What Makes a Good Manager?

I was talking with a class last week about the best and worst jobs we have ever had. When asking why we did not enjoy that "worst job" a good portion of people agreed that the difference was our supervisor. Most of us have had that boss that made our jobs miserable, that did not support our efforts, or that were just flat-out bad managers.

Many people strive to move forward in their career, which often translates into taking on a leadership role. However, many of us are not cut out to lead people or go into those jobs unprepared. It is unpleasant to think of ourselves as our employee's "worst boss". Maybe you can use this list of traits that make a good manager to prepare yourself as you move forward in your career - and keep yourself off that bad boss list!

Confidence - A good manager does not need to know everything. However, they need to have enough confidence in themselves to believe that they will figure it out. A good manager is decisive and has confidence in their own capability of making good decisions

Dependability or Reliability - As a manger, your people must be able to count on you and trust that you will support them. Unpredictability is not a favorable trait in a leader.

Calm Under Pressure - When everything is falling apart or the going gets rough, the team needs someone at its helm who keeps their head on straight, figures out the root cause of issues, and does what it takes to get back on track.

Integrity - Leaders must always choose the right path, as opposed to the easiest path. A good manager does what they say they will do and can be counted on to enforce the rules with consistency.

Willing to Share the Load - Managers who are not willing to delegate are not only unproductive, they also never develop the skills of their team. When you delegate tasks, it demonstrates that you trust your team and believe in their ability to contribute.

Flexible Communication Style - Good leaders modify their communication style to meet their teams needs instead of expecting their team to adjust. If a manager can not express their expectations and standards clearly - both orally and in writing - their team will have no cohesion.

Listening Skills - Managers must exercise active listening skills. Ask for and value the opinions, feedback, and ideas of your team and your productivity will skyrocket.

Respect - The manager-subordinate relationship must be one of mutual respect. Running a team as a dictatorship can get results, but will not lead to a positive, collaborative work environment. Speak to your people with respect and try to see things from their point of view.

Dedicated to Their Team's Growth - People often leave a company because they feel like their manager is holding them back. It is a testament to your leaderships skills if you are constantly mentoring and promoting people out of your team. Of course you will miss your well-trained team, but it is selfish and short-sighted not to help your employees succeed.

Five Skills You Must Develop if You Want to Become a Manager

I have talked to several customers this week who have stable, well-paying jobs in very popular industries. However, no matter how good their job may be, they want to do "more" with their careers. If you are feeling stagnant in your career and want to move forward into a leadership role there are several steps you must take.

The first of these steps is to let your goals become known. Ensure your manager and human resources knows of your aspirations so they can help you develop a plan of action. Show the leadership team of your company that you are serious about your goals by developing your skills in these key areas.

Communication and Listening
No matter how good you are at managing tasks or projects, if you can't communicate effectively with people, you can only go so far in your career. A good manager must be able to interact effectively with all members of their team. You need to be able to communicate with your employees, your customers and your own manager. You must be flexible and adaptable enough to know how to change your own style of communication to connect with everyone at all levels.

Effective managers must emphasize listening as much as talking. No matter how important you become, a manager's job is much more than telling people what to do. The art of listening - both to what is said and what is not - is critical to knowing what is really going on around you.

Training and Coaching
Ask for opportunities to mentor and coach new employees. This is an excellent way to gain experience in training and will allow you to demonstrate that you have the skills to develop new employees - an important skill for being an effective manager. If these opportunities do not exist within your organization, consider joining an professional organization that will match you with someone you can mentor.

Initiative
Taking initiative is another way to demonstrate your value to the organization. Look for inefficiencies or opportunities for improvement in your organization. Put together a comprehensive plan for overcoming these obstacles and ask your manager for permission to present and implement your ideas. Try to anticipate your manager's needs and take care of the details of your current job without ever being asked.

Problem Solving
Managers are most often problem solvers and "firefighters" resolving the issues of customers, team members, and higher leadership. Show your ability to determine the source of issues and be proactive in resolving not only the problem, but the underlying root cause.

Leadership and Management
People often use these words interchangeably, but they are not necessarily the same thing. Managers plan, organize, and coordinate while leaders inspire and motivate people to follow them. Managers focus on the short-term priorities where leaders have their eye on the long-term goals of where the organization is headed next. You must be able to do both - especially in today's economy where companies try to do more with less.