Welcome to our comprehensive guide to being a more effective manager.
In today’s fast-paced, ever-changing workplaces, effective management takes more than just technical skills and experience. It demands a powerful mix of productivity tools, leadership techniques and human-centred skills that enable you to manage your team better, and drive meaningful results.
Whether you’re an experienced manager looking to sharpen your approach or an aspiring leader looking for the right methods from the start, this guide to being a more effective manager is your ultimate resource for the proven strategies that we have seen work with managers across industries and levels.
Join us as we explore a carefully curated list of tools, exercises and methods to help modern managers lead more effectively, enhance collaboration and work smarter not harder.
From delegation to communication, meetings to mindset, these tools can help you foster a culture of growth, empowerment, and performance within your team and organisation.
Let’s embark on this journey to discover how simple practices can amplify your effectiveness and revolutionise the way you lead and manage.
1. 6 Productivity tips that work and last, including how to do email better.
There’s plenty of productivity advice out there, and you’ve probably tried a lot of it – but how much of it actually sticks? These 6 proven productivity tips have worked for our clients and will help you work smarter, not harder.
👉 Read the 6 tips here.
2. How to prioritise using the Impact Effort Matrix.
The Impact Effort Matrix is a simple tool that helps you and your team identify what matters most. It’s a quick way to align priorities and create clarity.
👉 Learn how to use it here.
3. Too many meetings? Here’s 8 ways to cut down.
Meetings, meetings, meetings. They’re endless and affect your work and your productivity. Here’s how to free up your time for the work you want to focus on instead.
👉 Discover the 8 ways here.
4. Are interruptions breaking your day? Here’s what to do.
Interruptions are a reality of organisational life. We know that interruptions are one of the biggest challenges managers face. Here are 4 proven tactics to help you stay focused, set boundaries, and protect your time.
👉 4 simple things you can do to overcome interruptions.
5. Get better at delegating. Here’s how.
Delegation is a skill every manager needs. Use the CPORT checklist to delegate more effectively and avoid common pitfalls.
👉 Learn how to use CPORT here.
6. Three powerful questions that build staff engagement.
These 3 questions can reveal powerful insights about your team’s engagement and motivation. Your team should be able to answer them. If they can’t, then money may be the only sense they have of where they’re at, and your organisation could be at risk.
👉 Discover the 3 questions are here.
7. How to make sure people hear what you say.
Do people actually listen to and understand what you say? Research suggests not so much. Ensure your communication lands by using the Replay tool, it helps people actively listen and retain key messages.
👉 Discover Replay here.
8. 4 tools for better conversations with your team.
Despite how much time you spend in meetings, or how many plans you make, it can still be really hard to make anything happen. Better conversations lead to better action. Here are 4 tools to make team discussions more productive and impactful.
👉 Explore the 4 tools here.
9. Stop avoiding difficult conversations.
Having a difficult conversation can be one of the most powerful things you can do in the workplace. If you can’t have difficult conversations, it can hamper your organisation’s ability to grow. Wen done well, they can unlock trust, clarity, and progress.
👉 Learn how to do them better here.
10. Getting to the feedback that actually makes a difference.
Giving and receiving staff feedback can be challenging but it is key to development and growth. Discover a tool that makes feedback conversations more effective and meaningful.
👉 Read how to do it here.
11. Circles of Influence. A tool that shows why you have more power than you think.
Help your team focus on what they can control using the Circles of Influence exercise developed by management guru, Stephen Covey.
👉 Download a free Circles of Influence worksheet here.
12. Make the boat go faster. Boost your team’s performance.
Inspired by Olympic gold medalist Ben Hunt-Davis, Make the Boat Go Faster is a way to identify what’s holding your team back, and how to overcome that.
👉 Learn how toimprove your team’s performance here.
By adopting the strategies, insights, and tools outlined here, you’ll be equipped to navigate the complexities of leadership, with confidence.
Remember, being an effective manager is not just about optimizing processes and achieving targets; it’s about fostering a culture of growth, empowerment, and collaboration.
As you continue to refine your skills, never underestimate the impact of empathy, continuous learning, and adaptability. Embrace the challenges, celebrate the victories, and keep pushing the boundaries of your leadership capabilities. The road ahead is rich with possibilities, and the tools we have outlined here will help to steer your team and organisation towards a future of sustained success.
At Then Somehow we help managers in organisations build emotional literacy, increase empathy, and help you see the world differently, giving you practical tools to shift the stuff that’s stuck.
If you’d like to discuss how we can help your organisation perform better, get in touch here.
