What Makes a Good Manager?

The most common trait that good managers have in common is that they lead by example. A true leader is in the trenches with their team, not only watching them from the sideline giving orders. Managers that do not occasionally get on the phone or travel on site to close a deal are a lot less respected than those that do. Don’t believe me? Ask any sales consultant or employee with a similar role. You’ll hear murmurs of employees critiquing their own manager for not going through the same thing they do, i.e.: “they're not on the frontlines, so what do they know?”. This trait itself is highly rooted in "empathy" and all good managers understand how important it is to put yourself in the shoes of your team members. Although, managers in particular may not have the capacity to consistently be in the trenches since they are managing teams, doing this every so often is a huge morale booster for your team and a great way to win them over! Lead by example and this will in turn help you further develop your empathy as a manager.

Good managers also spend more time getting to know their team and establish regular check-ins while constantly displaying gratitude to their team members. A sign of great leadership is knowing your team on a personal level and praising their hard work. As you learn more about your employees, you are able to better cater to their managing style and create a managing system that is not “one-size-fits-all”. In order to lead your team to new heights you really have understand each individual on your team on a personal level and help the team bring out the best in each other. Additionally, great managers share the trait of adding constructive criticism versus negative criticism at a ratio of 10 to 1. Employees remember negative remarks about 7 times more than they do 1 positive remark. To offset this, you should praise your employees at a ratio of 7 to 1 (from a Harvard study) or 10 to 1, just to be on the safe side.

What Makes a Great Manager?

Finally, great managers are vulnerable and clear communicators. They show their human side and build true connections with their employees. Good leaders do not pass the buck and do not place blame on exogenous sources. In order to be a “great” leader you need own your faults and retain an internal locus of control. If you do this, your employees will respect and trust you more for it and always look to you for guidance.

Why Are These Qualities Effective?

Because they showcase your human side, make you more relatable to your employees and build trust! Employees and team members will always work smarter and harder for managers that know them on a personal level and value their work. Maintaining these ideas as a manager will allow for a positive feedback loop in your team’s culture and productivity and will definitely make you that more effective at managing your team.

How to Improve Your Managerial Skills:

Besides implementing all of the above, managers can improve their managerial skills by defining a clear “work culture” amongst their team members. The best way to go about doing this is by establishing a culture where communication is always welcomed and a “no dumb ideas” mindset is established. The more you encourage clear lines of communication amongst your employees the more your team will enjoy their work and provide innovation of their own accord. This will also have the added benefit of making work more enjoyable for your employees.

How Do You Handle Toxic Employees?

It’s extremely crucial to maintain a good standing work environment as a manager. In order to do this, everyone needs to be on the same page and eliminating toxic employees is sometimes required. The phrase “one bad apple ruins the bunch” is really relevant here. This doesn’t mean you should automatically fire toxic employees. In many scenarios, the situation can be resolved just by approaching them in an honest and open manner to see where that employees’ discontent is rooted from. If after understanding the problem and trying to implement changes still does not work, you may want to considering “letting them go” at that point.