405.627.6326 matt@whyhr.guru

Every manager must take on a variety of roles to help them successfully lead a team to accomplish its goals. While each manager’s roles will look a bit different based on their industry and organizational structure, there are three primary roles that should apply to every manager: the cheerleader, the lifeguard, and the bouncer.

The cheerleader is a role of encouragement. In a sports setting, the cheerleader is responsible for leading cheers, which might include the use of signs or other props to communicate what cheer the crowd should be doing. In the business sense, a manager is rallying his or her team around the mission of the company, communicating specific goals and tasks, and ensuring everyone is on the same page. As champion of the message, a manager must consistently lead the team and clearly communicate what the team needs to be successful in the organization.

Whether on the field or on the court, cheerleaders are always smiling. They see the positive and help the crowd get fired up even when their team is losing. That said, it doesn’t mean they’re always smiling everywhere. I’m sure there’s plenty of frustration from a cheerleading team behind the scenes, just as there will be in business.

But in this role, it’s important for managers to not show that frustration to their team. In this role of encouragement, managers need to be positive and stay focused on the goals ahead rather than simply giving up and going home because your team is down 21 points in the fourth quarter.

So what does an individual manager or supervisor need to be successful in this role? They need a clearly defined mission, vision, and values for the organization. Without a clear mission and vision, they have nothing to champion to the rest of the team. Organizations must educate their managers and supervisors on how everything ties together so that the supervisors can clearly communicate it to their staff. If the organization’s leaders don’t clearly educate the supervisors, a breakdown in communication and expectations happens quickly.

In our next blog, we’ll take a look at what the role of lifeguard means for managers.

Do you want to ensure your managers are fully equipped to champion your mission? Contact Why HR today for more information about our training programs for managers and supervisors.

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