Are there specific traits of great managers, personal qualities that are crucial to success in any managerial role? It seems that there are, and while some of these traits are innate, others can be learned. In this article, 13 professionals from Young Entrepreneur Council list a few of the most vital traits you should possess if you want to thrive in a managerial position.
What's one trait every quality manager has, and why is this trait important to succeeding in that position?
1. Empathy
One essential trait every quality manager has is empathy. Beyond strong listening skills, empathy involves imagining oneself in the shoes of the team member, not just in the present moment, but in the context of their overall life. This requires genuine conversation to learn what is truly important to team members. —Richard Fong, SecurityForward.com
2. Transparency
Transparency is one trait every quality manager should have. Transparency is being open and honest with others in the workplace. Employees need to feel safe talking to their manager, regardless of the issue. Managers can create a transparent workplace by speaking honestly, disclosing information, asking questions, providing feedback, and being realistic and trustworthy. —Jared Weitz, United Capital Source Inc.
3. Ability to delegate properly
Every quality manager has the ability to delegate properly. This may seem overly simplistic, but those who cannot delegate become stressed and burned out quickly, which has negative impacts across the board. If they can't delegate, they essentially are saying to their subordinates that they don't trust them to do certain aspects of their jobs, which impacts departmental morale. —Kristy Knichel, Knichel Logistics
4. A growth-oriented nature
By being growth-oriented, a strong manager helps to drive measurable growth for the business by organizing resources across the team to solve key issues, implement new ideas, and ultimately drive sales. With all that in mind, a growth-minded manager should also consider how to simultaneously help individual team members grow with the organization. —Fehzan Ali, Adscend Media LLC
5. A focus on results or outcomes
Strong managers are results- and outcome-driven. They do what it takes to get the job done while keeping their team aligned and motivated around the vision. If the outcome requires their individual contributions, they roll up their sleeves and do the work. If the outcome needs team output, they focus on collaborative efforts and accountability. —Miles Jennings, Recruiter.com
6. Organizational skills
Organizational skills are essential. Managers typically have to manage multiple people, multiple tasks, and multiple goals. It is key that they are organized in their email, desktop, and whatever production system is used by the company. They must have the ability to quickly parse through emails and meetings notes. They need to be able to jump from task to task, and this is all helped by organizational skills. —Peter Boyd, PaperStreet Web Design
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7. Active listening skills
Every quality manager is an active listener who helps their employees become their best selves. Managers often have a hard task when managing people, especially remotely. Employees are also suffering lower morale. A manager can help the individual set goals for a time period that contributes to the whole. That also means listening to the employees to determine how to reduce inefficiencies. —Duran Inci, Optimum7
8. Curiosity
Curiosity allows leaders to genuinely want to learn about the people they support and ask questions before jumping to assumptions about what is going on. A curious manager will help others come up with solutions on their own, rather than acting like they have all of the answers, and that's a good thing for everyone. —Kelsey Raymond, Influence & Co.
9. Ability to adapt
The ability to adapt is crucial in today’s world. As we’ve seen in the recent past, people must understand how to pivot when certain opportunities are no longer available. By failing to do so, the business overall will likely not last. —Jordan Edelson, Appetizer Mobile LLC
10. Problem-solving skills
A high-quality manager has good problem-solving skills and can think on their feet. As a business owner or manager, it's important to be able to think quickly and come up with solutions as you navigate through operating a business. —Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms
11. A desire to optimize
Good managers are always looking to optimize. They can see the way their team functions, take into account the strengths of their subordinates, and use their position to optimize the company's processes to play to the team's strengths. This optimization, when done properly, is never about themselves; it is about improving the company to better set up their team for success. —Liam Leonard, DML Capital
12. Attention to detail
A quality manager is someone who pays attention to detail. It's literally a part of their duties to notice if products, supplies, and services match the standards set by the business, governmental bodies, and customers, too. Being attentive and cautious makes great quality managers excel at their work and help everyone. —Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner
13. A desire to learn
Great leaders keep learning. They have an insatiable desire to pick up new knowledge in a variety of fields through books, courses, and networking. This trait matters because it helps managers develop an open mind and find new solutions from a pool of interesting knowledge. Constant learning also keeps leaders up-to-date on important information, which supports their success. —Blair Williams, MemberPress
