People Management skills refer to the ability of getting the best from the other people at your workplace. Managers of a concern usually require these skills and it has many aspects. People Management skills involve resource management, crisis management, and decision making and of course ensuring winning performance. It is one thing to do that as an individual or manager, because for better or worse, people have nobody, but themselves to blame.
Managing any business or organization is different because many people have to be on the same page, and should be moving together, each doing his or her respective bit. Some people are of course born with such skills, or possibly imbibe them from their family environment. Others have to master many of these skills as they climb the corporate ladder. Few of these people handling skills can also be learnt by taking part in the People Management programs.
Tips to Develop People Management Skills
Here are a few tips on how to develop people management skills-
-Always Be Logical
Logical, sequential actions indicate the outcome of any situation. Logics are usually based on facts. And using facts for foundation can make a decision more accurate, resulting in overall acceptance of the outcome by all the team members. Obviously, it prevents any favoritism, or lopsided decisions.
-While Being Logical, Be Considerate Too
There is more to business than merely earning profits for investors. Team members may have reasons for failing to meet the deadlines or other problems. It becomes necessary to hear them out, and resolve their issues in an amicable manner. At times, it could also be ego hassle between two members and people management skills here may entail remaining logical and yet not making person erring feel he or she has been asked to compromise. This can be huge and much depends upon communication and delegation skills.
-Know The Details Of The Process
Understanding the process thoroughly helps to prevent snags and crisis. Knowledge of the subject is mandatory for any manager and when knowledge is lacking, then taking help of somebody who knows the matter to know the thing helps. It is necessary to remember that all people management is merely about aligning and allocating resources in a sequential manner for achieving better production and eventually profits, irrespective of the type of product or business. That is the fundamental route, and only resources and processes vary. Therefore, spending time to understand processes and schedules help to understand which employee is likely to be overworked, and what is delaying the process.
-Analysis Versus Swiftness In Decision Making
Not every work requires deep analysis for decision making. Some decisions can be swift and others can go slow. Knowing the difference between the two creates a healthy balance. This can happen even within the process or project. People who burn their hands once or twice tend to become overcautious and start delaying decision making, which can have a demoralizing effect on the team. Therefore, an efficient manager should expect snags, and when confronted with a decision making situation, take decisions based on the possible impact on efficiency and resources.
-Prevent Aggressive Approach
People who have been achievers find it difficult initially to have a team with every member inclined to go to his or her pace. Work in any organization moves because of the people. Merely getting irritated or annoyed and being harsh is only going to scare people. Aggressive pursuit of the goal is desirable, but it can also be achieved with co-operation. People Management skills here are about getting everybody motivated to achieve that objective. Perhaps delegating bigger responsibilities could help people feel interested in what is going on. Such approaches show better results than reprimanding.
There will be problems, and it is better to have team members discuss them when they occur rather than try to solve them and delay the project. Monitoring the progress helps to check things and prevent loss of time, and simultaneously helps everybody achieve their targets.
-Take Decisions By Consulting Others
This is important because each of the team members knows his or her capabilities and the problems he or she is facing with machines or power. Any managerial meeting therefore starts with letting members know what is being planned or desired and what is expected of them, and then asking if they can or not manage that. If a person says achieving the set targets are not possible, then the manager can ask for reasons and do something about it. If it is not possible to do something about it, then the targets may be lowered to more reasonable level. Effectively, everybody participates and sets targets for self at such meetings. Since the work is interlinked, and responsibilities are understood, any problems that are likely may have to be discussed at the outset.
-Remaining Positive At The End Of The Project
Targets may or may not be achieved. Either way, everybody in the team becomes wiser. Blaming others should not be done. Instead, where it went wrong needs to be acknowledged shouldering part of the responsibility and fresh plans may be made for better results. Motivating a team with flagging spirit after a failure is another thing that a person should know. Some people start with smaller target, and progress to larger ones, making the team feel yes, they are achieving again.
-Do Not Leave Everything On Team
Team members have their work charted out at the meeting. They can’t be monitoring what others are doing. Effectively, when they have to receive something from another department, they may find it is not coming. The other department may have genuine reasons for delaying, and such a situation can create stress because of deadlines. People react badly to stress. Efficient People Management entails checking the progress a couple of times each day and comparing it with the target set by the team. Reasons for any slackness can be identified immediately so that any revision to plans can be made promptly.
-Have Contingency Plans
This helps to remain on the path even if the critical path chosen the first time becomes non-viable.
Courses for Enhancing People Management Skills
People management skills are mostly integrated with the Human Resource Management programs. However, there are some short term courses mainly focused on the people management for managers. In South Africa, Kumalogreen is one such training provider that has been given full accreditation for its courses. People Management Skills for Managers is a short term course provided by this training company for motivating the people to learn the art of managing people. Oxford Learning Institute, Oxford, UK also offers an online course focusing on Managing people which is meant for the new managers, supervisors for building the people managing skills. Similarly, Australian School of Business under The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia provides a short term MBA (executive) course based on Managing People & Organisations. This course helps in improving the behavior of a person at his workplace and enhancing his efficiency in the organization.
Much of people management skills are about relating to people and that is not very difficult considering that no man is an island. Observing people and their behaviors can prevent frictions. Some people may have to be thrown out too. Such people are often popular with a group within an organization and there can be polarization too. Some good workers may belong to the group of such undesirable employee. It can be a tough task separating good staff members from idle ones. Taking tough decisions is also a part of the management. Any such decision must be taken without causing resentment. Therefore, promoting people that the organization intends to keep can help to isolate the bad elements, and eventually throwing them out.