10 Essential Team Management Skills for 2024

You’ve spent years assembling a fantastic team and now you have some real stars on board. But here’s the big question: who gets to lead this dream team? Is it the top salesperson? Or the person everyone loves working with?

Neither option hits the mark. Leading a team requires a mix of skills that go beyond being a superstar in sales or the most popular person in the office. 

So, what qualities should your team leader have? Here are 10 essential team management skills every manager needs to succeed in 2024.

1. Communication

When managing a team, communication is crucial. Companies and organizations that communicate effectively are significantly more likely to retain the best employees.

While this skill comes naturally to a lucky few, most people need training to get their communication skills up to management level.

Pro tip: while face-to-face communication is essential, you can use work scheduling tools such as ZoomShift to make your communication as effective and non-disruptive as possible.

In 2024, effective communication means being tech-savvy and communicating with team members – many of whom are now digital natives – in ways they are comfortable and familiar with.

2. Decision Making

When taking the leap from a non-managerial role to a management position, one of the biggest changes is the increase in decision-making power.

Previously, an employee’s decision making may have mostly affected their own work, but now their decisions affect their team, budgets, and the business’ bottom line.

In 2024, it’s not just about making a decision, it’s about using the data available to make the right decision. Let’s face it – making gut decisions no longer cuts it when rivals are utilizing data to get it right every time.

This is why data-based decision making is such an important skill for managers to have in their arsenal in 2024.

3. Collaboration

The “do what I say not what I do” management style is old hat these days.

Collaboration allows you to harness the range of skills and perspectives on your team and combine these with your management prowess for the best outcomes. Failing to do so can negatively affect your team’s workflow.

Indeed, as a manager, it’s not just about collaborating with your team – it’s about managing collaboration within your team.

4. Learning and Development

In days gone by, learning and development was something companies deployed if and when they felt their employees needed to upskill.

But now that employees move on more quickly – rather than the old “job for life” adage – it’s vital that managers be L&D orientated. Consider this: one in three people leave their job within the first year. This high churn rate costs businesses huge amounts of money, and the secret to solving it could lie in L&D.

Failing to upskill team members at the pace they desire could result in poor employee retention rates, not to mention falling behind the rest of the industry skills-wise. Training doesn’t necessarily come easily to managers – no matter how good they are at the task in question – which is why L&D training is key.

5. Remote Management

There’s management, and then there’s remote management. While the two concepts have a good amount of crossover, managing someone who’s in front of you for eight hours a day, and managing someone you rarely see are two different skill sets.

Remote work has skyrocketed in popularity in the last few years, and the trend continues to snowball. Managers with remote workers on their team need to monitor user activity effectively, while improving their communication and technology skills to ensure those employees still feel engaged and part of the a dedicated team.

6. Diversity and Inclusion

Skills and knowledge surrounding diversity and inclusion are essential for the managers of 2024 With increasingly diverse teams in terms of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, and age, managers who don’t cater to everyone on their team risk alienating talented employees, and missing out on results in the long term.

But this is not an easy task. It’s not just about knowing your company’s D&I policy back to front – it’s also about understanding how best to manage employees with backgrounds different from your own. This means emotional intelligence is key here.

7. Feedback

While this one falls under the umbrella of “communication”, it’s so important that it deserves a special mention.

Did you know that companies who implement regular feedback have higher employee satisfaction levels and turnover rates that are 14.9% lower than for employees who receive no feedback? There are so many different ways to provide feedback, from annual appraisals to development meetings to awards to informal pats on the back.

The important thing is that the manager understands the most effective ways to give feedback , and that there is a consistent feedback structure in place that the team is aware of and happy with.

8. Project Management

These days, team managers often need to have project management skills in their arsenal too.

While some teams will have separate project managers, this is not always the status quo; regardless, project management will often bleed into a team manager’s remit.

As corporate culture has shifted towards agile principles, and we’re working in a much more project-based way than in the past, these skills are crucial for any manager worth their salt.

Managers can prepare for this by familiarising themselves with project management software and processes. Explore this guide by Cloudwards on the best project management tools.

9. Integrity

A brand’s social value proposition – or corporate social responsibility – is a huge deal in 2024.

Not only is it important for customers, but – especially among younger demographics – it influences job seekers’ decisions. While “integrity” may not be a skill in itself, it’s important that team managers work with their brand’s social value proposition at their core.

It’s essential that these values are genuinely felt throughout the company in order for the social value proposition to have the intended positive effect

10. Leadership

This one might sound obvious, yet so many companies fail to offer leadership training.

Some 83% of businesses say it’s important to develop leaders at all levels, yet 63% of Millennials say their leadership skills are not being fully developed.
While leadership skills might come naturally to some, helping managers to become the best leader they can be is always going to require some training.

Pros and Cons of Team Management

What benefits does good team management offer? Here are the most important ones:

Pros of Good Management

1. Boosts productivity—When teams are managed well, they tend to get more done because they have clear goals and effective delegation.
2. Happier employees—Good management makes employees feel valued and supported, which leads to a more positive work environment.
3. Higher retention rates—Satisfied employees are more likely to stick around, which saves the company from the costs and hassles of high turnover.
4. Better teamwork—Open communication and trust within the team allow for better collaboration and the birth of innovative ideas.

Cons of Micromanagement

1. Kills morale—Constantly looking over employees’ shoulders makes them feel distrusted and undervalued, which tanks their morale.
2. Lowers motivation—If employees feel controlled, they lose motivation and stop putting in their best effort.
3. Stifles creativity—Micromanagement means fewer new ideas because employees don’t feel encouraged to think outside the box.
4. Increases stress—Being under the microscope all the time raises stress levels, leading to burnout and poor performance.

5 Simple Ways to Develop Your Team Management Skills

So, how do you go about developing your team management skills? Here are five effective strategies:

1. Participate in Workshops and Training Sessions

Attend workshops focused on key management topics like effective communication or conflict resolution. Whether these sessions are hosted internally, by external organizations, or by academic institutions, they offer valuable opportunities for professional growth.

2. Take Personality Assessments

Consider taking personality assessments such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) or DiSC. Understanding your personality and how it influences management styles offers you an insight into your strengths and weaknesses, and helps you become a better manager.

3. Get a Mentor or Coach

This can be seasoned managers within your company or professional executive coaches who can share guidance, personal experiences, and practical advice on handling management challenges.

4. Participate Team Building Activities

Team-building activities boost team morale and allow participants to practice leadership and communication in a relaxed setting. For example, an escape room challenge will require you to lead and collaborate to solve puzzles and obstacles.

5. Ask for Feedback

Organize one-on-one chats or anonymous surveys where team members can provide input on your management approaches. Questions like “How can I support you better?” or “What could I do differently to improve our meetings?” can guide constructive feedback, helping you refine your methods and grow as a manager.

What skills do you think are most important for strong management as we progress through 2024?

JD Spinoza

JD enjoys teaching people how to use ZoomShift to save time spent on scheduling. He’s curious, likes learning new things everyday and playing the guitar (although it’s a work in progress).