People with strong self-management skills are successful at work. These skills help workers stay autonomous & productive, thus reducing workplace friction & the need for micromanagement.
In addition, with the rise of an advanced/ modern hybrid working landscape, improving employees’ self-management skills can help businesses thrive.
Interestingly, anyone can improve their self-management skills. However, the team leaders just need to know how they can encourage their team to acquire these skills.
In this article, we will look deeply at what self-management is & how you can improve it. So, let us begin with our discussion.
What Is Self-Management?
Self-management is our ability to regulate & control actions & behaviors. If we have good self-management skills, we will unlikely miss deadlines or overreact to workplace conflicts.
In addition, with a remote & hybrid work environment, self-management in business has become more critical than ever. Thus, having excellent management skills implies that you are not getting distracted by things at home & maintaining focus on getting the job done.
In addition, it also means that the person/ team remains accountable & can do what is needed for fulfilling the responsibility!
Why Is Self-Management Integral In The Workplace?
Employees who have excellent self-management skills put less pressure on leaders & managers. In addition, such individuals are also reliable. For instance, when given a deadline for a task, they will meet it. So, without these skills, workers can be unpredictable.
Also, it goes without saying that employees who can simply organize their work and manage their emotions & thoughts can help the business prosper.
For instance, if you look at two companies with different levels of self-management, you’ll see the difference in the outcome as well as happiness. As a result, you will have a productive team along with people being organized, strategic, & disciplined.
On the contrary, when the opposite is true, employees become demotivated & the work tends to be of lower quality.
List Of Self-Management Skills
What does self-management look like?
It’s no use telling people they require good self-management skills if we don’t know what that is or how to achieve it.
However, here are some skills that are beneficial for business. They are:
- Punctuality
Being on time is vital to getting a job done successfully.
Well, we all know that being on time is essential, but some people find it more challenging than others.
So, as a team leader, you can make use of two exceptions:
- A positive approach, i.e., providing incentives to those who arrive early or on time.
- A punitive approach, i.e., negatively reinforcing employees for being late.
- Stress Regulation
Being self-aware is the primary step in stress regulation. It implies that employees can take action before their stress levels become unbearable.
In addition, team leaders can coach their teams to identify stress & offer strategies for dealing with it. For instance, as a leader, you can encourage your team to speak up when they find their workload is too much to handle, thus helping them manage it.
Moreover, you can also introduce stress education to help your employees understand the difference between good & bad stress and provide tips on coping. After all, everyone can shift from bad to good by witnessing the benefits of a potential situation. Thus, showing your staff that you care by supporting their well-being will help boost their morale & increase productivity.
- Self-Awareness
Being self-aware is an individual skill & separate from self-management.
A self-aware person will know their limits. However, being self-aware doesn’t mean doing things alone. For instance, combining self-awareness with self-management is excellent for business, i.e., it promotes working in collaboration.
Well, the most crucial thing workers can do is share with colleagues as well as team leaders how they can offer their 100% to the job. This way, managers can help their teams succeed.
- Reliability
Every team leader wishes to have reliable colleagues. By fostering a positive work environment that builds trust & respect, you’re likely to find reliable employees.
Below are a few methods via which you can determine the reliability of an applicant at the recruiting stage:
- Use Cues From The Interview
Did they arrive early? Early arrival shows excitement & eagerness that likely interprets that an employee is hard-working & dedicated.
Did they research the company? This is a high indicator of a highly-motivated employee.
Did they ask any questions? This kind of enthusiasm as well as curiosity, will bode well for the future.
- Ask For References
Every employer does this in the application process, so why not use them? As a leader, you can contact the previous employer to know if the person is reliable or not.
- Ask Specific Questions & See How They Answer
Inquire about why they wish to work for your company. If the answer is to pay bills & fill out their resume, then they are probably not the ones you must hire. After all, enthusiasm & positive outlook is what you are seeking.
You can also ask the applicants about their long-term goals. If they see your company as a placeholder while looking for something better, then also, they aren’t suitable for the company as you might not be able to trust them to offer high-quality work.
Inquire about their needs & the ideal work environment for them & ensure that it matches what you offer. Also, ask about their previous work experiences to better understand how they dealt with high-pressure situations or conflicts among colleagues.
How Can Employees Practice Self-Management?
Practicing self-management is vital for everyone, irrespective of what organization/ company you are in.
Knowing how to practice self-management means that you can share your knowledge with others in your team. Below are some tips to improve self-management skills.
- Practice Self-Care
There are many people who now balk at the term self-care.
It is often seen as inherently millennial, like toasts, selfies, FOMO, etc.!
But consider this – around half of the absence from work is directly related to stress, depression, & anxiety.
In its simplest form, self-care is known as an effort to take better care of yourself. By doing so, employees can reduce burnout, stress, anxiety, etc.
A long bubble bath is definitely not an overnight remedy. Still, almost everyone will benefit from drinking more water, having a good night’s sleep, giving your body good nutrition, and more!
- Focus On Your Strengths
People have different strengths & weaknesses. But as long as you are aware of it, you can help yourself & others practice effective self-management.
- Focus On Emotional Intelligence
Strengthening personal development directly impacts the business’s success, but it is best to prioritize your well-being during this time.
Consider how this change can influence your moods, thoughts, and emotions. In addition, when focusing on emotional intelligence, you can also collect & analyze vital thoughts & discoveries that you made about yourself.
As a result, you will be able to manage yourself easily, thus leading to personal & professional gain!
Also Read: Emotionally Intelligent Leadership
- Take Breaks
If you want your employees to work on their time management skills, encourage breaks occasionally. Basically, a self-improvement journey isn’t going to take place overnight. It’s more of a long-term goal!
So, when your employees take time to reflect & look back at how far they have come, it will boost their confidence & motivate them to work hard.
- Set Goals & Plan Out A Schedule
When you know what you have to do, establishing that goal becomes pretty easy.
So, create small, actionable goals! This is an easy yet effective way of avoiding stress & anxiety.
Encourage your employees to set short-term & long-term goals. By setting goals, employees will challenge themselves with a new project or work hard to get a promotion. Thus, provide them with ways to measure their progress by scheduling check-ins to help them identify their accomplishments.
- Celebrate Successes
Whether you are incentivizing yourself or others, it is vital to recognize success.
Often it is easy to forget to reward ourselves, but doing so makes sense when you succeed in self-management & achieve your goals.
Wrapping Up!
Self-management is a crucial workplace skill that we can work on to improve. After all, we are just humans. Thus, it is best to take time to consider in what ways you can excel at self-management.
Stay conscious of your thoughts, feelings, & desires as you go through your day & take note of those you need to work on.
Therefore, acknowledging the need to improve management skills is a big step towards attaining it!
Lastly, if you wish to acquire or improve your self-management skills, sign up for RILCA’s one-on-one coaching. Our counselors will help you with your concerns & queries.
