1. Virtual Managers Need Four Skills
1. Delegating:
In 2011, Peter Bregman published 18 Minutes: Find Your Focus, Master Distraction, and Get the Right Things Done to help
busy people cut through daily clutter and uncover a way to focus on the most important tasks. Remote managers can heed
Bregman's advice to stay organized and productive by transferring projects to their direct reports.
For example, department store managers who oversee a large workforce must be confident in their employees' abilities to
efficiently track a constantly evolving inventory, respond to customer complaints and design strategies to increase sales.
Across all industries, managers should show they trust their employees to finish the projects they are given. By successfully
delegating projects and regularly communicating with direct reports, managers can engage employees more effectively.
2. Offering effective feedback:
Frequent, honest communication is essential between managers and their employees. Managers outside of an office must
be cognizant of how, where and when they deliver both positive feedback and constructive criticism to their employees. For
example, when a baseball team manager scolds a player in front of teammates and fans for committing an error during an
important game, that disdain has a lasting impact on the manager's relationship with that player. The same holds true in
any industry when a manager gives negative feedback in front of colleagues and customers. Managers need to be conscious
of their word choice and think critically about how their tone and delivery can affect staff morale.
3. Think critically:
Managers in all environments must be critical thinkers skilled at making clear, rational and open-minded decisions. The
Society for Human Resource Management, The Conference Board, The Partnership for 21st Century Skills and Corporate
Voices for Working Families partnered in 2006 to survey senior-level HR professionals about the most important skills their
employees will need in the next five years. Critical thinking ranked the highest. For example, in the hospitality industry,
hotel managers work with employees in a variety of departments. These managers must think critically about how cutting
professional development opportunities could negatively impact engagement and the overall guest experience before doing
so. Managers should be able to recognize problems before they occur. By considering the big picture before making major
decisions, managers will show strong problem-solving skills and a willingness to take ownership for their actions.
4. Hold yourself accountable:
Managers need to set an example by being accountable, especially when social media plays a big role in an organization's
reputation. A 2011 study conducted by Parasole Restaurant Holdings and newBrandAnalytics found what customers say
online increases staff ownership of the relationship between employees and customers. For instance, if a restaurant
customer's meal ends unsatisfactorily, a restaurant manager should immediately take ownership for failing to provide the
guest with a quality, memorable experience.
Wherever managers oversee their workforce, they must be effective at delegating projects, offering feedback, thinking
critically and taking responsibility for their actions. These managerial skills will positively impact employee engagement,
customer satisfaction and revenue.
By Michael P. Savitt | Talent Management [About the Author: Michael P. Savitt is communications manager at Avatar HR
Solutions.]
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