IT Team Management: 5 Strategies to Follow

By Jezabel Southard

Posted on November 18, 2016

it-teamMany information technology (IT) team managers have likened their work to “herding cats.”  While it’s true that connecting with an IT team can require different strategies than with teams in other departments, knowing how to manage the team can lead to the same gains in productivity, camaraderie and efficiency.  Here’s how.

  1. Understand your team. As a rule, IT teams tend to have a larger concentration of members who are introverted, logic-based, and good at problem solving – it’s in the nature of the work. When you can identify the key personality traits that make up each member of your team and that predominate on the team as a whole, you can adapt your management strategy to fit those needs.
  2. Get good at delegating. IT professionals get good at their jobs through personal application and focus. The “top players” in the field understand their work well enough to have discovered more efficient ways to perform it – ways they tend to abandon if they feel micromanaged.  Instead, delegate everything you can, give clear timelines and goals, and leave your door open in case there are any questions.
  3. Encourage independence. Introverts gain their energy from time spent alone – no matter how they personally feel about being around other people. Give your IT team an energy “boost” by making it possible for them to work independently, whether that means creating separate offices or providing telecommuting options.
  4. Clear the roadblocks for them. IT staff are great at solving problems – but they can be weak in dealing with the bureaucratic “red tape” that hinders them from implementing a solution. Help your team by putting your own diplomacy and administrative skills to work clearing the roadblocks, so they can focus on solutions.
  5. Make sure your team has the training and tools it needs for success. On any team, stress rises when team members don’t feel that they have the resources adequate to handle the job ahead of them. IT teams are no different.  Ongoing training in this ever-changing field and access to the tools necessary for the job are essential in order to reduce stress and ensure productivity.

Managing can be challenging, but by leveraging these tactics you will be positioned for the best success. When leading your team, it is also important to understand the role that your staffing partner plays. Staffing firms specialize in understanding the industries and clients they serve, as well as building strong relationships with candidates and star performers in the field.  To understand your IT staff better, or to improve your hiring process, work with a staffing partner.

At TERRA Staffing Group, our recruiters understand how IT professionals think, how they work and how their employers can help them thrive.

Contact us today to learn more about our recruiting services in Portland, Phoenix and Seattle.

Categories: Employee Engagement Ideas, HR and Management Advice

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Related Posts