Becoming a manager is certainly something to be proud of — you have risen through the ranks of employees to an important position. However, with achievement comes challenge, and managing a team certainly has many challenges.

The key to excelling in this role is a firm understanding of your purpose within the company. First and foremost, being a manager is about aligning the efforts of employees with the goals of the business. Managers act in service to their team, their customers and business owners.

The thing that makes excellent managers stand out is their ability to keep a positive perspective about serving the best interests of others. The best way to do that is to understand your unique strengths and consider how you can use them to help pthers. Strong communicators may be able to help coach, inform, or give feedback. Strategic managers may be better at forming a plan of action. Others may be better at wooing irritated clients or offering flexible problem solving. Approaching your work from a place of strength will feel much more rewarding because it fulfills your purpose — to lift others up — while allowing you to do things in a way that feels natural to you.

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