A Day in the Life of a Traffic Manager

It’s hard to encompass everything that can happen in just one day for a Traffic Manager. From phone calls and coordination, to project establishment and work allocation, to employee communication and training, a day in the life of a Traffic Manager is an ever-changing experience. Naturally, things can go wrong from time-to-time; it’s a challenging role.

We’re going to look at a few ways in which things can go wrong so you, the Traffic Manager, can change your coordination for more effective leadership in the future:

  1. Miscommunication: If a Traffic Manager only tells half of a team what they need to do, and omits the other half, there’s going to be a massive communication blunder that stifles production. If this manager “assumes” their direction will make its way around the team, that’s one of the quickest ways to ensure a project is botched while failing to meet a timeline. Every single person needs to be sent the same messaging, from the same place, to ensure all pertinent information is read and considered for the project ahead.
  1. Showing Favorites: Yes, as humans, it’s hard to deny that we all have our favorites when it comes to a given group of people. However, as a manager, it’s your job to act impartially and establish a fair working environment that everyone wants to thrive in. If you give the best projects to your favorites over and over again, people are going to start to leave. Turnover can be an incredibly degrading and expensive problem for a company to fund month after month.
  1. Micro-Management: Maybe the Traffic Manager is someone who micro-manages beyond belief. Although they might think they’re doing the right thing, assuring a certain level of quality is maintained at every level of the funnel, this kind of oversight makes employees feel dumb, unwanted, and frustrated that no matter what they do, they have to change everything. Traffic Managers need to know when to step back and utilize the power of allocation for maximum productivity.
  1. Impossible Expectations: There’s a reason you’re the Traffic Manager: you can manage, coordinate and organize changing parts more effectively than the average worker. It’s a compliment! Managers need to understand that they’re equipped with a unique skill-set, and that not everyone can meet their high expectations every single day. Make sure employees are complimented and told they’re doing a good job every so often; everyone needs encouragement.

Your Traffic Management

If you’re looking to avoid mishaps, miscommunications and setbacks in your work environment, one of the best ways to do it is to centralize work allocation through a comprehensive software solution: CurrentTrack®. This kind of technological support will free you up to really hone in on your management skills, so you can traffic to the best of your ability.