This article contains information on the 10 Qualities that Makes a Good Manager
Who is a good manager and what qualities make a good manager, you may ask? A manager [1] is a person who is accountable for managing a company. And of course, this requires learning new project management skills and taking on different project manager roles.
A key to successful management is the relationship between the manager and his or her staff. It is the way in which managers manage people that separates the ordinary from the good and the exceptional. Good relationships are based on commitment, trust and engagement, and a good manager’s important role is to build these relationships to the advantage of the organisation so that the tasks that are set are completed with enthusiasm, effectively, on time and with the energy to do more.
It is no secret that a good manager is one who can make all the difference in how happy your team is. Being a manager can be a tasking job with a lot of responsibility. A good manager is the need of every successful organization. They make the organization grow in its performance.
10 QUALITIES OF A GOOD MANAGER
Find below the qualities of a good manager.
1. A good manager manages people effectively
Good managers coach their staff and counsel those who need it. As a good manager, you should have staff who are committed to you. Seeking response and feedback to aid communications with staff is paramount in every organisation.
Also, a good manager knows how to resolve conflicts as they arise and handle negative behaviour effectively. Delegate wherever possible and actively like to develop, empower and motivate staff and manage underperformers.
A good manager takes the lead, raises staff morale and is concerned for staff wellbeing. As a manager, you should be conscious of the psychological contract. As you manage the organisation, enjoy managing the boss also. Set clear and unambiguous objectives and discuss them with staff before setting them. Some of the other roles of a manager is to:
- Engage in selection interviewing
- Manage teams.
A good manager always values his subordinates’ opinions.
2. Communicates employee’s appreciation
The employee appreciation is a fundamental part of human need in the workplace. When management shows appreciation or gives good remarks for the good of employees, they tend to react positively. Let your team members know how fruitful their efforts are. There are countless ways to show appreciation, other than saying ‘thank you’ and ‘good job’.
- Bring in snacks or have a pizza party
- Carryout a team award
- Give the employees extra time off
- Display them on social media
- Cheers from peers.
3. Set team up for success
About 60% of work teams fail. One major reason this happens is because it is not properly set up in the first place. The fact that you are a project manager, that makes it your role and responsibility. Set them up for success providing them the understanding of what each of them should be doing. Go above and beyond project management skills to make things easy for the team and the growth of the organisation.
Five things to do to set up a team for success:
- Be willing to solve the problem
- Be the voice of truth for your team
- Make sure the team has a sense why they exist
- Don’t just be a facilitator
- Know the behaviours that are important for success.
4. A good manager is good at managing activities
As a good manager, you get to manage change effectively, seek continuous improvement, control and coordinate staff effectively, engage in and enjoy crisis management, influence the culture of teams, focus on customers/clients and know how to improve business performance. Also, you get to conduct meetings efficiently, be good at planning and organising, be good at both strategic and project management and lastly, be good at risk management and know-how to manage stress in staff.
5. Collaborate Across Project Management Tool
Project management is one of the vital parts of any successful business. Therefore, project collaboration is a very important part of project management. For example, project management software has made working with teams an easy process. It keeps the team in the loop to let them know what is expected of them. Project collaboration is one of the best ways of good management that can be done with a project management tool to talk about projects, move away from emails, set calendars, and carry out various tasks within a workspace.
6. Good managers are transparent
In regards to important decisions, big project updates, and very important changes within the organization, good managers keep their team abreast. Good managers believe that being transparent with their team causes trust and depicts leadership. Except for confidential company decisions, a good manager should always communicate with their team and be open to answering questions or addressing concerns.
7. Good managers take risks
Do not play safe because playing it safe might seem the easy way out, but meeting your goals does not always come easy. Taking risks and experimenting should be encouraged, and managers should set the example by being first to jump in and test the waters. Failures will occur but being active and making mistakes is a key component to learning and growing well as a team.
8. Manages by trust and without fear
A healthy workplace is one where the key energy is trust, while the workplace fear predominates is a fear-based workplace. You will see employees run away from a place that is managed by fear. Where managers use the power of their position to control their team.
Management by Fear is Simply not a successful strategy in business. You do not have to be such a kind of manager. Because no business can afford to lose a team member, so let it be the trust that keeps the team together and not fear.
9. Motivates team
Whether you agree or not, your team is your most important asset. As a manager, you need to be able to motivate (stir their zeal to work excellently) your team to bring in good results. The work needs to get done excellently and in a timely manner. Here is how you can motivate them to work better:
- Involve employees in decisions
- Take time to meet with and listen to employees
- Encourage new ideas and initiative
- Create an open work environment
- Personally, thank employees for doing a good job
- Show them how they fit into the plan of the project
- Give them a sense of ownership in their work
- Give each employee a chance to grow and learn new skills
- Take time for team and morale-building activities to celebrate success
- Promote people on the basis of performance
- Create a team competition that encourages cooperation
- Have a team “praise board.”
10. A good manager gives positive vibes and creates time for fun
You may not get to know it, but the psyche of your employees is what you can change and change the overall working environment. Though many of you (managers) may not consider it a part of the project manager role, when you play you will observe the difference. It is true that whatever vibe you walk in with, your people will pick it up. So, if you are positive and energetic, your team will more likely to feel that way. Keep projecting a positive attitude, because happier employees are more productive, more creative, and create a more winning working environment.
Truly, you are always busy and focused on how to be an effective leader, but good managers always create time for fun. Scheduling happy hours, lunch outings are excellent activities for keeping things light and entertaining. Remember “ all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.
Conclusion
It is never too late to start implementing some characteristics of great managers. Whether you have received A+ feedback from your employees or know there are some areas you could work on, the definition of a good manager is someone who makes the success and happiness of their team a number one priority.
Reference
[1] (N.d.). Indeed.com. from https://au.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/what-is-a-manager
