What Makes A Manager Stand Out?
There is a significant difference between an exceptional manager and one who is just average. First, an excellent manager will have a clear direction and layout of particular objectives for the team, working tirelessly to ensure these objectives are met. They can adequately delegate tasks and provide feedback, which paves the way for everyone in the group to grow and improve. On the other hand, an average manager will endeavor to carry out all of their obligations by themselves, often feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. They micromanage their team to an unhealthy degree and refuse to give them the autonomy they need to succeed in their work. When it comes to management, taking this attitude invariably leads to complacency, leading to failure. To be a better manager, you must first create clear goals and learn how to delegate tasks.
What is an Exceptional Manager?
An example of an effective manager can inspire and motivate employees, keep them organized, and ensure that they work toward achieving the company’s goals. In addition, they should have a strong sense of time and be able to cope well with difficult situations.
To be a great manager, you must have both strong technical ability and interpersonal traits. Both of these are necessary for success. It is vital to possess technical skills, to be very good at solving problems and making decisions, and to have a firm grip on the procedures involved in organizing things. Interpersonal skills include:
– Forming connections with other people
– Successfully managing other individuals’ expectations
– Providing a clear direction
Even while institutions are specifically dedicated to teaching management, most managers learn their craft on the job. An ideal place to start is by developing a solid work ethic and focusing on accepting personal responsibility and accountability for one’s obligations and efforts. In addition to this, managers need to be able to set high goals for themselves and have zero tolerance for poor performance in their employees. Managers need to have the capacity to communicate effectively with the personnel under their supervision and to delegate appropriate responsibilities.
What are the qualities of a good manager?
A good manager can effectively manage not just the resources at their disposal but also the people who work there. In addition to possessing the knowledge and skills required to identify problems and devise solutions to such challenges, they can inspire and motivate the team they lead. In addition to that, they need to be able to handle delicate situations with tact and diplomacy at all times. In conclusion, a capable manager must deal with disagreements productively and assign responsibilities.
The Difference Between “Good” and “Average” Managers
The most effective managers are those who can motivate and excite their workforce, enabling their workers to give their very best performance. They can hold themselves to a high standard as well as others, but at the same time, they can give credit where credit is due. They can communicate their objectives to their team effectively and have a transparent mental image of what they want their team to achieve due to their direction.
It’s possible that ordinary managers to be just as effective as excellent managers in their organizations if they put in the same amount of work. On the other side, they tend to be less motivated, more reactive, and less likely to set high standards for themselves. They also tend to be less likely to compare themselves to others. Either they do not have a crystal clear vision of what they want their team to accomplish, or they are unable to transmit that objective to their team successfully. Either way, they fail to lead their team to the desired outcome. It is likely that this will lead to team members being confused and apprehensive due to what has occurred. As a result, the team is less focused and they lose trust and confidence in the capability of the manager.
Common Use Cases
If you are a new manager seeking some tips on how to handle tough situations, here are 5 common scenarios.
Scenario 1: After completing a project, the client complains that his expectations are not met.
? How an exceptional manager handles it:
Apologizes to the client and asks what went wrong
Assesses the situation by validating the client’s claim
Speaks to the team and asks what went wrong and asks for possible solutions
Resolves the situation by assigning what needs to be fixed
Explains the situation and gives a clear timeline
? How an average manager handles it:
They escalate the situation, blame the team members and wait for their superior to step in and handle the situation.
Scenario 2:In the middle of the project, the client adds more tasks and requires a very tight timeline.
? How an exceptional manager handles it:
Assesses the scope and effort required to complete the additional task. Given the proposed timeline, will the current resources be able to handle it?
Informs the client of the effort and time to deliver the ask. Offers options on how to meet the deadlines.
? How an average manager handles it:
Accepts the tasks and assigns them to the team without properly assessing the effort required to complete the additional work.
Scenario 3:In the middle of a design sprint, the client decides to change the overall work processes and deliverables.
? How an exceptional manager handles it:
Explains the situation and motivates the team
? How an average manager handles it:
Feels demotivated; not highly adaptable
Scenario 4: Being assigned a new team member who is very outspoken with a strong personality
? How an exceptional manager handles it:
Welcomes the new team member and introduces the company culture
Asks for new and fresh ideas that may help improve current work processes
? How an average manager handles it:
Casts judgment
Feels threatened
Puts the team member in their place
Scenario 5:A team member is becoming difficult and non-compliant with procedures
? How an exceptional manager handles it:
Confronts the team member to understand and identify things that can be improved
Sets goals, objectives, and a firm commitment
Monitors improvement
? How an average manager handles it:
Removes the member from the team
Conclusion
When comparing the efficiency of an excellent manager to that of an average manager, there is a massive disparity between the two. A winning manager has the expertise, experience, and mental make-up required to lead their team to victory. They can motivate their employees, find solutions to problems in a manner that is appropriate, and make decisions that benefit the business as a whole because they are aware of how to accomplish all of these things. On the other hand, a mediocre manager does not have many of the fundamental attributes required to be an effective leader. These characteristics are necessary but not sufficient for being an effective leader. They might be able to get things done, but it does not necessarily indicate that they are effective or efficient. Just because they can do something does not guarantee any of those things. If you want to pursue a career in management, being competent is necessary; you can’t just be someone who makes an effort in this area.
