By Gary Johnson
This past September, Forbes ran the article 5 Things the Best Managers Do and Don’t Do. It sat well with me and had me thinking what I learned about being a manager in my 15+ years of doing so and working with managers from hundreds of companies. Forbes published some great points noting that the best managers:
- Keep the big picture in mind. Great managers should be aware of how their company is doing and make sure they are leading their employees to achieve business objectives.
- Are consistent in their behavior. No one likes a manager who is cold one day then hot the next. Great managers should be consistent with what they expect from employees and how they handle problems.
- Treat their employees’ time as if it’s as important as their own. Managers, please don’t ask your employees to do mindless tasks that have no real value to the company or their growth. Doing so is not valuing their time.
- Earn the trust of those they manage. This is extra important to me, as being credible and trustworthy are two qualities I highly value. As mentioned in the Forbes article, the best managers are always true to their word.
Not only do the above points make a manager great – they make a manager effective. Here are some additional points I’d like to highlight.
- A great manager motivates his or her employees. Sure for some, waving some cash money in their face motives them, but for others, something as simple as getting a good job from you can motive them to work harder and do their job better.
- A great manager shows his or her employees they care. Employees like to feel valued and appreciated. Be kind and listen to them. Don’t look at them as just a number. Ask them how they are doing from time to time and learn to truly care what their response is.
- A great manager is a good communicator. If your communication skills stink, you can’t really blame your employees if they don’t shoot out work you were expecting. This is managing 101 people – communicate what you need clearly.
What do you thinks make a bad manager good, and a good manager great?
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