Do you have aspirations to lead and are eager to get on the management ladder? Here’s some tips on how to progress to management within your company.
1. Discuss your aspirations
Firstly, be honest about your management aspirations with your line manager. Instigate the conversation and be open about what you want to achieve and where you want to go in your career. This may feel like a risky move however it can provide you with a great opportunity. During the conversation mention the skills you would like to develop and the areas of the company that you are most interested in learning more about.
If you have a boss who is open and willing to help you succeed they may act as your mentor. Or alternatively, they may suggest someone who can be. They will help you to make connections within the company and the wider industry to help further your career. Furthermore, they can give you assignments, projects, tasks and training that will help grow your managerial skill set.
2. Show initiative
One way to demonstrate your readiness for management is by showing initiative. Actively seek tasks and activities that will demonstrate your management skills and showcase your talents. Take on budgetary assignments, volunteer to be the team leader on an upcoming project or present any cost savings measures you think will help the company.
Also, find ways to simplify processes or suggest systems to improve productivity. Proactively suggest these improvements and offer to lead the implementation. For example, implementing a paperless office, a more efficient system to track inventory or a new database with better reporting capabilities.
3. Build relationships and network
Next, look at the relationships you can cultivate with the people who can help you accomplish your goals. There are three networks that are important to examine when deciding how to do this:
- Operational
- Personal
- Strategic
The operational network encompasses those who you currently work with and help you perform your job. Consisting of those who are important to performing your everyday work. These are your colleagues, project team members, managers, customers and suppliers.
Your personal network is other professionals in the industry but is not connected to your job. These contacts will provide you with news about the wider industry and help you gain a deeper understanding of key activities. You should be using this network to pull information about business developments and technologies and benchmark yourself against your peers.
Finally, the strategic network is about connecting with professionals outside of your industry and in senior roles. These people will help you to develop your business and management knowledge and help you gain a competitive advantage over other candidates for management roles.
4. Upskill
Finally, examine ways to improve your management skills through study or training. If you already have a background in business, look at short-term management training courses. There is a range of short courses available to take including management skills and development, leadership and people management.
These courses can help you to understand the role of a manager and evaluate different management styles. Furthermore, they teach you how to manage time and delegate effectively. In addition to introducing practical ways to creating a systematic method for motivating staff and resolving conflicts.
Completing a course demonstrates your initiative and determination to progress to management. Additionally, the cost of the course may be covered by your employer under their staff development fund.