10 tips for student leaders to sharpen their managerial skills

By Leah VealCareer EditorAs student leaders, there are amazing opportunities to begin sharpening your managerial skills now in order to become excellent managers in the future. Below are some questions to think about and advice from Charlene DeGregoria, career councilor and associate director of NYIT Career Services Office on how to begin the process of sharpening your managerial skills.1. How can I convert my student leadership skills into managerial skills?“First break down what your role as a student leader is, such as budgeting, meeting with administration, recruitment, or organizing events and apply those skills to your management position.”2. How can I acquire managerial skills without formal training?“Get a mentor, get assistance from an experienced manager, advisor or administrator, research online or read books.”3. Are there free leadership training workshops at NYIT?“The leadership training program is in August at NYIT, check with Dennis Camacho or Kristie Damell in student activities about it and other student leadership workshops during the school year.”4. How can I lead negative or difficult to manage people effectively?“Encourage ideas, when people feel their opinions and input matter, they feel less defensive.”5. How can I stop constant unprofessional behavior from the people I’m managing?“Set ground rules early on, they’re sometimes hard to follow but essential to bring order and maintain order.”6. Can I still be a cool, fun manager and still be authoritative and serious at the same time?“You have to know your limits and learn to be firm.”7. How can I deal with people who insist on talking about their personal life all the time and won’t work?“Have an agenda, set time limits and make your expectations of personal conduct clear to your team.”8. How can I fire an ineffective person in a respectful way, is it possible?“It’s hard to fire a person. Give them fair warning in writing, have solid documented evidence of them not performing required tasks well, tell them honestly what they did and be direct.” Leave out personal attacks and just use the facts.9. How can I manage people around my age when they expect us to be buddies while I just want to make sure the work gets done first? Is it possible to put the work first and still have everyone like you?“You might have to be more distant, less of a friend in order to get the work done.” It’s a catch 22.10. The key to leadership at any level is to be fair, firm and consistent.Listen to all sides to each story, when settling conflicts between team members set ground rules to stay away from personal attacks because personal attacks don’t solve problems positive, open-minded communication does.