Organisations that possess strong leadership at all levels tend to be more successful and produce better results than their competitors.
But how alarming it is to note that, according to a Gallup study, only 1 in 10 employees feel that their managers are effective leaders.
That is an alarming statistic, wouldn’t you agree?
Results from this study underscore the urgent need for organisations to prioritise management development and training to establish a culture of success and employee satisfaction.
Good management enables teams to work effectively together, ensuring resources like time and money are used most efficiently to reach a goal or complete projects on time.
They identify areas for improvement across all aspects of an organisation, including customer service, budgeting or sales targets where necessary and provide feedback when appropriate to help employees understand and improve their performance.
When done well, leadership at the management level becomes the tide that lifts all boats. Creating a knock-on, positive effect within companies.
It impacts businesses in the following ways:
- Improves productivity and efficiency
- Increases employee satisfaction and engagement
- Drives better decision-making
- Creates higher quality products or services
- Drives greater customer satisfaction
- Drives increased profitability and growth
For this blog post, we’ll explore the crucial link that exists between effective management and organisational success. And understand the forces, from a management and leadership standpoint, that collate to create winning organisations.
These are the insightful sections that will follow:
Exploring the Qualities of Results-orientated Management and why they matter.
The Role of Effective Management in achieving organisational success.
Strategies for and the Importance of Developing successful management Skills.
Let us dive in.
What Is Management?
The term’ management’ encompasses a wide range of activities, but at its core, management is the process of planning, organising and controlling resources to achieve organisational objectives.
An effective manager ensures that these activities are carried out efficiently and effectively, aligning with the organisation’s goals.
In practice, this means setting clear objectives, developing appropriate strategies for achieving these objectives, and then monitoring and adjusting these plans as necessary.
It also requires being able to motivate and inspire people to work towards common goals and deal with any challenges or problems that arise along the way.
Effective management is, therefore, essential for any organisation striving for success. Without it, there would be no clear direction or purpose, and employees would quickly become demotivated and disenchanted.
One way to illustrate the importance of effective management is to imagine a company without a clear plan or strategy. In all likelihood, employees would likely be confused about what they were supposed to be doing on a day-to-day basis, and the organisation’s overall productivity would suffer as a result.
In contrast, an organisation with an effective management team would have a much greater chance of achieving its goals and being successful.
What is the Role of Effective Management in Achieving Organisational Goals?
Effective Management:
Helps increase productivity and efficiency.
Decision-making that’s decisive, at the management level, is crucial to increasing the productivity and efficiency levels of companies – by ensuring clear communication and streamlined processes exist.
Managers can help their teams work more efficiently and achieve their goals more effectively.
Making it practical: a team struggling with communication and deadlines establishes regular meetings to discuss progress, identify roadblocks, and prioritise tasks.
They also implemented a project management tool to track assignments, deadlines, and progress.
With clear and concise instructions for tasks and projects, confusion and errors end, and the team can work more efficiently and effectively.
Impacts employee engagement and satisfaction.
By and large, employee engagement & satisfaction are intertwined with the quality of the management function in companies.
When managers take the time to understand their employees’ needs and provide support and guidance, they are more likely to feel valued and engaged in their work.
Making it practical: experiencing low employee engagement and satisfaction, a manager decides to encourage open communication and feedback between managers and employees.
They go further, offer professional development and growth opportunities, and recognise and reward employees for their accomplishments and contributions.
As a result, team morale improves, empowering people to work meaningfully and productively.
Aligns goals and strategic direction.
By setting clear goals and aligning them with the organisation’s overall strategic direction, managers can ensure their people are working towards the same goals and are focused on achieving essential objectives.
Making it practical: needing help with goal alignment and strategic direction. A manager changes things up; they decide to define clear objectives and key results (OKRs) for each team and individual.
They align team goals with the organisation’s strategic direction and regularly review progress. The group achieves its goals by adjusting its strategies to stay on track and succeed.
Through this, they feel supported to make a meaningful impact through their work.
What Are the Qualities of Effective Management Professionals, and Why Do They Matter?
They have strong leadership skills.
Strong leadership skills matter if leaders are to carry out their work effectively. A leader possesses a clear vision and inspires their team to achieve it.
They lead by example and are adaptable to changing circumstances. A leader motivates their team to perform at their best and fosters a positive work environment.
Empowering their team to take ownership of their work and develop their skills is a core quality of leaders. Additionally, they can delegate tasks effectively and provide feedback to their team to help them grow.
They possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Clear and skilful communication ensures everyone is on the same page and understands their roles and responsibilities.
Managers who communicate well build strong relationships with their teams, fostering a culture of transparency and trust. They also listen actively to feedback and concerns from their team, helping them make informed decisions and improve team performance.
They are strategic thinkers and excellent problem solvers.
Effective managers must have strong strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities; to analyse potential threats, identify potential roadblocks, and develop effective strategies to overcome them.
This includes making informed decisions based on data and critical thinking to achieve their goals.
Management professionals utilise data and data skills to aid decision-making. They use these tools and approaches to achieve their goals and lead their team to success.
Important: These qualities enable managers and management professionals to create a positive work environment, motivate employees, and drive organisational success.
By investing in professional development, managers are able to hone these qualities and become successful.
Strategies for Developing Effective Management Skills
Developing management skills is a challenging feat.
However, it is a crucial aspect of being a successful leader.
Here are some specific strategies that can help you hone your management skills:
Building strong relationships with your team
As a manager, it is essential to establish trust with your team members. One way to achieve this? Take the time to get to know them personally, actively listening to their concerns and providing support when needed.
For example, you could schedule one-on-one meetings with each team member to discuss their career goals and provide feedback on their performance.
Setting clear expectations
Setting clear goals and objectives is important to ensure your team members understand what is expected of them. Outlining specific tasks and deadlines is one way to achieve this, as is providing regular feedback on their progress.
Create a project plan that outlines the key milestones and deliverables and review progress during weekly team meetings.
Communicating effectively
Communication that is strategic and efficient builds strong teams and achieves important goals. This involves communicating clearly and concisely and actively listening to your team members.
Schedule regular team meetings to discuss progress and challenges and encourage open and honest communication.
Developing your leadership skills
As a manager, you are responsible for leading your team to success. Leadership skills, such as delegation, decision-making, and problem-solving, will be called upon.
You could delegate tasks to team members based on their strengths and provide opportunities for them to develop new skills.
Emphasise accountability
Hold yourself and your team accountable for meeting goals and deadlines. Regularly reviewing progress and providing feedback on areas that need improvement is one option.
Encourage your team to take ownership of their work and proactively seek solutions to problems.
Foster a positive work culture
Create a work environment that encourages collaboration and positivity. Recognising and celebrating team members’ achievements, promoting work-life balance, and providing opportunities for professional development – are viable options to consider.
Continuously seek feedback
Regularly seek feedback from your team members, peers, and superiors. And from that, identify and address areas of improvement related to your management style.
Encourage your team to provide feedback and be open to constructive criticism.
Stay organised
Effective management requires strong organisational skills. For example, creating a prioritised task list, setting reminders for important deadlines, and keeping track of team member progress. Use technology tools like project management software or shared calendars to stay on top of tasks and deadlines.
Lead by example
As a manager, you set the tone for your team. Model the behaviour and work ethic you expect from your team members. Be punctual, reliable, and respectful, and encourage your team to do the same.
Pursue professional certifications and training programs geared at management and senior levels
Professional institutions such as the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) offer certification and training programmes covering various topics relevant to modern-day management.
These topics include leadership, strategy, communication, and project management.
By studying with the CMI, management professionals like yourself will gain the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in any senior role you choose to go into.
Investing intentionally and strategically in your professional development as a business leader and management professional increases your effectiveness. It also drives success in your company and your career.
Elevate Your Management and Leadership Capability With CMI Courses and Qualifications.
You now understand why effective management is critical to unlocking organisational success.
Management professionals and leaders who invest in professional development through continuous learning, certifications, and training programmes similar to what the CMI offers significantly increase their teams and organisations’ chances of achieving business-critical goals.
Developing these management skills is crucial for succeeding in management and other senior roles.
Are you interested in becoming more effective and successful with adequate training, support, and specialist certifications?
Consider studying with the CMI!
What is the CMI?
CMI is the recognised authority on leadership and management excellence.
Through its dynamic programs and invaluable resources, the CMI equips professionals like you with the skills and knowledge to excel as influential leaders across diverse industries and business contexts.
Studying with CMI advances the growth of leadership and management skills of professionals, no matter the career level you find yourself at.
CMI programmes, qualifications, and exclusive access to industry experts & resources help you apply knowledge and skills meaningfully to add value to your workplace, team, and career.
CMI Qualifications Designed for Management Professionals
Grow into your career with CMI qualifications built to cultivate the essential management and leadership skills and knowledge required for today’s business leaders.
These Management qualifications are available in three different levels:
Levels 2 and 3:
Levels 2 and 3 present a diverse range of subjects, catering to aspiring, supervisory or first-line managers. These levels encompass various topics, including team leadership, project management, and resource management.
Levels 4 and 5:
This level places an emphasis on developing core management skills such as resource management, recruitment, and information management.
Levels 6 and 7:
Levels 6 and 7 are developed for senior managers tasked with translating organisational strategy into effective performance.
Start learning today!
Unleash your potential in management and build unstoppable skills for the world of management and leadership careers.
View CMI courses and qualifications.
Read next: The Eight Enduring Qualities of Effective and Ethical Leaders.