Earning my business management degree has helped me hone many of the leadership skills I will need for my future career.
Have you ever struggled with what you want to be when you “grow up?” I have tried to answer that question for so long, but now at 32 years old, my future is becoming a lot clearer. I am about to graduate from Herzing University with my bachelor’s degree in business management and I also plan on earning my MBA. I chose to earn my degree in business management because the career possibilities are endless, and I’ll be well positioned for leadership and management roles once I graduate.
I have been in the workforce for several years already, but earning my business management degree has helped me hone many of the leadership skills I will need for my future career. Here are the top three skills you’ll need to know if you also want to be a manager someday:
1. Project management
As a manager, you are juggling a lot of different tasks and projects. It’s important that you understand how to manage your time wisely and prioritize so that you can give all of your tasks the proper attention and complete projects on time.
2. The art of delegation
Because you cannot do everything on your own, you need to also learn how to delegate and assign tasks to your team members. Before you do so, make sure your team is properly trained and that they understand the overall goals of the project and their specific responsibilities. If your team members are not sure what they are responsible for – or what you are looking for – you will not get the best performance out of them. To get positive results, you need to put your team members in a position to be successful.
3. Communication
Communication is key. Regularly check in with your team members and be sure that they are keeping you in the loop on project status, deadlines, meetings and discussions. You’ll also want to provide your team members with regular feedback. Offer praise on a job well done, but don’t be afraid to provide some constructive feedback for the future. You want your employees to be motivated to succeed, and you also want them to keep growing and learning.
It’s also wise to ask your team members for their feedback on how you’re doing, especially if you are a new manager. Improving your leadership and communication abilities will help you lead a more productive and engaged team and see better results. People want to know that their opinion matters and welcome opportunities to add value.
In the end, being a good manager is about more than getting good results. Great teams are built in part by managers who know how to motivate, support and develop others so that they too can succeed.
