For many mid-level managers, creating purpose may feel like a tall order. They may sense that “purpose” is already coming from the top of the organization and wonder how they can contribute to or improve that purpose.
Some managers may struggle to create a purpose for their functions or departments as part of the overall organizational purpose.
But creating purpose is essential to driving positive outcomes for any organization. Leaders have a responsibility to engage their teams in a shared purpose that delivers good business results and relentless customer focus.
7 Skills Every manager should develop to create purpose:
1. Increase self-awareness and build expectations of managerial success
Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence: Why it Can Matter More Than IQ, says that self-awareness is the key to success. “Self-awareness, one of the four key components of emotional intelligence, underlies the other three,” he says.
Self-aware leaders learn to identify their leadership blind spots. As mid-level managers actively pursue growth in their management skills, others within the organization will increasingly recognize their leadership potential.
2. Navigate the identity shift from individual to manager
Developing a strong manager mindset is essential for success in a leadership role, but it doesn’t always come easily. The skills that make someone an excellent individual contributor don’t always translate easily to a management role, and it can take time to develop both the mindset and skills to be a manager.
Becoming a manager means understanding the unique responsibilities and challenges that come with the role, such as moving from being a peer to being a boss and understanding the difference between doing and delegating.
3. Seek alignment to become a holistic leader
As new managers, many leaders are faced with new challenges in work-life integration. Not only do they need to manage their own energy and wellbeing, but now they have a team of direct reports watching their behaviors, bosses looking for business results, and customers expecting continuously high quality and service.
This new level of responsibility requires managers to align the personal with the professional—and vice versa. They may need to make new arrangements to balance in-office work and time at home or reassess personal needs and values to decide if they can align those needs and values with work.
4. Conduct effective 1:1 meetings with team members
It may be tempting for managers to see 1:1 meetings as a burden or an optional task, especially if everything seems right with their teams. However, good 1:1 meetings can provide a window to the heart of the team and improve employee experience, retention, and productivity.
Conducting effective one-on-one meetings with team members helps build strong relationships, establish open lines of communication, and provide guidance and support. Managers can improve their one-on-one meetings by keeping scheduled appointments, listening more than they talk, and giving brain-friendly feedback.
5. Manage digital communication professionally
It wasn’t very long ago that digital communication meant simply “e-mail.” Now, especially in the wake of the remote and hybrid work revolution, digital communication can encompass everything from instant messaging to texting to video meetings—and, of course, e-mail. In addition, with at least four generations in the workforce, managers may have to grapple with a wide variety of digital communication preferences and styles.
Timely and thoughtful responses to emails and messages demonstrate professionalism and ensure that information flows smoothly within the organization, but every platform has a slightly different etiquette. Managers need to familiarize themselves not only with their organization’s preferences, but also with the style and comfort levels of their team members.
6. Lead group meetings
In a world where 83% of professionals spend between four and twelve hours per week in meetings, it’s not surprising that the very word “meeting” can elicit groans. People often see meetings as obstacles to productivity or time that could have been saved by sending an e-mail.
While there may be a case for fewer meetings in general, a better approach is to make necessary group meetings more effective and productive. Leaders can set meeting ground rules that encourage collaboration, psychological safety, and productivity. They can practice engaging all participants and facilitating discussions in a way that supports open, effective communication and encourages follow-through.
7. Share information up, down, and sideways
Middle managers serve as connectors within the organization. They are the people who translate strategy from the top into action for their teams, and they work across peer and functional boundaries to manage resources and deliver results. These middle managers have to share information up, down, and sideways to ensure that everyone is aligned and focused on a unified purpose.
For some mid-level managers, engaging in this level of communication could feel intimidating, especially if they tend to be more socially reserved. Leaders can practice their communication skills by focusing on active listening and paying attention to the two levels in every conversation. They can also improve their executive presence by focusing on the language they use in conversations across the organization.
Creating purpose as a mid-level manager is essential to team success. Managers who work to develop a manager mindset and effective communication skills can contribute to a customer-focused environment where people sense that their efforts contribute to solid business results.
The Stewart Leadership LEAD NOW! Model can help you develop leaders who deliver business results and people results. To learn more, contact us.
SELF CHECK:
- What is one way I can improve communication with my team? My boss? My colleagues?
- Is there one way I can make group meetings more productive?
- How am I managing my own wellbeing? Is there a way I can improve how I manage my energy?
