A manager’s most difficult job is to manage, inspire, and encourage their teams to be better tomorrow than they are today, and that’s a tall order no matter how you slice it. Managers deal with different personalities, trying to keep their teams happy and performing their best, while at the same time being tasked with meeting senior leadership objectives.
Managers are also the poster-children for their companies, and in the eyes of their employees, they are the company. How employees view the organization is largely based on how they view their manager, making that relationship key critical.
What drives the best managers? Is it money? Not likely. Money is a short-term motivator and managing teams well is a long-term commitment. Is it the prestige of being a manager? While most managers are proud to be managers, the long hours and headaches that go with good leadership make any aspirations of prestige short-lived.
Quite simply, what drives managers to do what they do, and do it well, is a deep-seated belief that what they are doing is making a difference – for the people within their teams as well as for their organizations.
The dilemma we face is that the percentage of managers who fall into the “good manager” category is small. When we think about our own employment careers, the managers who made a difference and resonated with us were likely few and far between. In fact, most of us can probably only count on one hand the managers who truly led and inspired, and annual corporate satisfaction surveys usually bear that out.
So what defines a good manager?
- Good managers care about the people, the goals, and the results.
- Good managers draw inspiration from their teams and channel it back in positive ways.
- Good managers are adept at insulating their teams from negative influences that can corrupt team morale.
- Good managers may not have good bosses themselves, but they ignore that fact and focus on what matters most – their team.
- Good managers can thrive for weeks on good feedback and know that their teams respond the same way.
- Good managers capitalize on the strengths of their people, tapping into their creativity and allowing them to find enrichment in their jobs.
- Good managers eschew the silo mentality and don’t want their teams isolated in a vacuum. They do what it takes to keep their teams informed about the organization, its goals, and how everyone can play a part in the overall success of the company.
- Good managers are exceptional communicators. They keep the dialog going all week long with their teams through email, meetings, and instant messages. They are a presence in the lives of their teams, not an occasional visitor.
- Good managers are avid, life-long learners. They understand the power and advantage of being educated and actively encourage their staff to do the same.
- Good managers are practiced in the arts of negotiation and compromise.
- Good managers understand the value of buy-in and why, without it, goals fall apart.
- Good managers know when enough is enough and when it’s time to take a tough yet professional approach.
- Good managers are social beings who engage and connect with their employees. They care to know their team members, what makes them tick, and they understand the importance of saying “thank you” and “great job.”
- Good managers find ways to recharge their own batteries and are always looking for ways to energize themselves and their teams.
The eternal question is whether good managers are born or made. I believe it is a winning combination of both. First and foremost, good managers must have passion for what they do and believe in the value of managing well. They must have an innate desire to connect with people, have a strong work and life ethic, and want be a positive influence. From there, the rest can be learned and finessed.
Without question, good managers have the power to change companies and impact lives in a meaningful way. The challenge today’s companies face is in fostering the kind of environment that values and recognizes these individuals for the leaders they are. It’s also about embracing the tenets of good management from the top down and creating opportunities for it to take hold and thrive throughout the organization.
