While many people use the terms interchangeably, there’s a major difference between being a manager and being a leader.

• A manager focuses on things like timecards and delegating tasks.
• A leader is focused on the well-being and growth of the team members.

A good manager can do both and can learn the strengths of each employee and incorporate them to ensure the success of the organization. They use emotional intelligence and soft skills to do this.

For a long time, it was believed that the individual with the highest IQ is the smartest- but science has proven that those with EQ and its 4 core skills are the top performers in the organization. The 4 core skills are:

• Self-awareness
• Self-management
• Social awareness
• Relationship management

In this article, we’ll outline the 6 habits you need to adopt to become a good manager.

6 Habits that Make a Good Manager

A good manager practices the following 6 habits:

Work with the team

Perhaps you’re used to being in full control of the workload. However, when you become a manager, you must be willing to give up control and delegate some of those responsibilities.

If you don’t learn to let go of some things, you won’t be able to step up and handle senior tasks. This involves learning to delegate- but this does not mean that you are deserting your team or you’re giving up accountability.

When you become a manager, your responsibilities change, but you must still be willing to get your hands dirty. You should also always include your team when it comes to making decisions. According to one survey, 74% of workers in America prefer a collaborative culture instead of one where a manager is making decisions.

Spend time getting to know your team

Everyone has their own set of strengths and weaknesses, and everyone learns in different ways. In order to effectively lead your team and create a positive relationship between you and your employees, you must take the time to learn these things about them. You can learn a lot by observing them, but you should also take the time to ask questions every now and then.

One great question to ask is this: “What is the best workday you’ve had in the previous 3 months?” This will get them to think about the tasks/assignments they have enjoyed doing. This will allow you to tailor how you delegate tasks to get the best outcome.

You may also want to pose the opposite question: “What is the worst workday you’ve had in the previous 3 months?”

By asking these questions, you can understand what is working and what is not so that you can fix the problem.

Establish a positive, inclusive work environment

The environment in the office can influence the success of your company. It’s important to create a positive, fun environment where your team members feel included and respected. After all, a happy employee will be much more productive. In order to create a diverse, inclusive work culture, you must always exemplify good behavior. In addition, consider implementing team bonding activities on occasion.

Be sure to recognize all successes- no matter how small. A great leader takes the time to recognize their employees and express gratitude when possible. Your employees want to have their work noticed and feel appreciated. When they are credited for their efforts, it keeps them motivated.

Praising your team will boost morale and create a positive work culture. If you don’t offer positive feedback and recognition, your employees may think that their efforts don’t matter so they will stop trying. In addition to daily recognition, you can motivate people through team bonding exercises and celebrations.

Ask them how they prefer to be recognized and how often they would like team activities to occur. Activities can be work-related, volunteer, or just fun. However, it’s important to make sure that every event is appropriate and inclusive.

Communicate goals/expectations, and provide feedback

One of the most important characteristics of being a manager is creating goals and expectations for your team. Goals should be SMART:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Time-Bound

These goals/objectives should not only be set at the organizational level but broken down into department and individual goals.

Once goals are in place, you must be honest with your team about expectations. Review these goals regularly to ensure that your employees are happy and feel challenged. However, communication goes both ways- you must be willing to listen as much as you talk. If you don’t listen, you will find that you’re surrounded by employees that have nothing to say or add to the conversation.

You must also understand and accept that you are not going to be right all the time. If you always believe that your views are best, employees will stop offering theirs. Make sure that your employees know that you heard them and understand- even if you don’t agree. This will help you build a long-term rapport with your employees.

Learn to coach your employees

You must be willing to advocate for your team if you want them to be dedicated and valuable to the company. Take the time to keep them motivated and passionate so they don’t get burnt out and they continue to deliver their best work.

An effective manager asks questions, which empowers the team to think and come up with solutions to problems. This allows them to be more confident and grow so they can eventually become an amazing manager.

Make sure your employees are aware that you care about their futures. Offer them knowledge and training they need to be successful in the workplace. A good manager won’t be threatened by the growth and success of employees.

Be self-aware and improve your leadership skills

An effective leader understands that managing others does not mean they know it all- they are still learning/growing along with their employees. You can always build on your skills, including delegation and time management.

Learning how much attention, effort, and time a certain issue is going to need before moving on is critical for getting through your workday and still have time for your personal life.

As a leader, you must be self-aware and understand how you relate to others. Be aware of your actions and the message you are sending your employees. One of the critical parts of being a good manager is learning to recognize both the intended and unintended impacts you have on others.

Conclusion

There are many parts to becoming a successful manager and you must always be practicing self-reflection and be willing to change. Take the time to learn something new every day to become the best manager you can be. It’s okay if you don’t know everything- you don’t have to! Contact Rustwood Capital to learn more about becoming the best manager you can be.