Since the job of running an office as smoothly and efficiently as possible falls on the manager’s shoulders, it only makes sense for a professional to try and find ways to be more productive and efficient in that job. It isn’t easy being an office manager though, especially when you need to work alongside people with different personalities and every other variable that comes with playing that role in a company. If you are new to the job, or if you wouldn’t mind getting a few pointers that will help you be better at your job, the following tips might just prove to be quite useful.
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Better Communication
As an office manager, it is imperative for you to be a communications expert, which includes multiple skills such as proficient public speaking, efficient communication of instructions, etc. Now, being put into that role doesn’t automatically make you a better communications expert, but it is true that playing the role of an office manager does help to bring out some of the communication skills within ourselves. However, it is important to polish and sharpen those skills with a systematic approach. Short of joining a professional communications course, here are a few pointers that should help any office manager become a better communicator.
- Listen first and communicate later
- Skip the abbreviations in written communication
- Refrain from talking too fast or too slow; it is important to find that balance
- Brevity and clarity must be adequately balanced in written and verbal communication
- Maintain the right body language and a positive attitude while communicating
- Learn how to switch in between friendly, official and authoritative tones
Better People Management
As a manager, people management is a huge part of what you will need to do, so it’s of course, extremely important for you to be good at it. Contrary to popular belief, managing people and managing projects are not similar, and the former requires more patience and emotional intelligence than the latter. There is no doubt about the fact that some people are just naturally better at networking and managing human resources, but others can get better at it with time as well. Attend some of the top office manager conferences 2019 to learn about efficient people management, better communication and of course, networking. Check out the list of office manager conferences 2019 on https://www.bevi.co/blog/office-manager-conferences-2019/ and see which ones seem the most feasible for you to attend. The more you attend such conferences and camps, the more relevant people you will meet there, including fellow office managers from other industries and of course, leaders in the field who will have so much experience to share. These conferences are also perfect for networking and building official connections for the future.
Get to Know Your Business More Intimately
In order to further strengthen your position in the company, get to know the business that you are working for more intimately. Learn how the processes work even outside of your office and try to get a more detailed understanding of the business model. Once you take that initiative, it will show the higher ups that you are willing to invest your time into the company, which signifies commitment and will help you create a better impression on them. As a more immediate effect and in relation to the point in question, a better understanding of the underlying business model and associated details will help you to direct your efforts towards making your office become more productive in its processes.
Don’t Underestimate Your Ideas and Thoughts
Following regulations and doing the same things that everyone else has always done might get you along, but it won’t really make you much better at being an office manager. Therefore, it is important not to underestimate your own ideas and thoughts. Be innovative and don’t be afraid to make small mistakes. “Small” being the keyword here, introduce experimental changes that you think will work towards making the office administration more effective. Also, innovative thinking is an essential part of problem solving, which is another essential skill that you will need to have as an office manager because there will always be new problems every day that will require solving, and unless you are capable of doing that, your job will become infinitely harder.
These are the primary areas that any office manager must work on to become better at what they do, but it is also important to remember that you are never too old to learn new things. It might be a good idea to continue your education and expand on the knowledge and experience which you already have, provided of course, that the opportunity is there. The more qualified and experienced you are, the better it would be for both your career and the performance of the company that has you working for them.