Self-evaluation is the key to becoming a better office manager, this is not always an easy thing to do because at times we are “so deep in the forest we cannot see the trees.” You can start by watching and listening to your staff members that answer directly to you, how do they react to you when you are interacting with them?
Are they comfortable? Do they smile at you? Ask yourself what type of relationship do I have with my staff members, what do you know about them and do you really care? Evaluate yourself throughout the day asking “would I like to be managed by me?” Being an office manager can be very difficult as our staff may think that we can make decisions about work issues on the spot and we cannot. We not only have to work with our staff members closely but we have to answer to and work closely with our employers. Many times we get tossed back and forth between the two and it can be quite a challenge. We need to make sure that when we say we are going to do something for a staff member that we do it, there is nothing that can sour relationships quicker than not holding up to commitments and promised made. Make sure that they know you “have their back” and are watching out for them and will stand up for them whenever necessary. Communication is the key to keeping your relationships growing in a positive way. As much as staff meetings can be non-productive, they can be productive when you keep them short and to the point, but allowing everyone to participate. Another good point for staff meetings is it is a time when everyone is together, facing each other and connecting as a team, this is hard to do unless you have a designated time for it. Managing a team of people is an ongoing learning experience, I do not believe you can ever know how to do it perfectly, as people change and grow and so must we.
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