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Want to Become a Manager?
By Canadajobs.com Staff

You've got big plans for your career. You'd like to become the manager of your department and someday make it to the top of your organization.

But where do you start? Management skills can be acquired and honed on a daily basis. Here are some skills you should focus on to make your move up successful.

Know Your Job Well and Do The Best Job Possible:

It makes sense that if you are professional at what you're doing, you'll be an inspiration and a model for your fellow workers. By doing a good job, you'll get you're boss's attention and that's the first step. Try to learn everything about your job that you can. Ask for help from those who are in a position to teach you.

Ability to Work Under Pressure:

A lot of management stress comes from short deadlines, lack of resources, and demands from superiors. If you can work on your ability to triumph under pressure, you'll give the impression that you're solid, dependable, and confident; exactly what those in the position to promote you want to see.

Listening Skills:

Managing people and projects successfully means having the ability to listen while making critical decisions. Since you're often getting information from above and below, you have to be able to decide what information will help you and which won't, and you can't do that without listening. You also have to earn loyalty and trust from your staff and that comes, in part, from your ability to listen to them.

Ability to Take Responsibility:

Becoming a good manager means being able to take responsibility for your choices and actions. It also means being responsible for the actions of your staff. If you manage a department, you are in charge of its success or failure, and you must be willing and ready to accept that responsibility. Accepting responsibility makes you do a better job and in the eyes of your superiors, makes you a good management choice - but only if you learn from your mistakes.

Ability to Motivate:

Being a manager means being a leader. Taking the initiative, encouraging and supporting those who work around you, and producing good results are a surefire way to get your superiors to notice your management potential. You must be able to notice the particular skills of the people around you and inspire them to succeed and to want success for themselves. The ability to motivate is what helps distinguish a great manager from one who simply completes tasks required of them.

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