Learnings in People Management

As a manager I am learning some key lessons in managing people.  I have learnt that success of a project and hence success of a project manager largely depends on the people management skills. While people management is most important job of a manager, it is also a difficult one.

So what have I learnt? Here it goes. These are not sure shot solutions to any people problems, but they have worked for me over a period of time.

Empower people
People work best when they feel they are empowered. Suggest alternatives and ask them to suggest best possible option. They feel important and at the same time, manager doesn’t loose the control. Managers have to be facilitators and not task masters.

Motivate them
Someone has rightly said, “Motivation is like a good shower – you need it everyday”. Know the areas where a person needs to be motivated – direct your words and thoughts to motivate. Don’t miss any opportunity to motivate them. Observe their conduct from distance and steer their actions in right direction with timely inputs. Read my previous post “Are your people motivated?”

Criticise carefully and constructively
Criticism has to be constructive. One has to be emphatic at times, but the overall impact of the criticism should be positive. Criticise in private – on one-on-one basis. I have written about constructive criticism earlier.

Manage people based on their personalities
I have learnt not to manage people by one single strategy or standard. Each individual is unique, has a different personality and background. They have to be treated in accordance to what they are. Standard management strategies work for machines, not for people. Know their work paces and personality traits.

Delegate work, don’t force
Work delegation is a very delicate issue. People should not feel that they are being forced upon to do something. Show them the value of their work and give them space to take decisions related to their work. Help them in planning and work with them as an approachable peer. Manage their performance.

Give the perspective
Managers decisions “generally” do not make sense to people – just because people don’t have the overall perspective. When we talk, the other person frames a virtual picture at the back of his mind. Carefully select words and facts to ensure that communication results in framing of a right picture. Ask questions, if required.

Talk, Talk, Talk
Share positives with the team. Connect to them by talking about things other than work. See your team members at least once in the day. Ongoing communication about work and general issues strengthens the bond between team and fosters trust. People feel they are being cared for.

Give them space
People need space and independence in order to perform. Give them clear guidelines about work, set expectations and then let them free. Keep a watch but don’t interfere in their work. No individual would like a manager taking feedbacks every hour.

Talk “We”, not “I”
One of my team members said “you are doing a great job on XYZ project” – I corrected “we are doing a great job”. Managers are empowered by their teams and hence its very important that managers speak the “we” language.

Respect their time
Keep the communication targeted. Meditate before talking to team. Clarity of thought helps in reducing the time taken in giving a feedback or doing a communication. Have short and focused meetings.

Lead by example – walk the talk
Do what you preach. Elevate your own standards. Team closely watches what a manager does. Lousy managers mostly manage lousy teams. Walk the talk and lead by example.

Have patience
People management needs a lot of understanding about people and their behavior patterns. This needs time. After that, people improvement and empowerment will also take time. It’s very important for a manager to have patience and consistently invest effort in building trust, confidence, independence and dexterity in the team.

While there are standard conventions and techniques for managing teams, certain things are still contextual and need a careful consideration.

I invite you to share your learnings in people management – something that worked for you and your team. Comments are also welcome.