Question

The role of managing people is becoming ever more complex. Some questions to consider:

• How do you imagine managerial jobs will change in the coming decade, especially with regard to staff, colleagues and other stakeholders?
• What can managers do to prepare themselves for the emerging challenges?
• What competencies would you personally like to develop in order to become a (more) ‘successful’ manager in the future? (NB: competency development is different to qualifications!)

Answer 1

Success in business happens because of successful employees. That being said, strong managers are one of the most critical components of Employee Success — after all, employees leave managers, not companies.It’s important to focus directly on managers as a lever of engagement to recruit, retain, and inspire the greatest asset to your company: employees. To do this, provide the tools to be successful instead of expecting managers to be successful.When looking at specific areas like recognition in the workplace, we see just how important managers are to success.

Bringing in the highest sales numbers does not automatically equate to building and leading teams. Often you look back and realize you took a top performer and made them poor manager.When looking at a potential manager, performance is an important part of the puzzle, but it’s not the whole picture. Great future-managers connect with teammates and influence coworkers. They engage teams and motivate them toward success, which can be done in part — but not entirely — by example.

The 7 Biggest Challenges of a Manager
1. Achieving a Stretch Goal
2. Bringing Out the Best in Your Employees
3. Dealing with Underperforming Employees
4. Dealing with Outstanding Employees
5. Hiring the Right People
6. Responding to a Crisis
7. Continuous Improvement

But how exactly do successful managers overcome these challenges, we believe it’s a combination of the following:

They empower their staff; It’s time consuming, but coaching employees and giving them more autonomy is an investment that can really pay off. For one, it eliminates the need for counter-productive and even more time-consuming micromanaging. That doesn’t mean they won’t step in to help when needed; it does mean employees are likely to be more motivated.

They care about their employees; Successful managers know that their employees’ wellbeing and success has a direct impact on the company’s productivity. ‘Effective managers take care of their people, understanding that their people take care of the work.’ They take the time to ask staff how they are, help them work to their individual strengths and provide resources to support them. They also care about their career progression.

They’re good at communicating; The best managers listen to their employees’ viewpoints and find ways to communicate them to the board. They’re upfront about the challenges facing the company and provide regular updates on changes and priorities so everyone knows the goals they’re working towards. Also, by openly responding to concerns or questions, they instil trust in their employees.

They’re honest; Successful managers are true to their word. They do what they say they will when they say they will. They provide honest but constructive feedback when expectations haven’t been met or they’ve been unable to negotiate something on their employees’ behalf. For this, they are respected.

They encourage teamwork; The value of collective working is not lost on successful managers. They make a point of drawing together the talents of different employees and assigning clear roles. More team working not only provides a boost to morale, it also leads to more productive brainstorming and better problem solving.

They give recognition; Good managers acknowledge the efforts and achievements of their employees when they warrant it. This isn’t always with a big monetary gesture. Although financial rewards are no doubt appreciated, smaller gifts or thank yous are sufficient and can make a big difference to employees.

They understand their employees; This is where technical skills become important. A successful manager will often have worked their way up, so they’ll be in a good position to understand common challenges and, more importantly, solutions. They might not have every specialism, but they’ll have a sufficient skillset to provide support when it’s most needed.

They keep their cool; Being a manager can be highly stressful, but if you lose control you also lose respect. No employee wants a volatile or unpredictable boss. Successful managers are calmer and more composed. Having said that, if they do slip up they can increase the chances of restoring trust with a sincere apology; after all, we’re all human.