by Tonia Hooper

Created on: November 02, 2009

Work smarter not harder! How many of you have heard this phrase? Working smarter not harder is a great thing if you have practical and effective ways to make the most of your time and the time of those under your supervision. The first thing all managers of any level should do is to objectively examine their managerial skills, take note of how you actually spend your time each day; how much time do you spend of a project; and can you do something differently to accomplish your goals in less time without sacrificing quality?

How your relationship with your staff members and other co-workers is; do you have a positive relationship with open communication? If not, you should identify the negative aspects of your working relationships; how that affects your performance and the performance of your team members. Make a list of key areas where you feel improvement is needed to overcome the negativity and create a positive and productive environment within your department. As in just about any relationship, communication is a key factor in your success as a manager. Successful managers have learned (and always strive to improve their communication and management skills) the art of effective communicating with people at all levels in and outside of the workplace. Here are some practical tips that you can implement immediately and be own your way to becoming a successful, effective and in-demand manager. Be careful though, your new positive attitude and outlook is likely to be noticed and may even be contagious. You may even become an inspiration to other managers to be a positive role model.

1. Learn the layout. Learn the organizational structure of your corporation as well as other corporates in your industry. Get familiar with the managerial culture of your organization, while you may have been with a particular company for many years, if you now find yourself in a management position your role and expectations of you are going to be different. It is your position as a manager to learn what is expected of you and stay on top of best practices in your particular field.

2. Stay grounded. Keep your feet on the ground; don't get too lofty in your attitude. A promotion to management does not mean you are now the supreme know-it-all; don't let your new-found power go to your head. Remember that you were one of the little people once and be considerate of how you treat others. Everyone at every level deserves respect; you will get much more in return from those around

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