Managing an existing team can be a complex endeavour – one that requires strong leadership, management, and interpersonal skills. Whether you are the head of an organisation, the manager of a small or large team, or someone who plans to one day take on a leadership role, then it’s important to develop these important traits.
No matter their experience, managing an existing team can be challenging for any manager. But luckily, there are tools and techniques that can help leaders excel in this area. At Pathways Australia, we specialise in helping organisations achieve their goals through tried and trusted approaches. Alongside our range of courses, here are four tips to consider when managing an existing team:
1. Build Up Relationships
It may seem obvious, but getting to know the people you’re working with will have a major effect on productivity and team morale. When working to manage and develop an already existing team, it’s essential to take time to build relationships with every member. These internal relationships help foster trust amongst your colleagues and make it easier for collaboration later on.
Building up internal relationships also helps to boost morale drastically. When each member of a team feels welcome, connected, and comfortable with one another, this sense of comradery inspires and encourages productivity and creativity.
How to achieve this can be learned efficiently through a leadership course. At Pathways Australia, our course in management and leadership teaches those in mid-level to senior roles how to look to the future, shape team culture, and inspire people. It’s an excellent place to start when considering ways to build existing team relationships!
2. Ensure Clear Communication
“Communication is key” is a cliche for a very good reason. Ensuring clear communication among all levels of an organisation allows for expectations and priorities to be established. Whether it’s between internal team members, department heads or with stakeholders, having efficient communication practices in place is essential for any successful organisation.
It’s not easy to build a dream team, but with the right motivation and communication tactics, it can be done! When goals and objectives are clearly outlined and communicated, it makes them much easier to accomplish. Implementing communication skills in the workplace is important for ensuring that everyone is on the same page, and additionally, taking time to clarify expectations will help ensure that everyone knows what needs to be done and how it should be completed. Having clear communication also helps foster an environment of trust and transparency, increasing morale.
3. Stay Up to Date on Best Practices
Anyone in a leadership role knows that the best methods for managing teams are ever-evolving. That’s why it’s important to stay current on best practices for leadership and management through workshops or leadership courses. This knowledge will benefit both you as the leader and your entire team in the future.
With many great options for leadership and management training courses in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and online available through Pathways Australia, you never need to stop sharpening your expertise!
4. Acknowledge Individual Strengths and Weaknesses
Every member of your team is going to be different. Therefore, acknowledging that each employee has their own strengths and weaknesses can be used to your advantage as a leader. Delegating tasks related to those individual qualities can lead to increased efficiency across the board.
Understanding how each employee spends their day, where they excel and need improvement, as well as understanding the individual learning style of each team member sets successful leaders apart from the rest. It is truly imperative to be able to recognise and utilise the individual strengths and weaknesses of employees as a manager, which can be a difficult task. This is why workshops and courses are so helpful, as they provide all the necessary tools, best practices, and leadership approaches needed in order to manage an existing team effectively.
Pathways Australia is committed to supporting the leaders of not-for-profit organisations to reach their full potential and therefore make a difference through their work. Our leadership and management courses – along with our effective training programs – are produced by professionals and equip teams with the skills to be their best selves at work and tackle various challenges.
Ready to learn how to best manage and get the most out of your existing team? Enrol in our leadership and management course today, and contact our team for more information!
