What Makes a Great Manager: 4 Essential Traits

It’s no secret that a good manager makes all the difference in how well your team performs and is essential to a companies bottom line.

But what makes a good manager? Simply managing a team doesn’t make you a good manager. A good manager consists of finding, keeping and developing people. They know how to inspire their team, foster growth and productivity, and bring out the best in their employees.

Although, being a manager can be a demanding job with a lot of responsibility, it can also be a rewarding career. This guide will take a deep dive into what makes a great manager and how you can use these qualities to improve leadership.


good to great by jim collins

Good to Great

By Jim Collins

⏱ 16 minute reading time

🎧 Audio version available


Excellent Communicator

An essential quality for a manager is communication. What makes up a great manager is an individual that can not only communicate but offers excellent listening skills. Allowing others to talk and provide feedback is key to a successful business.

Keeping the team up to date with new changes and policies is just as important. As a manager, being an excellent communicator will continue to shape the companies vision as a way to keep the team motivated and build trust.

A reliable team of employees is made up of trust and positive reinforcement. A great manager can provide a positive environment for their team by showing appreciation. Allow your team to understand their worth and the essential need for them within the company. Besides giving a simple thank you, offer incentives such as lunch, an award, or providing time off.

Growth Oriented

Much turnover and frustration within a company can start due to employees not understanding their role or the vision of the business. A great manager ensures the vision and game plan of the business are conveyed to the staff. Those with the gifted trait help the staff understand their role within the company to not set up success for the business but also the employee.

Meeting with the team routinely to discuss goals, strengths, and weaknesses is a great start to establishing a good rapport with the team. Taking the time to understand and communicate with the team will ensure the success of the company.

Related: 5 Books Every Leader Should Read to Be Successful

Result Oriented

The key to a great manager is one who is result-oriented. Ensuring results are met allows us to see that the company is productive. If the expected results are not being pursued, a great manager will work with the team to ensure results are being accomplished.

Coaching

A team is the biggest resource within the company; without them, nothing would get accomplished. It is essential to have a coach on the sidelines rooting the team on, and possessing a trait such as coaching is very valuable as a manager.

Coaching others can help motivate the team and increase productivity in the business. To ensure a positive and creative work environment, provide weekly meetings with the team to acknowledge those who are doing well, provide opportunities to learn new skills, allow new ideas and suggestions, and discuss problems within the company.


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