Recently, I was talking to a group about the qualities of a good manager. I asked them what words/phrases that describe a good manager. We had quite an extensive list and I won’t list all but it went something like this:
- Good listener
- Kind
- Caring
- Encouraging
- Helpful
- Empathetic
- Willing to help
I agree that all of these things are important qualities of a good manager. However, I believe there are other key qualities that were missing from the list and should be included to define a really good manager:
- Clarifies expectations
- Empowers the team
- Disciplined
- Holds people accountable
- Provides specific feedback – both positive and performance improving
- Open to feedback about their own performance
- Respectfully challenges both processes and people
- Models the behavior they expect
I do not believe this is an all inclusive list but it does provide insight on what is missing from the first list. Being a good manager isn’t just about being nice or being a good person – although that is important. Being a good manager is about helping others grow and succeed and that can be tough without the second list. Both lists above are important but one without the other doesn’t make you a complete manager. The second list is often the most difficult for new managers to develop. However, it can be taught much easier than the first.
Good Person does not always equal Good Manager but I believe a Good Manager always equals a Good Person. Your thoughts?