Self-management is a term that has been used in many areas of study and research. Self-management can be defined as the autonomous, self-directing activity of an individual or group to achieve desired goals. In this article, we’ll be discussing self-management in the context of self-employment, where one is working for themselves, tips and tricks, and essentially, how to always present the best version of yourself at work, with only self-guidance.
The history of self-management
The history of self-management has been one filled with success and struggle. Self-management has existed for a long time, but it wasn’t until the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries that it became popular among certain classes of people who were not born into power. These individuals began to strive to make their own way in life by doing things for themselves, becoming merchants and traders.
Self-management was seen as a good thing because it kept independent businesses afloat and represented competition in markets without any restrictions or regulations. The term self-management was introduced to the world in 1738 when it appeared in an English dictionary. Self-management during this time period helped many people get ahead and become successful while competing against everyone else.
Self-management in remote and async companies
Self-management can be applied to many industries, even those that are remote and asynchronous. Self-management of employees is often difficult in these types of companies, because of the lack of trust between management and staff due to the physical distance between them.
An article published by Self Management Institute (SMI) speaks on how managers should deal with this issue, making sure that they’re very clear about what they want from their employees and give specific guidelines on what needs to be done instead of just giving general tasks such as “edit this document” or “proofread that report”. Self-management helps you to identify your strengths and weaknesses so that you can work towards overcoming them and becoming better at your job. Self-Management Institute also said: “Your team members will be more motivated to do quality work when they know that the goals are clear and within their control, not subject to your mood or how busy you are.” Self-management allows for entrepreneurs to focus on what matters most without getting distracted by other aspects of life which might take away from their work.
Hiring self-managed people
“It’s important to hire self-managed employees because these individuals make even better hires than those who want a promotion”. Self-managed people need autonomy in the workplace, otherwise, they’ll become disengaged with their jobs. They’re likely going to be able to accomplish tasks at work much faster than someone who hasn’t experienced self-management before because self-managed employees understand why time is important and they know how to manage it.
Self-management allows you to work on your own time, rather than having your company dictate when and where you need to work. Managers should understand that self-managed people are great for the company because they’ll always present the best version of themselves at work. With autonomy over their tasks, employees can more easily ensure that they’re doing things right without needing someone looking over their shoulder every second.
Self-management helps companies become more efficient by allowing employees to do more without actually increasing the workload on each individual worker. Self-managed workers will always put out top-quality results so long as clear goals are set in place for them by management, but these goals need to be within control if they want employees to take full advantage of their autonomy. Self-management is a beautiful thing for companies because it doesn’t require an unrealistic amount of effort or money, and it helps employees to do their job better than before by making them feel as though they’re in control of what they’re doing.
Put it simply… what is self-management?
The idea behind self-management is simple: autonomy over your decisions and everything you do at work. It’s the responsibility of employers and managers to set up tasks so that each individual has responsibility for them, otherwise, there’s no point in having people who want autonomy working under you. Self-managed workers will always present higher quality results than those who don’t have autonomy because they’ll be able to adjust themselves to fit any situation in order to manage work assignments independently.
Self-management creates a much more flexible work environment, which helps both employees and employers achieve the best possible results. Self-management allows for people with different personalities to come together in an office setting without any issues arising because it works around each person’s individual strengths and weaknesses, rather than trying to dictate how they should be acting at all times.
Self-managed individuals are also very likely to help others by taking on tasks that may not necessarily pertain to their job description if it means that the company will benefit as a whole. Self-management lets you take more ownership over your decisions so that you can truly feel as though you have the power to create change within your company.
Self-management statistics, studies, and reports
In a report from the National Self-Management Institute, self-management was found to have improved work performance by an incredible amount. “In one study, employees who have more control over their jobs are 30% more productive and 13 times less likely to be absent due to illness”. Self-managed people also feel as though they’re part of a team at work, which is going to contribute far better results than those who simply wait around for instructions.
The same Self Management Institute report uncovered some interesting facts about how self-management affects teams as well. Self-management doesn’t just affect you as an individual – it’s going to make your whole team stronger as well. Self-management means that every person on the team is given autonomy over what they do and the decisions they make at work, allowing for a smoother workflow within teams. Self-management encourages accountability in individuals because if you have too much responsibility for your actions then you’re going to be more likely to put out high-quality results on purpose so that management will be pleased with what you’re doing.
“In a study comparing two telemarketing teams, one where the agents had total autonomy over their targets and scripts, while the other team was told exactly when to call whom with the what script, 100% of the self-managed group achieved their target every time while only 33% of those without control did.” Self-management is an incredibly effective tool for companies because it raises productivity levels 30%, makes workers 13 times less likely to be absent from work and it helps teams function far better than before.
Self-management is a selfless tool – the more autonomy you give over to your employees, the better they’ll do their job for your company.
How to become a well self-managed employee or leader?
How to develop good self-management skills? Self-management is the same as self-leadership. Self-leadership is the capability of individuals to take initiative and be accountable for their own and collective performance, and results. Self-leadership skills help you to:
1) Manage your thoughts and emotions in times of stress or adversity;
2) Have a positive mindset;
3) Have resilience;
4) Have good perspective;
5) Be innovative. Self-management skills allow an individual to:
6) Effectively communicate with others;
7) Build trust within themselves and others;
8) Achieve goals through effective goal setting;
9) Anticipate problems before they arise;
10) Be passionate about what they do.
So, what about self-leadership?
Self-leadership and Self-management enable you to have a good approach, influence others with positive energy, build trust in yourself, and appreciate what you have. Self-leadership gives us self-respect which enables us to achieve our dreams within limits of time and space, so we can enjoy life while creating value for others.
Self-leadership is about being aware of your surroundings without worrying that things would go wrong or that someone may take advantage of your kindness or good intentions. Self-leadership is a choice, not a destination. It’s an art, not a science. Self-management tools teach individuals how to accomplish their tasks by themselves if necessary; they encourage
What are the differences between self-management and self-leadership?
Self-leadership is a choice, not a destination. Self-management tools teach individuals how to accomplish tasks by themselves if necessary; they encourage self-respect and self-reliance. Self-management allows you to take the wheel of your life, create your future and live it to its fullest potential.
Self-leadership enables you to be responsible for yourself and your actions, inspiring others with positive energy. Self Leadership is a journey that each individual must take upon themselves as they grow from being an employee to becoming someone who takes initiative in all aspects of their life. Self Management & Self Leadership are intertwined.
Common traits of people with high self-management
There are some commonalities in the daily routines and habits of people with good self-management. These include:
1) They are aware of their thoughts and emotions. Self-management starts with self-awareness. People who have good self-awareness know how to identify their mistakes, correct them, develop themselves and move on from them. Self-aware individuals know what they want in life and what’s stopping them from getting it. Self-aware people are able to effectively communicate with others about the problems that they face or may potentially face in the future.
2) Self-management is about being responsible for yourself, your actions, your impact on everyone around you through both positive and negative actions, big or small – this responsibility must be taken seriously if you’re going to achieve anything at work or in any other aspect of your life. Self-management requires personal accountability, which is the ability to be responsible for your situation.
3) Self-management enables individuals to achieve results by themselves if necessary, but it doesn’t mean that they will stop working with other people just because they have certain skills or capabilities that may help them achieve better results on their own. Self-managed people are independent enough to know when to ask for advice, help, or guidance when needed. Self-management doesn’t mean that you have to go it alone. Self-managed people use a combination of self-leadership and self-management skills to be proactive in their work and in life.
Final thoughts on self-management in the workplace
Self-management is about being responsible for your actions, no matter how big or small. Self-managed people are independent enough to know when they need help and who can provide it. Self-management doesn’t mean that you have to go it alone, the self-management approach encourages communication of all kinds with your team members, superiors, and any other stakeholders in order to ensure clarity of roles and responsibilities.
