If you own your own business or work with a team here is a pretty interesting article about the 5 things great managers do on a daily basis. Employees with direct contact and access to their superiors are usually much happier with their job. This creates a relationship, trust and incentive to please the hand that feeds you. If you are the one paying yourself, it is important to remember your team and try to achieve these 5 tasks every day:
Be straightforward. Trust is the gatekeeper to connection. A great manager doesn’t sugarcoat bad news, evade the facts, or attempt to spin. She respects her employees enough to give them the truth, even if it’s not the most palatable thing to hear on a Monday morning. Great managers inspire their team by being authentic, direct, and honest. A straightforward style also leads to efficiency, as it decreases rumor and misinterpretation which thwart productivity.
Exhibit leadership maturity. When you get to a leadership level, you lose your ability to gripe – especially to those at lower levels. You become a representative of the company. The company’s policies need to be aligned with your own personal values. You can’t just pay lip service to management decisions but must actually believe the value in what you’re proposing. This means being reflective and aligning yourself behind the corporate direction, and finding a way to credibly and honestly represent it.
Put the right people in the right jobs. Gallup research shows that people are happiest and most engaged when they apply their strengths to their job. Instead of changing people to fit the job, great managers try to put the right people in the jobs in which they can perform well.
Hold regular, meaningful one-to-ones. Most managers know the importance of scheduling regular one-on-ones with direct reports – some companies even require it. Yet, these are often poorly organized, frequently rescheduled, and largely ineffective.
Actively manage conflict. Successful managers don’t avoid the issues—they face them, head on. The reality is that sometimes employees don’t work out, projects fail, turf wars launch, and tough decisions have to be made. When you’re able to successfully manage during these trying situations, you serve as a role model for your team, thereby inspiring accountability and decision making in your employees.
This article not only gives a little insight of what great managers do on a daily basis but can also put things back into perspective if you have been in management for a long time. Never forget where you started and that you are all on the same team!
What do you feel are some great qualities for top of the line managers to have?
Image Source: SOMGESTIO Cooperativa Valenciana on Flickr
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