When it comes to hiring a manager, there are some qualities that we must appreciate above others. It is logical that we want to hire the right person for the position: a manager can build a company or destroy it, depending on how good they are at their job.
A good supervisor who takes their leadership seriously will have worked to improve a set of skills that make them much more than just a boss. And although it seems that such a perfect manager does not exist, many successful managers have many of these characteristics, if not all.
Whether you are a manager who wants to improve your leadership or you want to hire a supervisor, first review these common traits that a good manager should have.
Decision capacity
Managers must regularly make tough decisions and act on them. Many of these actions are immediate and cannot wait to be consulted, so a good manager has to decide effectively almost on the spot.
The ideal candidate must understand that they are the one who has the responsibility to make decisions quickly, after being properly informed of the problem and evaluate the available options.
Commitment
A good manager must be determined to commit to the company. There is no use for a supervisor who leaves after a year, leaving team morale on the rocks.
True leaders make a long-term commitment to their work, their teams, company goals, and corporate culture. They have aspirations, of course, but these are focused on being promoted and rising through the ranks within the organization itself, while remaining loyal to the company.
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Trust
A manager must trust that their decisions are correct, and at the same time inspire the team to carry them out, even if there are divergent opinions.
Even in the scenario that the company is in difficulties, a good manager knows how to inspire confidence in the future in their subordinates and work together to get out of difficulties.
Creativity
A good manager must be able to think outside of the box and come up with new and creative ideas to solve problems. From new ways of organizing work, better serving customers and making employees happier, there are plenty of opportunities for a manager to show creativity.
Those employees who have spearheaded projects, helped conceive new products or services, or discovered ways to increase productivity are candidates to become great managers.
Ability to delegate
The ability to delegate is very important to face a management task. Many managers end up overloading themselves with work and sinking into minor tasks, with no time to attend to the true priorities of the company.
A good manager knows how to discriminate between which tasks theyhe must assume and which they can delegate to focus on decision-making.
That does not make them weak, nor do they show little work capacity. On the contrary, delegating responsibilities demonstrates the ability to put the task in the most capable hands, recognize the skills of other employees, and address management issues.
Empathy
Another of the characteristics that distinguish a good manager is their empathy, the ability to put themselves in the place of their workers. There is no use pressuring an employee who is overloaded or has personal problems, except to make them feel like giving up their job.
If managers do not listen to their employees or at least try to understand their problems and motivations, they will lose everyone's trust. The greater the empathy, the more likely to connect with the team and that they perform their tasks efficiently.
Focus
Managers are faced with a huge accumulation of decisions on a day-to-day basis, so their focus of attention is constantly being challenged. A good supervisor will then be the one who deals with these difficulties without losing sight of the company's priorities.
Of course, this is not to say that you should disengage from the big picture. But they are able to alternate between their tasks by putting their full attention on them, bringing them to fruition from start to finish without unnecessary distractions.
Honesty
The work team needs its leader to always speak to them with total transparency. If the manager hides information or is dishonest, it is very difficult for them to feel comfortable working with them or to follow them.
This is a trump card within the business world. 66% of workers consider that honesty is an essential premise to feel comfortable with a leader. If the manager works from transparency and by example, employees tend to be honest too.
Communication skills
If there is not good communication between the manager and the employees, the work of a team cannot be expected to be efficient and fluid. There is already enough room for misunderstandings to increase it due to poor communication skills.
A leader must communicate the tasks that everyone must do. But they must also listen to their workers and respond to their concerns. In this way, a well-cohesive team can be expected where communication flows and work progresses.
These communication skills are not limited to oral: a good manager must also communicate in writing and master information technologies in order to coordinate their work team.
Optimism
In a complex and changing world such as the business sector, it is vitally important that supervisors be optimistic people who believe in the company and the importance of the work they do.
Only then can they bring that same feeling to their workers, to motivate them to overcome any difficulty. Getting frustrated is easy, but conveying that feeling to your employee is an unforgivable mistake that saps team morale.
Responsibility
Managers must make important decisions on the fly, but also hold themselves accountable for those decisions, both in successes and failures.
This also implies that they are the most responsible for the performance of the work team, so they must attend to their personal development, their work performance and help them to be more productive and efficient.
Vision
Last but not least, a good supervisor should be someone who shares the vision of the company. Someone who knows how to see beyond the day to day.
True leaders are people who have a vision, believe in it, and are capable of transmitting that confidence in the future to those around them. If that vision is in line with that of the company, this manager will definitely be an invaluable asset.