Having a great idea is only the first step in a successful startup. You’ll need to source the funds to create your product or service, build an online presence and even hire staff to assist you.
The problem is that you may have the imagination to create a winning business idea but without the ability to manage the idea and your team, (however small), you will struggle to succeed. Of course starting is relatively easy but for a business to be successful you will need a team to help you and you will need to know how to manage them.
Here are 4 ways you can improve your management skills and help to make your dream a reality.
Take A Course
Understanding the theory behind management and the principles you need in order to manage people successfully is essential if you want to lead a team of people. You can take the Certificate IV in Leadership and Management to help you gain this understanding.
The best part is that the course can be completed online and gives you a recognized qualification that shows you can determine development needs while building and managing a productive team.
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Create A Mission Plan
You’ve had the brilliant idea and managed to get your startup underway. You now need to develop a mission plan. This will highlight your goals, both the small ones and the ultimate one. You can then devise a plan that will allow these goals to be realized.
From this you’ll have a clear direction, this is essential when managing a team. If you know where you are going and share this mission with your team they will be able to work towards the common goal and make positive suggestions regarding how you can get there.
In many ways the mission plan will allow you to collaborate with your team instead of telling them what to do. At the same time it will help you make the final decision each time as you know what you are attempting to achieve.
Get The Right Team
Many people are worried about taking on staff more qualified or experienced than they are. In fact this is a good approach; you want people to have specialized knowledge in their own fields. As a manager you don’t need to know every detail of what the team is doing, your role is to manage the team and the overall vision of the business.
If you know more than your team about engineering then you are likely to get bogged down in engineering instead of running the business.
Embrace talent instead of feeling threatened by it.
Network
You’ll find that others in the industry are generally happy to share their ideas and experiences. You can draw on these to ensure that you are aware of the latest developments and how your project fits into the mix. This will ensure it remains a viable option while being developed and when on the market.
It will also give you the confidence you need to talk to your team; you’ll be aware of what is happening in the industry and the path you need to take to success; this is essentially to guiding the team through any decision.
Above all, you are the manager and the final decisions rests with you but it is essential that you learn to listen to the ideas of your colleagues before you choose a path. This will foster an environment of innovation, loyalty and productivity; which will help you get the right result.