Making a manager: What it takes to lead a successful team

With more and more companies embarking on a profiling process, before promoting or recruiting internal employees and external candidates to management, it is important to cultivate the qualities that a good leader possesses. Only by nurturing the characteristics that make a manager, can you reasonably expect to oversee a team with successful results.

"The art of management is not something that is easily mastered, as it goes beyond the realm of physical ability and requires a certain degree of emotional intelligence. By way of example, a successful leader is paradoxically also a team player. This is a quality that is defined by the ability to communicate and interact with others effectively, as well as the willingness to take responsibility where appropriate at all times. Only by constantly refining this soft skill can you ever be really good at it," advises Kim Meszaros, marketing executive at Kelly, a leading workforce management and productivity solutions company.

Know how to 'read' people

Meszaros also points out that the successful manager is able to read people and more importantly, their employees, in order to guide them to be most productive. "Only by earning your stripes out in the field and gaining invaluable work experience while getting to know your employees, can you enhance this ability," says Meszaros. Trustworthiness, integrity and a willingness to take a stand are also qualities cited by Meszaros that define a manager, and she adds that these are characteristics that can be developed and honed no matter what your current position is within your company.

The true manager also displays the following important traits in their efforts to lead a successful team:

• Think outside the box: It may be clichéd but the ability to take a different approach to ultimately yield a better result is often what gives leaders and their departments the edge.
  
• Keep moving: The ability to stretch themselves and go above and beyond the call of duty makes the true manager stand out.
  
• Be the mediator: Keeping the peace between employees makes for a strong and cohesive team.
  
• Seek wisdom: The willingness to constantly learn and grow takes managers from good to great. It is important to remember that learning can come from many different sources both internally and externally of the organisation.
  
• Understand and be understood: Only with open lines of communication will team members feel valued and be willing to take direction from their leader.

Walk the talk and start the journey of continuously nurturing the qualities that will define you as a leader and the manager you wish to be. This in turn will set you in good stead when the next managerial opportunity becomes available within your organisation.

Reference:

Common Traits of an Effective Leader 87.