How to become a good manager in 2021? Five critical qualities you need to know!

In the corporate environment, a good manager plays the role of a guide. They are responsible for driving and leading the team to success. Do you know the key factors that determine the success of a manager?

Why does a thriving business need many talented managers?

Human resources are one of the decisive factors for the development and survival of an enterprise. However, having many good employees is not enough; talented managers are also a vital part of human resources planning. A manager is not just a title or a position. A manager is the one who connects everyone in the team and leads them to create big wins for the business.

In each person’s career, everyone has worked with more or less different senior managers. Each manager has a distinct working style. A poor-performance manager will always criticize, blame, and bring a sense of insecurity to his team. On the other hand, a good manager will go out of his way to create a sense of safety for the co-workers. They inspire and motivate their teams to learn and try, celebrate wins, and overcome setbacks.

In Vietnamese businesses, many managers are promoted to this position not because they are phenomenon at management and leadership skills, but because they are an expert in their field. However, reality has shown that a leading financial expert cannot necessarily steer and lead a successful financing team. Management and leadership skills are learned and forged, not just acquired through a long time of working.

Critical qualities a good manager should possess:

Know your team in and out

Every employee is an individual. Therefore, a good manager will have a thorough understanding of the people on the team. They know the strengths, weaknesses, passions, working style, personality, … of each employee. This understanding helps them skillfully and subtly steer the team towards a common goal.

However, understanding is not enough. A good manager also needs to know how to balance the strengths and weaknesses of the members. From there, they will optimize opportunities and limit risks in business activities.

Always prioritize communication

One factor that makes a good manager is prioritizing the exchange of information. A PowerPoint presentation or a meeting to update weekly tasks is a valuable method to give information. However, they are not effective when it comes to communication.

Effective communication is a two-way street. Good managers are responsible for making sure their employees understand the goals and mission of their work. They know how to deliver their expectations without putting too much pressure on their team. In addition, they ensure employees contribute to goal setting and always provide any assistance the employee needs to complete the task.

Good managers understand the importance of safe working environment

The working environment is one of the critical factors that significantly influence employee performance and employee retention. The work environment is like a home. Employees can only sleep at night when they know all the doors are locked and they are safe. Same as that, employees need a safe place to produce productivity and efficiency at work.

Why safety? And what is a safe working environment? A safe working environment is where employees feel respected, valued, and supported always.

A good manager will learn and create a healthy and safe working environment for everyone. They understand the scope of their responsibilities is not simply to manage people. Their job is leading and making the best conditions for employees to utilize their full potential and talents.

Focus on sustainable individual growth

According to Modern Workplace’s report, 89% of high-performing employees feel satisfied with their promotion path. Managers play a crucial role in creating training plans and developing a promotional course for employees.

To do it right, good managers need to spend and devote time with each employee. From there, learn about employees’ motivations, career goals, and difficulties that their team faces and help them.

Provide specific plans to help each employee develop their skills and achieve their career goals. Besides, they also have to balance the desire for individual development and its development direction to create a suitable plan.

Motivate, empower and inspire employees

Last but not least, a good manager will always know how to motivate and inspire employees. They create a safe environment where employees can work with peace of mind, and more than that, they focus on creating conditions for employees to cooperate effectively and productively.

Conclusion

Human management skills are an essential skill in today’s harsh labor market. However, no one is born with the ability to be a good manager. Management is a skill that needs to be learned and put into practice regularly. Learn more on how to improve your management skills and improving employees’ productivity at ELSA Blog.

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