Great managers are willing to advocate for their employees, even if it sometimes means putting their own necks on the line. Sometimes, in the workplace, issues arise that stress the parameters of established protocol and it requires quick-thinking and creative problem-solving in order to fix. A good manager recognizes those qualities in his or her employees, and even if proper protocol wasn’t completely followed, the manager makes sure those employees are recognized going forward. If higher ups question why a certain employee used a particular tactic, it’s the job of the manager to explain the circumstances and establish how the employee’s quick thinking rectified the issue.
A great manager understands that their role is not to do the work themselves but to create an environment in which their team can be successful. They set clear goals and expectations, provide feedback and coaching, and remove any roadblocks that might prevent their team from reaching their goals. A great manager also understands the importance of creating a positive work environment where employees feel valued and respected. They encourage collaboration and teamwork, and reward employees for their accomplishments. And they realize that it's not all about the numbers - a healthy balance between work and life is just as important.
Learn what makes each person unique and capitalize on it: We all know that every person is unique. You cannot employ the identical strategies for all of them. This is not how things work! Great managers aim to figure out what makes each person unique and capitalize on that. Everyone is talented in some way. If that uniqueness can be found, matching skills and increasing production becomes easier.
The greatest managers offer second chances. They don’t give up on training and developing the people they hire. They want to see their team members succeed. If you see a workforce with a high turnover rate, that might be the most obvious sign that management is deficient or derelict in certain areas. Great managers find a way to keep their workforce motivated. Maybe some people need more patience and training or maybe people are working in the wrong role and just need a chance in a different department. The greatest leaders find a way to make everyone maximize their effort and performance.
A great manager delegates responsibilities and jobs. They can manage from afar because they have trust in their employees' abilities and will not micromanage. This type of manager is aware of what is going on and remains involved in larger problems but tends to not step in unless it is a last resort. They have confidence in their employee's thinking and decision-making that they can handle most problems themselves.
Your company culture should be one in which providing feedback and constructive criticism is valued by all. Team performance is strengthened by everyone taking part in constructively offering feedback and graciously accepting it, too. Champion a constructive feedback culture, and you'll help create a positive work environment that will have a direct effect on employee performance and morale in a big way.
Great managers forgive people for making mistakes. This is not to say that the gravity of the mistake would never be considered, but especially if a manager encounters a mistake that is not too severe, they can conclude that everyone makes mistakes from time to time. Furthermore, leaders can work with those who have made mistakes to understand what led to these errors, and they can come up with solutions to help people avoid those mistakes in the future. Great managers do not just lead - They make an effort to understand their employees in order to help them.
An effective leader knows what is moving the needle. You have to be able to spot the trends and identify what your competitors are doing. You have to see what works and what doesn’t. In order to trust your intuition – something that every great leader does – you can’t rely on others to analyze your market and give you forecasts. It’s up to you to give your team a compass of clear direction. A great manager is always on top of things. Team members are more confident in managers who have command of the industry.
Give all the credit and take all the blame. Too often–in an effort to appease higher-ups, I assume–managers will throw employees under the bus when something goes wrong. It’s refreshing to see managers own a mistake, even if I know that it’s not actually their fault. In that same vein, I like to see managers share successes with their employees, even if they did the majority of the footwork. This shows the manager possesses humility–a rare but valuable quality–and knows how to support a team. The managers who can do this are the first ones I think of when there are greater leadership roles to fill and promotions to be made.
A great manager sets goals and expectations right at the start. Your team members should be able to walk away from a goal setting meeting with a clear plan of action and realistic timeline. This can create better alignment with your employees and empower them to track their own performance based on set expectations. Everyone working for you will realize exactly what they have to do to help make theirs a successful team, and the camaraderie will contribute to a positive work environment.
Being a great manager is not some complicated over thought out process. It stems from gaining the trust and respect of your employees. Sadly most managers never achieve this as they handle their management position in a selfish manner. Great managers do one thing very differently than others, they actually care about their employees. They unselfishly want their employees to succeed and enjoy their work environment so, they will sacrifice to ensure that is the case for their staff. The employees see this level of commitment to them as individuals from their manager and it inspires them to work harder for their leader. These types of managers are the ones that employees will remember for their entire work career as the individuals they enjoyed working for most. A simple thought but it makes a world of difference in the eyes of the employees.
One sign of an exceptional manager is a manager that has the knowledge and capacity to excel at the tasks assigned to their team. For example if you were the manager of a sales team, you should be able to be one of, if not the top sales earner if you were to go back into that role. This will help your ability to teach others tips and tricks to succeed but also prove to your team that you are the right person to lead. Take the time to review and sharpen your skills so you can be an effective manager.
Great managers respect their teammates and their choices. They won't enslave them and try to retain them for life. In fact, they will support upskilling and learning. It's because great managers think that when teammates are given freedom and opportunities to grow, they give their best at work. People will change organizations, no matter what. So, a great manager won't have the fear of losing a skilled team. Instead, it will foster faith and provide opportunities even for new joiners so that they can absorb easily in the ecosystem.
A great manager has humility. You know you have a great manager when they ask questions and when they don’t pretend to have all the answers. A great manager doesn’t care about being the “right” one in the room, instead, they care about being a leader in the room, and leadership is a service position. This means they will always be fighting for you, and fighting for the team, not fighting for what is best for them. Humility takes strength and an open heart, and when you have that in your manager, you’ve got a great one on your hands.
A great manager isn't afraid to share the glory with co-workers. Many times, they will even give up their chance at recognition to allow other lower-level workers to get the credit. These are leaders who are confident in their abilities and don't need to always be in the spotlight. They are also rare to find.
Effective managers are effective communicators, and bad managers are usually very poor communicators. You want to ensure that everyone on your team is on the same page, and also that feedback is being given in a way that improves employee performance rather than makes them feel horrible or useless. A successful manager knows the value of communicating effectively, and the role it can play in employee retention and a positive company culture.
Aim to have at least one meaningful conversation per week with each of your employees. This can be either a personal conversation or a professional one. The key takeaway is to foster engagement. Great managers communicate often with their team members in a significant fashion.
Great managers are effective listeners. If you are working for a manager that not only hears but listens to team feedback, be sure to stay with that company for as long as you can. The best managers are eager to improve their own leadership skills, and take the necessary steps to do so. They never settle for less, and strive to improve themselves each day.
For optimal team performance, excellent managers ensure all employees are on the same page. For example, hosting regular weekly meetings to check in with employees and share updates allows leaders to align employee needs and company goals. Great managers utilize communal time to collaborate and unify individual goals.
Great managers don’t have to know everything. Their strength lies in their ability to find the right people or tools to overcome any roadblocks their employees are facing. Team members know that they can always rely on their managers and find a way to deal with the problem no matter the circumstances. Great managers are not afraid of challenges or tough questions, and go the extra mile to handle difficult situations. They know that sometimes the road to success is not linear and requires extra effort or out-of-the-box thinking. Also, great managers are not afraid to look for support when they don’t know something. They are confident enough to handle criticism and are open to feedback. It’s more important for them to solve the problem rather than prove that they’re right.