A managerial-grade hire is immediately put in charge of supervising the human talent pool in an organization. He/she blends into the process of helping employees align with the company’s culture and ethos. It depends on this manager whether employees choose to stay on or leave. The role played by a manager in each of the aspects of the world of work is crucial and also quantifiable.
Retaining a good employee, and making the decision to not hire someone who does not align with the company’s culture and priorities, are decisions made by the manager. Good decisions have the benefits of intangibles.
While the personality of the manager is an important foundation, there are characteristics and qualities a person can consciously cultivate. These qualities help one become a successful and effective manager that employees are happy to work with:
1) Empathy
Using empathy in the professional context is all about saying the right thing at the right time without violating company policy and behavioral standards. It allows one to be fair to all parties concerned. It calls for active listening skills and problem-solving ability. Victor Lipman writing for Forbes comments on how empathy is on the decline and it reduces a manager’s people management ability.
2) Critical Thinking ability
Critical thinking is the ability to analyze a situation taking in all factors into consideration, and making a sound decision based on the information available. Managers are constantly required to make decisions, and results are subject to evaluation in retrospect. These skills allow them to help their teams solve operational problems.
3) Customer service orientation
While this is a crucial quality for every employee, it’s especially significant that a manager cultivates thinking and acting with the end customer’s interests in mind. By spending all of one’s energies and time on providing value to the customer, and being an example of positive interactions with customers to the team members, a manager ensures the team’s goals align with the organization’s goals.
4) Interpersonal skills
Communicating with an appropriate choice of words and using the right tone fit for professional contexts are necessary. The ability to relate with team members one-on-one and also as a unified whole are crucial skills in team scenarios. These soft skills help to build bonds that enhance cooperation during work hours and ensure that the whole team works towards a shared purpose.
5) Managing operations
Operational efficiency is about not just getting the task done, but getting it done in time, and with as few resources as possible. Efficient managers remove redundant tasks, heighten delegation and intelligent use of resources – especially time and funds. Managing inventory, using technology, information systems, and supply chain management concepts help reduce waste.
Business operations can often bring up challenges where managers have to make decisions between tough alternatives under time pressure. Handling situations with logic and long-term vision win the day for managers.
