5 ways to help your managers step up their games

Being a stellar manager is more crucial than ever as we figure out how to incorporate AI into our businesses. In the spirit of fostering a learning culture and driving employee development, we’ve got some actionable tips to help you up your team’s management game with a fresh perspective.

Make sure your managers set meaningful goals.

Ever wondered how to align your team's efforts with organizational goals? Consider having your managers set meaningful goals using the objectives and key results (OKR) framework. 

Meaningful goals help ensure everyone understands their role in the bigger picture. Here's what you can do:

• Establish qualitative objectives and key results for each team member.
• Regularly revisit goals and OKRs during performance reviews for progress checks.
• Implement training on goal setting to align individual goals with company-wide objectives.

Ask your managers to provide more (and better) feedback.

Feedback is a superpower, but not all feedback is created equal. Managers should balance constructive feedback with positive reinforcement to create a supportive environment. Here's your action plan to have managers provide more feedback:

• Cultivate a feedback culture with a mix of positive and constructive feedback.
• Offer training on effective feedback techniques to your managers.
• In parallel, offer career training to your individual contributors, so they’ll be ready to listen.

Have your managers manage to their teams’ strengths.

Strength-based management is a game-changer. Instead of focusing on weaknesses, ask your managers to emphasize showcasing their teams’ strengths for a more engaged and productive workforce. Here's how:

• Help your managers identify and name individual strengths within your team.
• Align work assignments with employees' strengths for a fulfilling work experience.
• Introduce Electives Membership for personalized skill development based on strengths.

Teach your managers to be coaches, not bosses.

Shift your managers from directive mode to coaching mode. Help them empower their teams by asking questions, challenging assumptions and guiding toward independent problem-solving. Your coaching journey starts here:

• Encourage employees to think through and articulate their approaches.
• Bolster coaching skills through training for leadership development.
• Offer culture-building opportunities across the organization.

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