way to bridge the gap between you and your team in a personalised and memorable way.
Create your Thankbox today and show your team you care!
Images: Cover | Friends having fist bump | You Got This lamp | Diverse women stacking hands on wooden table | Cheerful multiethnic students in a library
