These are the THREE characteristics that make up a great manager. How do you stack up?
The success of a company or firm depends on each individual employee tapping into their unique talents to create a team synergy that drives results. In order for this to happen, effective management is crucial from the top down.
An effective manager takes ownership of their skills and works to motivate, strengthen, and propel employees forward so they can rise to the occasion and meet workplace goals. If you are new to managing a team or are looking to improve your management skills, reflect on whether or not you are enacting these three characteristics that make up a great manager.
Self-motivation
The foundation of being an effective manager begins with a growth mindset. People who have a growth mindset believe that even if they aren’t an expert in certain areas, they have the ability to improve and become better over time—their abilities aren’t set in stone. This way of thinking allows them to view every obstacle or challenge as an opportunity, and it motivates them to continually improve their craft and the skills of those they manage.
Self-motivation is “the ability to drive oneself to take initiative and action to pursue goals and complete tasks. It’s an inner drive to take action — to create and to achieve. It’s what pushes you to keep going on tasks, especially those you’re pursuing because you want to, not because someone told you to.” (SoulSalt)
A self-motivated manager is able to break down the big picture and use their own desires and ambitions to drive the overall goals of their team. As the leader, they are able to focus their energy and ask for help from their team when it is needed.
2. Excellent Communication
As outlined in previous writing, effective communication is essential for success in the workplace. As a manager, communication is vital when it comes to setting clear expectations for your employees. In order for goals to be achieved, everyone must know what role they play in the overall success of the team. An excellent communicator is someone who continually reminds their team of their goals, communicates how they can achieve those goals, and encourages them as they pursue those goals.
The responsibility managers have to motivate employees has a lot to do with communication. There may be times when managers have to work with difficult or unmotivated people, and they still must find ways to encourage and motivate them in their work. Communicating plays a large role in understanding how people like to be managed and how you can help employees take ownership of their work.
3. Adaptability
As touched on above, you don’t always get to choose the people you manage. You may find that personalities don’t always jive or team members aren’t excited or motivated to contribute to the team. An effective manager doesn’t allow this to keep them from success, rather they are willing to adapt and meet the needs of the people in front of them.
Adaptability is an important characteristic for a manager to possess because it allows them to navigate change and challenges with more ease and less stress. When circumstances change or a challenge arises, an adaptable manager won’t let it phase them; they are resilient and willing to approach the challenge as an opportunity for growth. When someone is easily adaptable, they are more likely to remain relevant because they are willing to try new methods and adopt different ways of thinking. While it might push you out of your comfort zone, this kind of behavior inspires and drives a team towards unparalleled success.
Not a single manager is perfect, yet when we apply a growth mindset to management, we are able to recognize that there is always room for improvement and, ultimately, greater success.
How are you working to improve your management skills in each of these areas? What other characteristics do you believe are crucial for an effective manager to possess?
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