Becoming a better manager

As a manager, it’s crucial to understand the difference between theory and reality, because things rarely play out the way they are written down and explained. Managers must learn to become a situational leaders because different situations will test your abilities differently.

Great Managers are not born; they are made.

Technical brilliance often sees people promoted into management and leadership roles even though they are not (yet) capable of performing. Effective people management is critical to ensuring a happy and engaged workplace for all. In this article we will see the traits of better manager

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Collaborate with your team

As a manager, I realized and embraced the need to spend more time away from my desk, collaborate with my team and earn their trust. How did I achieve this?

Motivate your team

I always make sure that I answer questions from my team in case they get stuck on something and that I’m accessible without any excuse. I also seek to motivate, unlock people’s potential, and lead through others so that everyone can grow faster.

Respect your team’s opinion

As a manager, I feel incredibly motivated when my team is successful. The success of a team determines the success of a manager. I always seek to inspire a culture in which everyone in my group provides input in the project that we embark on, no matter how small. I always assure my team that I am open to receiving questions, observations, and suggestions.

Foster a culture of transparency

A culture of transparency and open communication has benefited my team and me in various ways and has helped us achieve our goals faster.

Always be there for a team

Nowadays, people no longer need traditional managers. Most employees need mentors, coaches, teachers, guides, facilitators, and trouble-shooters to lead them throughout their careers. Most of us need someone to help us with the barriers and roadblocks in our way that hinder us from being our best selves. Great managers see it as their role to lead people through their challenges and help them become successful.

Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash

Leadership is not a title; it’s an action.

Traits of better manager

1. Don’t keep coding the same way you used to as an individual contributor. You won’t have time to direct or guide your team.
2. Remember not to just focus on the work — focus on your people. People management is a core responsibility, not an added one.
3. Don’t measure your value by your own output. Measure value by your team’s output.
4. Without proper communication, don’t expect your team to deliver results.
5. Make sure you’re not leaving your team out of commitments.
6. Remember to not mistake directing for leading. Leaders inspire; they don’t dictate.
7. Don’t avoid having hard conversations early because the issue may become a bigger problem later.
8. Remember to keep learning. There are bad managers, and there are the best managers. Like engineering, management is a part natural inclination, but mostly it’s the desire and constant pursuit of learning and improving your skills that make a difference.

Hope this article helps in understanding the traits for becoming a better manager, do share your thoughts in comments, until next time, Adios!