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How To Become The Best Manager

Friday 31 July, 2009
What would the best Manager in the world look like? Imagine what behaviours and attributes they would demonstrate and possess. Now imagine if that Manager was you!

Let's take a close look at the anatomy of a great Manager and how you can adopt these attributes into your own management style.

Leadership skills 

  • Provide strategic direction 

    The best Managers always outline the strategic direction for the business. They understand that team members need to relate their individual role to the overall goal of the business.
  • Demonstrate leadership 

    Great Managers demonstrate leadership. They always act and behave as leaders. They take swift, timely and direct action when needed - yet still allow silence or inaction to sit when a still mind and patience is called for. 
  • Explain priorities 

    A Manager must specifically and exhaustively outline the most important priorities for each and every team member. This should be done both in writing and verbally. It must be understood how these relate and align with the overall business strategy.
  • Give some 'skin' in the game 

    The art of motivating people includes the ability to give them some 'skin' in the game. Having skin in the game may be via monetary awards, such as bonuses, incentive schemes, employee share plans, profit share or equity. If these aren't available, great Managers use other incentives, such as promotional opportunities, overseas secondments, celebrations, additional leave and experiences money can't buy. Let's face it - we all want in on the action if we truly contribute to business success. 
  • Empower staff 

    The best Managers empower people. We all know individuals that make you want to run through brick walls and climb Mt Everest to achieve goals. They often have a contagious enthusiasm, a spark and a wit that rubs off on you. You enjoy working with them and feel empowered by their words and vision.

Management skills 

  • Rolling operational contact 

    Outstanding Managers set up rolling check-in points to see how you're going operationally. They commit to this and then let you do the doing in between. These mini check-ins allow you to ask questions, offer solutions and get important feedback in real time.
  • Periodic one-on-one's 

    To complement the rolling operational contact, the best Managers ensure they meet with you for a one-on-one together periodically. These are often done off-site and take on a "bigger picture" approach to your performance.
  • Offer constructive feedback 

    Getting individuals to change behaviour through feedback is only ever effective when delivered constructively. Praise first, be critical second. Use specific examples or "stories" to make a point. Individuals can easily relate to stories and the best Managers know this. You want the individual to remember the point you made, not the sharpness of your criticism.
  • Timely input 

    Great Managers provide timely input. When things are going off the rails in week one of the month, they don't wait till month end to review it. They jump on the issue in week one and meet to discuss how the problem can be remedied in the three weeks remaining in the month. The other key observation, is that team members need you when they need you. Be available. Have capacity.
  • Support and loyalty 

    Everyone ultimately wants support and loyalty. If people are going to go to war for you and the business they are going to need your support. Real, authentic support from the heart. Beyond ongoing support there will come a time; maybe once in a year or even longer, that they will need you to demonstrate loyalty to them. This is a defining moment in a Manager's life.

People skills

  • Engage staff 

    No-one ever goes to work to have a bad day. We all crave engagement and great Managers get this. They sow seeds, bounce ideas off their staff, seek opinions and promote engagement. They take individuals out to customer meetings, forward correspondence and keep people connected. Engagement is the sister of empowerment.
  • Offer flexibility 

    Being a contrarian is often a fancy of great Managers. With stifling workplace rules, work can be suffocating. The best Managers try and leverage this. They might tell staff to come in late, knock-off at lunchtime, play a round of golf or take the rest of the week off because of a death in the family. This flexibility is about timing and emotional intelligence. 
  • Show interest in staff 

    We all have an ego. You can't live without one. We all naturally feel better when people show interest in us. The best Managers have a genuine interest in their team members. They balance this personal and professional interest with underlying integrity and authenticity in each relationship.
  • Offer assistance 

    When staff are in the trenches, stressed out and bleeding, they just simply might need a little help. The best Managers identify this from time to time and allocate resources to assist, offer assistance themselves or listen with empathy.
  • Let humour in 

    Business can be pretty serious a lot of the time. The best Managers know how to diffuse a situation with light humour, just to let everyone know they're all still alive. Sharing a laugh while working makes the day go quicker and creates a healthy workplace. Great Managers promote this and have great skills in finding the balance between serious and lighter moments.

Author Credits

Darren Bourke, Director of Business Influence Pty Ltd. Darren Bourke is a Consultant, Business Coach & Mentor who helps small & medium businesses struggling to maximise profitability, productivity, people and performance. His Free Report titled 'What Successful Owners of Growth Businesses Do That You Don't', newsletter and updates are full of strategies and tips to make your business boom. Sign up now at http://www.businessinfluence.com.au/
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