What Makes a Great Manager?

This is a surprising oversight. According to a Gallup poll of more than one million US employees, a bad manager is the number one reason that people leave their job. When the cost of replacing a single member of staff is now over £30,000, it’s more important than ever to consider what makes a good manager and leader – and for managers to work on developing those skills.

Think of a time in the past when you worked at your best… what motivated you?

Generally, people are not motivated by money – instead, it’s a time when they were trusted and were given freedom to do their job their own way. The best managers are those who give their staff that freedom, and instead coach the team to enable them to perform at their best – helping their team to find a solution, rather than telling them what the solution should be.

According to Lazslo Bock, at Google the 8 key qualities of a manager (listed in priority order), are:

1. Be a good coach
2. Empower your team and don’t micromanage
3. Express interest in your team members success and well-being
4. Be productive and results-oriented
5. Be a good communicator and listen to your team
6. Help your employees with career development
7. Have a clear vision and strategy for the team
8. Have technical skills so you can advise the team

How could you work on these skills?

This month, we will look at ways of giving your staff more trust and freedom, as well as case studies and additional resources that you can use to become a better leader – and a better manager – in your workplace. All of this (and more) is covered in more depth in the Happy Manifesto by Henry Stewart, a free eBook download, and the four day Happy Workplace Leadership Programme.

Want to learn more?

To find out more about how we can help you develop a leadership and management programme for your managers, please contact Cathy Busani, Managing Director and Happy People Facilitator by emailing cathy@happy.co.uk or calling our office on 0207 3375 7300.