Its common knowledge that helping employees set and reach goals is a critical part of any manager’s job; but what about the managers themselves? Just as setting targets helps employees stay on track, it is important for managers as well. The best managers are not only looking out for their employees, but they realize their own need for continued learning and growth. Great managers understand that they, too, need to set personal goals to ensure they are on the path to success. By setting weekly goals, managers can work toward their own continued personal development. Below are personal goals that every manager should try to accomplish on a weekly basis.
Improve Time Management
Successful managers understand the importance of time management. They should make it a point to organize and plan all of their activities for the week to ensure everything gets accomplished. They need to look for ways to prioritize and work more efficiently. By making this a priority and a weekly goal, managers will see better productivity and increased effectiveness in their daily tasks.
Regular Communication with their Team
Employees want to be in communication with their manager. They want to know they have someone they can go to with questions or concerns. Furthermore, employees want to know what is expected of them. It is up to the manager to make sure that they communicate tasks clearly to every team member. It also makes them feel valued when their manager takes the time to check in with them on a weekly basis. Managers should strive for weekly communication with every member of their team.
Provide Feedback
Managers need to make sure they are not only checking in with members of their team, but they also need to provide feedback on a regular basis. This allows employees to get a better idea of how they are doing and to receive additional assistance if needed.
Active Listening
One of the most important attributes of a good manager is the ability to listen. Managers need to work toward paying close attention and demonstrating to employees that they value what they have to say. They should try using more open-ended questions and eliminate any distractions that get in the way of their ability to listen.
Focus on Coaching
At the end of each week, every manager should take a few minutes to reflect on how well they “coached” their team that week. Did they shift their focus from directing and telling to guiding their team members? Did they work with individual team members to develop personal goals and strategies? It can be easy for managers to micromanage their team instead of actually coaching them in order to help them grow.