Teams need a manager to succeed and management roles grow and change constantly.  What exactly is management?  It is the ability to accomplish goals in the most efficient way, leading to growth and profit within the company.  Balancing time and money is the key to effective management.  Here are a few key ideas to get you on the right track to being a great manager:

Planning

This is the foundation of management and the key to your success.  In this stage you determine what needs to be done and how you will do it, essentially how you will get from point A to point B.  Assess your team and their strengths and determine which role they will best fit in. Utilize your problem-solving skills and be systematic when utilizing your assets.  If the goal is to increase profit, then consider developing your team, cutting expenses, and improving your product.  Each project will be different, so each plan will be different.  Planning will save you money and time down the road.

Organizing

If planning is the foundation of management, then organization is the framework.  Focusing on your mission is difficult if you lack organization.  Find your style of being organized, then get the tools you need and move forward.  Consider your needs – physical, financial, and human resources – and decide how you can utilize various approaches to reach your goals.

Staffing

How big of a team will you need and how will you find them?  Is it worth it to hire a recruiter or will you take this task on yourself?  Consider these options when staffing.  If the positions require specific licensing or training, will you require they have it upon hiring, or within a specific time period?  Will you be flexible on education requirements if they have experience?  As the manager, decide how you will handle situations so when the time comes you know exactly which direction to go.

Directing

Communication is the most important aspect of management and the key to directing.  You will direct your team which means you will guide them along the right path.  Think of a movie director who is behind the camera, watching as the actor’s scene unfolds before him.  “Cut!” He calls as he realizes the lighting is off or the delivery is wrong.  His job is not to make the actors feel badly, it is to make the scene be better.  As a manager you will have to direct your team.  When you see something heading in the wrong direction, you stop the action and make corrections. And just like a movie director, you tell your team what you need from them to make the project succeed, then you help them develop that skill.  Management is leadership, as well as supervision.  Be a mentor and work beside your team, meeting with them regularly and expressing your expectations clearly.

Control

This is where you marry performance with the goal.  The purpose is to meet the standards and correct the deviations.  Create a performance level, or standard, that you expect to be reached.  As milestones are reached, measure the performance against the standard, and take any corrective actions.

There are many other functions of management, but these are the building blocks.  Keep your goals in front of you at all times, always ready to make adjustments as necessary.  Be a confident leader and move forward in management with the notion that you will be a success.