How To Be The Best Manager You Can Be

“Good management is the art of making problems so interesting and their solutions so constructive that everyone wants to get to work and deal with them.” – Paul Hawken

Be Present

“An employee's motivation is a direct result of the sum of interactions with his or her manager,” says bestselling author and keynote speaker Bob Nelson. Frequent, genuine, helpful engagement is key – but never let interactions take on the negative characteristics of micromanagement.

Show Trust

Former Chairman and CEO of General Electric Jack Welsh said, “One of the jobs of a manager is to instill confidence, pump confidence into your people. And when you've got somebody who's raring to go, and you can smell it and feel it, give 'em that shot.” Be there to offer guidance and support but allow employees the autonomy to do what they do best without unnecessary interference.

Earn Loyalty

“Great managers fight for their people,” says Liz Brenner, former Global VP Global Vice President, Marketing, Communications & Engagement at SAP. Have your people’s backs. Be prepared not only to promote their value when they do well but also to defend them when something goes wrong.

Remove Obstacles

Robert Townsend, the CEO behind the global success of Avis, said: “One of the most important tasks of a manager is to eliminate his people’s excuse for failure.” Clear the path for your team members to get to their objectives whether that means practical, day-to-day assistance or long-term training and support.

Offer Protection

As the great Nelson Mandela said, “It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.” Boost your people to give them the confidence to shine but always be ready to step up to the plate when they need a champion.

Be Authentic

Tech entrepreneur Ben Horowitz put it best: “A manager can't act like a role model. They need to be a role model.” Consistently demonstrate honesty, courage, and respect.

Inspire Greatness

“As a manager, your job is not to teach people talent. Your job is to help them earn the accolade ‘talented’ by matching their talent to the role. To do this well, like all great managers, you have to pay close attention to the subtle but significant differences between roles,” says business consultant and author Marcus Buckingham. Be a great mentor, illuminate possibilities, help your people to believe in themselves.

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry