How can I improve as a manager?

As anyone who follows sport on a regular basis knows, managing a team is an often thankless and impossible task. But if you're good at it and can gain the respect and trust of your staff, the recognition you'll get from your company can take you wherever you want in your career.

Like it or not, you are always the centre of attention when you have people reporting into you. If your team sees you working hard, they're more inclined to put the hours in. If you're taking two-hour lunches, they'll think it's OK to kill some errands mid-afternoon.

And when the end of the month comes and targets haven't been met – it's your head that will be on the chopping block.

You may think being the boss gives you the right to bend the rules, but it's quite the opposite. Leaders lead by example, and their teams reflect their work ethic and the standards they set.

To help make sure your team performs to expectations, here's a few key things to consider.

• Manage across, not down -
  The days of the classical managing style are over. You'll make more of an impression on your team if you can do what they do and show a willingness to help out when time is against them. Delegation is a large part of managing, and there's a right and wrong way to give instructions. Take the time to understand what each person is doing, and segment the work only when you know what it will take to complete specific tasks. Sit with your team and talk through obstacles. Spend time in the trenches.Understand the dynamics and interdependencies that could lead to stress in achieving daily and weekly goals. Problems are much easier to sort out if they're spotted before they've even occurred.

• Manage specifically, not generally - The people who directly report to you are the most important reason why you come to work. If you don't get this, you shouldn't be managing. If you manage with generalities and fail to provide succinct feedback - both good and bad - you're failing in your responsibilities. It's easy to say “good work” but why was it a good work? Be specific. By illustrating the good points, you're providing an education and they'll remember why their actions were good. Conversely, if mistakes were made, discussing the specifics will reduce the chances they will be made again. Your staff members will often know how, where and why they made mistakes so don't come down on them like a tonne of bricks - always ensure criticism is well thought out and constructive.

• Share the vision - The board has a road-map, and you're a tour guide. You need to understand the vision at the highest level and translate tactics into actionable steps. A lot of times you hear that a company is top-loaded with visionaries but has no one to get things done. As a manager, it's your job to make sure this doesn't happen. No one is going to hold your hand and tell you how to educate your team. You need to serve as translator, empowering your staff with information and inspiring them with the knowledge that what they're doing is contributing toward the bottom line.

• Make time for fun - All work and no play makes for a dull team. You need to set an example that it's good to laugh. I'm not talking about forced fun such as ‘Silly Tie Tuesday', more about trying to get on with everyone on a personal level. Chat about football, music or TV with your team members.

Your team is, in a sense, a family for a good portion of every week. It's OK to digress. In fact, it's essential.