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Looking back to 2023, there were ups and downs as the globe recovered from the ravages of covid, and most organizations began hybrid work and opened doors to work from offices. Now, let us see how the year 2024 alters our lives, and for more managers who want to stay motivated in difficult conditions, here are some resolutions to consider.
There's a reason why big-picture New Year's resolutions don't last and start to fade around February. Making major adjustments all at once is a difficult task! Working toward smaller goals over time is significantly easier and can lead to more sustainable improvements in the end, whether you've studied agile project management, change management, or even ideas surrounding employee engagement.
10 Must-Have New Year’s Resolutions for Bosses and Managers
For 2024, we've come up with ten micro-resolutions that can assist in improving your management style and re-energize you, as well as your team.
1. Balance out work challenges with work support.
It's a well-known fact, and new research indicates that challenging (rather than hindering) work may boost employees' organizational-based self-esteem and make work more relevant to them.
Employees like learning new duties at work because it makes them feel important and worthy of further achievement.
However, if there are just employment hurdles and no assistance to overcome them, the idea may backfire. The manager has authority in this situation, and they may structure the team so that members are exposed to difficult work that mostly pushes their innate talents..
2. When someone does a good job, go and tell them!
This is the greatest thing we can do, and everyone deserves to be recognised for it. The fact that every manager went through a struggle during that time period and yet had drive to finish tasks while working from home is the foremost thing to remind them that they did a good job.
And as a manager, you may take some valuable things from this. Pleasant appreciation begins with the ability to see true good in others. We're always delicate when it comes to spotting flaws and problems, but looking at the lighter aspects of your team isn't as natural.
As a result, you can focus on developing appreciation, a pleasant aspect of your managerial competence.
3. Find out what self-care means for you and practice it
Burnout is becoming more common. We don't need to cite scientific studies to demonstrate how evident the impacts of social alienation have been.
You would have lost motivation to work at some time, wasted hours looking at the screen, or overworked yourself to fatigue. Now, everyone's definition of self-care is different. For some, it may be as simple as turning off the computer at 6 p.m., while for others, it may be a monthly therapist check-in.
Managers who are under a lot of stress might make 2024 the year of self-care. It all starts with determining what sort of treatment you want and how to obtain it. We frequently do not volunteer to comprehend our own self-care requirements, making it difficult to practise.
4. Make silence your new best friend
We recognise that managers are looked up to for a variety of difficult decisions and wise words. "Speak with your boss" is an overused business term for dealing with employee problems. Is this causing you to be reactive rather than responsive? If so, this would be a good moment to start listening in quiet to improve your managerial abilities.
Listening closely to your team members and then coming up with suggestions may significantly improve how you manage difficult circumstances. As a result, taking a step back in meetings and encouraging your colleagues to speak out while you listen in quiet might be an effective resolve to adopt this year.
5. Work on where you lost most of your time
While we can't expect managers or employees to be productive all of the time, it's a good idea to look into where the unproductive time goes.
Without delving into how your coworkers spend their time, it's essential to consider where your own untidy time is squandering away. The year 2023 has already passed, and no time may be pushed forward until 2024. As a result, you might consider how you will put a stop to behaviours that waste your valuable time.
6. Learn, unlearn and revamp virtual skills
Many of us have thankfully learned how to unmute while speaking in a virtual team meeting, but there is still a long way to go. Even if all social distancing mechanisms are eliminated, multiple indicators show that virtual work is not going away.
Managers must develop their virtual abilities as they deal with more remote personnel than ever before. This entails honing your remote work management abilities, becoming acquainted with digital remote work technologies, and improving your virtual meeting skills.
7. Practice the art of leading through examples
Managers have many leadership duties, at least at the team level, that affect the success of their job. It is a well-known truth that team members are significantly impacted by the attitudes and work ethics of their leaders. The team will have an unspoken benchmark to fulfil if the manager is on point, disciplined, and gives their all to their task.
8. Celebrate the small wins and set goal posts for the big ones
There is no better time than the start of a new year to reflect on what your team has done in the previous months. While some managers may be inclined to privately note individual and team achievements for annual performance reviews (which is, of course, important), research shows that real-time, individualised recognition using even the most basic methods is welcomed by employees and serves to increase engagement. I can honestly state that something as simple as placing a thank you letter on an employee's desk has always gone a long way and been well received.
9. Work on making team meetings both efficient and meaningful
Time is valuable, and let's face it, no one wants to spend any more time than necessary on a video chat these days. Team meetings are crucial to keep work on track, provide timely feedback and direction, answer concerns, and ensure your team is working methodically toward its targets - but they must also be efficient and meaningful to your team members.
10. Make an effort to “show up” for each member of your team
There is an art to showing up for your team, and it does not simply mean being available or stating that you have an open door policy. How can we actually show up for our workers when we're all still fighting the epidemic and most of us are still working from home? In answer, I would remind you that the art of showing up entails much more than simply being physically there, and that each member of your team may require you to show up for them in various ways. It is your responsibility as a manager and leader to get to know your team members and find this out.
Conclusion
It is not critical which new year resolve you choose; what is crucial is that you choose one. In some ways, new year resolutions serve as a symbol of progress and a goalpost to strive for. It's ideal if you want to lose a few pounds of stay-at-home weight or paint a wall. Finally, remember to remain safe, have fun, and count your blessings.
