People think that becoming a manager is an absolute privilege, but they don't know its truth.
1- Are you a good communicator?
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Leadership is not about giving orders to your team. It revolves around the way you express the tasks, the missions, the goals, and the plan.
Furthermore, you need to teach your team more about how the tasks should be done and the results of their hard work for the whole company.
The more you create effective methods of communication, the more you'll be a good leader, role model, and an excellent example for your team members.
2- How do you see yourself in 5 years?
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Management is a huge responsibility. It's also highly overwhelming; once you start being a manager, many things change in yourself.
Ask yourself if being a manager suits you or not. Think further of your plans and dreams. Moreover, think thoroughly about who you are and what you want from your career life.
3- Can you take responsibility for your team's actions?
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Ensure that you can be brave enough to take responsibility for any mistake made by a team member.
Remember that if a team member messes up, it's initially your fault. Mistakes happen for a reason, maybe because of a lack of training or any other possible causes.
In addition to that, your team members should feel safe enough under the umbrella of your leadership by you being accountable for their performance.
4- Do you communicate openly and honestly?
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A manager should be open and honest enough about the issues, the conflicts, and the team's failures. You'll be facing problems daily, and you'll have to deal with them wisely.
Ask yourself if you can provide that kind of environment to your team by making them feel heard. If not, you should probably start working on yourself.
5- Do you have good relationships with people in your company?
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We don't here talk only about your team members, but we mean colleagues beyond your team. Sometimes you'll need advice, services, or support from those.
You might also need to see things from a broader perspective by getting to know others. It's also beneficial for your team that their manager has good relationships with co-workers.
Eventually, building positive relationships is the key to success, as most people reach higher places in their career lives only by being socially intelligent.
6- Can you motivate and reassure your team members?
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You are dealing with human beings who have complicated personalities, thoughts, and issues. Bear in mind that they also have personal lives that might affect work sometimes.
Being a manager also includes empathy and understanding. You have to be smart enough to balance between firmness and flexibility.
Additionally, it's essential to know how to make your team motivated again after any crisis or disappointment.
For more information, 5 Ways to Show Appreciation in The Workplace
7- Can you be firm with team members?
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Sometimes you'll have to make tough decisions like firing someone or dealing with the laziness of a team member.
It's vital to know how to be firm in an emotionally intelligent way to achieve your purpose without causing massive damage to a person's life.
8- Will that affect your health?
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If you're a person who easily breaks down under pressure, cannot handle stress, or cannot handle the spotlight, being a manager is probably not for you.
Talk to your therapist and ask for their opinion about this step. They will probably help you make the right decision.
9- Can you deal with unconscious bias?
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It's essential to be aware of your bias and which factors it's based on. Being fair and objective are vast parts of management.
You cannot support specific team members only because you like them. That's unprofessional and unfair at all.
10- Are you ready to invest time and effort to help your team members?
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Your role requires you to always be there for your team members and help them whenever they face any issues. Being a manager requires you to be always present.
It will also take so much effort from you to pay attention to everyone and make sure they're doing their best.
Being a manager is a noble thing to do, but don't forget to ask yourself the previous questions before making any decisions.