How to effectively manage a large team

As an Irish business leader, you more than likely have experience managing a variety of teams. But how do you manage a larger managerial workforce with a variety of issues and a number of staff beneath them? The step to senior manager and above can bring you face-to-face with challenges when managing a large team of high level professionals.

A director of department or above, may find themselves managing a number of professionals and the managerial decisions made, will ultimately have a knock-on effect to the rest of the business. Managers will look to you when having problems with their wider team and you will need to react accordingly to problem-solve. Ultimately, they will be reporting into you with team updates, reports and statistics, which you will need to analyse to implement positive change across the business.

Use your networking skills

There is no doubt that by now you will have a wide array of solid personal and professional connections that feed into your organisation. Continue to utilise your advanced networking skills to build relationships with as many people as you can.

The team heads that you are managing will benefit from having you on-hand to talk through business related issues, successes and more. If you take the time to develop relationships with the professionals you are managing, they will respect you and your demonstration of investment in them and the wider team. Making an effort to build some report and show you understand their role in the team will go a long way in ensuring that everyone is invested in your wider business goals and begin to pull their teams in the same direction.

Empower your management team

The management team that you are responsible for, will in turn be responsible for enacting your overall business strategy and are your voice when projects are underway. Over the next 3 years, it has been reported that up to 79 per cent of investors intend to increase their foreign direct investment into Ireland, so the platform for project growth will be there. It is crucial to build strong relationships, as well as empower your employees to excel and have confidence in their own ability whilst at work.

As they are closer to the day-to-day operations of the business they will be overseeing the tasks that you can’t, therefore encouraging them to be decision-makers and to take ownership of these tasks is important, as you are allowing them the space to be able to do their job. A motivated and respected management team are a great asset to any company and to you as their group head.

Communicate effectively

Although we understand that you may not have the opportunity to attend every team meeting and every impromptu catch-up, it is important that you communicate effectively with people within the business. Having an open-door policy may make staff feel more able to approach you, as well as scheduling 1-2-1’s with the managers working beneath you. Both of these small things can open up conversations that staff may feel unable to approach you with when you’re busy throughout the day. Businesses also need to communicate with the clients effectively too as technology changes. The use of social media, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, by Irish businesses has grown from 64% in 2015 to 69% in 2017 and was the second highest in Europe, so good management of the right staff in this area is becoming increasingly important.

Give constructive feedback

All staff deserve and should expect feedback, from managers to executives you should be able to provide constructive feedback to your team or colleagues. As a business leader, you should expect to provide feedback in this way. When giving feedback to your team, allow and encourage them to be honest with their opinions, giving them the chance to respond to your comments with their thoughts. Offering feedback to your team is a great way to ensure they are always developing and improving within their role, as well as giving them a chance to tell you of any ways they desire to progress such as training programmes or different areas of the business that they are interested in learning about.

This will only grow your organisation as people know they can progress with their personal development plans under your management. If you are looking to grow your team by hiring new talent, get in touch with your local Page Executive office today.