What makes a good manager? I’m sure a number of traits come to mind, although probably not as many as if I were to ask ‘What makes a bad manager?’ We all want a manager we can trust and depend on, someone who will treat us with respect, and someone who is fair – who knows when to put people first and when to put the company first.
Many might confuse management and leadership; however, it can be argued that while they bring to mind some of the same skills, they are completely different animals. Right now we are going to focus specifically on being a manager.
Pepperdine University put together an infographic highlighting some of the top traits of good managers. First, just to get any uncertainty out of the way, here are a couple things that good managers are not: tyrannical, micromanaging, unapproachable.
Now lets get to the list of what successful managers are:
- Interested and Talented: Some have the chops naturally, while others need to learn it, but being interested in doing the job right and finding solutions are key components
- Trusted: One in five employees feel that trust is the most important component of an employee-boss relationship.
- Diplomatic: Employees can see right through an unfair work situation. If you don’t treat your employees fairly, you can guarantee that your team members will feel alienated.
- Respectful: Many young people just starting out in the workforce want a job where they can grow professionally, feel respected, and not be talked down to.
