What Makes a Good Manager?

An effective manager will need attributes such as interpersonal skills as well as an ability to perform the tasks

To be an effective manager, the person is usually not only good at the technical side of the job, but will need the people skills that motivate, inspire and energise employees to give their best for the organisation and the achievement of its goals. The whole point of having a manager in the first place is because the task(s) in question are too big for one person to do alone.

Delegation is vital, and other people are needed who each have to contribute in order to accomplish that task. These people will need somebody to co-ordinate their efforts so that the individuals do not unnecessarily duplicate their efforts and do work that does not contribute in the required way. This person is the manager, and unlike a worker whose primary function is to do the work, the role of the manager is to organise this collection of individuals into a proactive and efficient team.


New Managers Will Require Additional Management Skills

Most managers get their first taste of managing as a result of being one of these workers and showing promise in relevant areas such as organisation and dedication. The step up from being someone who just has to worry about their own particular tasks to a manager who now has to worry about what everybody they are responsible for is up to can be particularly daunting, and require a whole host of new skills that they either do not possesses or have never really utilised to such an extent in the past. This is where management training comes in. By attending management training courses such as our First Line Management course, new managers will be able to acquire or greatly improve upon these interpersonal skills such as communication that are so important to be able to manage and lead effectively.


The Need to Delegate Work and Trust Employees

It can also be extremely tempting for those new to managing who are used to performing the work themselves, particularly new project managers, to either intentionally or unintentionally take on some of the work themselves. This can not only distract them from managing the people and the overall project, but they may also step on the toes of those who are there purely to perform the work, which could lead to arguments and low morale.