Great Managers and How They Manage Differently

In the competitive workplace environment of 2018, modern-day managers are making it a goal to collaborate with their team, focus on and encourage their employees’ strengths, and emphasize clear and positive communication. The defining difference between a manager and a great manager is the supervisor’s determination to retain, train, and develop their valued employees. Read on for an overview of what makes a manager great.

Delegate and Motivate

A good employer knows that they can’t successfully handle every task at the organization or take on every role within the company. A responsible supervisor relies heavily on support from their staff and delegates roles to their employees that meet (even grow) the skillset of their team. Beyond that, a great manager motivates their employees to set and reach goals, come up with creative and original ideas, get involved, and be confident in their roles. By putting trust in their team and by encouraging fresh ideas and teamwork, managers are ensuring that their employees are challenged and happy in their positions. Ultimately, employees are more likely to stay at an organization that has a supportive and fostering management team.

Drive Employees’ Career Paths

As an employer, it’s important to recognize that your employees most likely have professional goals; a supervisor’s responsibility is to approach their staff with questions about their expectations and goals, and then identify ways that the employee can meet these targets. In the end, developing an employee’s unique skillset will not only advance that team member, but will benefit the organization, too.

Great supervisors see the potential that their employees bring to the table and invest their resources and time into developing those individuals’ strengths. Employees are often more engaged and happy with their work when they are executing tasks that reflect their strengths. This reduces wasted time, as there is less procrastination, and it provides meaning to the employee’s work—adding satisfaction, value, and positivity to their jobs.

Open Doors and Check-ins

So that employees know they are valued and that their concerns or suggestions matter, good managers enact open door policies. Great managers, on the other hand, go above and beyond to ensure that their staff is utilizing this policy by scheduling time to meet with employees for semi-regular check-ins regarding their team’s professional and personal well-being and also by physically keeping their office door open when they aren’t in the middle of an important phone call or project. This visual representation makes employers more approachable and open to communication with their staff.

Recap

To promote a positive work culture and retain valued employees, management positions are evolving. Great managers are communicating more efficiently, driving their employees toward success, and motivating their team to brainstorm and collaborate. For more information about how you can develop positive management skills within your own supervisory team, contact the Sikich Human Resources team for a consultation.