What Great Managers do?
Hello, welcome to another blog! You must’ve guessed that today we are going to talk about managers. Well, I’m a writer, so the only manager I have on my head is, well, my head, Ha! get the pun? Okay sorry! I’ll be serious.
I know the manager is a little sentimental issue for everyone. Never have we ever heard, “I had a great boss”, that is because most of the bosses (Read: Managers) don’t know how to be great. So, if your dream includes finishing your MBA, landing a good job, becoming an associate, getting promoted to Team Leader and finally making it to Manager, sit tight and read bright! We have put together a few points and will lay out how you can be a great Manager. And for the record, I’ll be using generic term ‘He’ which in no way means that women can’t be managers, we are pro women here!
Let me begin by telling you a true story….
Once upon a time, there worked a man named Paul. Paul was decent, intelligent, and responsible person who came to office on time, did overtime, finished his project on time and never flouted a deadline (Yes, it rhymed)
All he ever wanted was some praise, so that he feels important, but, sadly his manager was Rudd, who thought that it is important to put his workers down, in order to get them to do their work.
One day Paul had enough, he snapped and quit and started his own firm. Rudd, without Paul, couldn’t meet deadlines and was fired. He realized an important truth….
What do you think he realized?
That brings us to our first point….
- Manager: A bridge between the team and management.
Managers are supposed to be a bridge between the team and the management. He is supposed to be the voice of the employee and reason of the management. Projects come directly from above (Not God exactly but the management). You might be in marketing, finance, operations, you must adhere to the guidelines stated by the management related to a project. It is your job to convey those details to your team so that a job can be well done, but, if you belong to a category of managers who give incomplete information and then lay the blame on that one particular member of the team, beware! Your lacking might come out in the open and you may be demoted.
Managers are supposed to manage everything, not ruin everything. It is your first and foremost responsibility to keep your team happy and motivated. It is your duty to take their opinions and give equal importance to it.
Happy teams have happy managers, so don’t forget to be happy yourself!
Second point….
- Manager: An Agony Aunt
Your team is supposed to be like your child, and you know how children can be. You must act as a parent and sometimes lend an ear to their problem, rather taking a ‘Desi Mummy, Jutti Stunt’. People nowadays have lot many issues; emotional, mental, physical. To give a good performance, overall wellbeing is important. You need to act as guide which helps them acquire mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy state. Listen to them, give them chance to speak, help them, exercise with them, have team lunches, etc., anything that can boost their morale.
If you think they are unhappy with something at work, give it importance, keep the secret to yourself, make them comfortable.
These small things can lead you to earning their respect and be loyal to you.
Next….
- Managers: A Secret Santa
No, we are not saying shower your team with expensive gifts. All we are trying to say is, appreciate them.
Appreciation can be shown in the form making a small star on their desk or giving them a bar of chocolate. A pat on the back or ‘I’m proud of you’ goes a long way too.
This is especially for mangers working in sales and marketing, you know how things get crazy getting a client or selling a product. Your team must put in a lot of effort with cranky and demanding customers, and when he/she does get the contract, it is your moral duty to appreciate him or her. It is because of their undying focus and determination, the company managed to get an order.
So, Managers, don’t be shy showing your love to your team.
Moving on to the last point, which will focus on a lot of points….
- Managers: A Role Model
A good manager becomes a role model for his employees and role model has a lot of qualities. A good manager is Assertive, Content, Non-threatened or Non-threatening, Patient, Kind, Unbiased and so much more.
To become a role model, make sure to polish these qualities.
A good manager focusses on his team’s success.
- He paves way to make them get more opportunities.
- He listens to their ideas and gives unbiased opinions on their performances.
- He does not feel threatened if someone from his team starts doing well.
- He should not threaten consequences on anyone.
- He is a positive person.
- He exchanges pleasantries with everyone.
- He asserts the situation before taking any decision.
- He makes failure look okay.
These are just few points of how a manager should be to become a role model for their team. You can expand the list and add on your own points on what you think makes a role model.
Managers play an important role in the firm. They must manage everything, and we need to remember that they too are human beings. Sometimes, it happens that they lose their temper but most of the time they don’t mean it. They too face a lot of work pressure and struggle; in such time we need to understand that “a good team makes a good manager”.
Workplace is like a cricket match; your team wins if everyone does their part diligently. If someone is retired hurt, we need to step up our game and show the sportsmanship which is going to take us forward to winning the championship.
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