We’re asked regularly, how do you get good managers? There are many ways to get good managers and get the best from them.
Communicating
Communicating clear expectations means that both managers and employees understand the role of organisational leaders.
Certainly, the best leaders find a way to thrive within an organisation. But, they also need effective organisational support to fulfil their true potential. Given the right tools and a proper support network, there’s no reason why your managers can’t become the influential people you need to lead your business to success.
Strategising
Great leaders are brave enough to make sweeping changes and need a range of skills. But, one of the most important traits in any leader is knowing when something is or isn’t working.
Some managers can get caught in a loop of reactive activities, like solving functional problems or achieving short-term objectives. Great leaders need to be strategic in nature. They need to meet operational goals whilst planning for future success.
Analysing
Good managers can see how their decisions will affect the organisation. They know that their decisions can be interpreted by everyone from employees, to competitors, and to the media. So, this involves different levels of analysis and a clear understanding of the mutual connections between the company and your industry.
Hiring
The best managers select the right people for the job the first time round. A manager is only as good as the people they hire. This can be achieved by training, peer support or mentoring programs. But, another consideration is ensuring that people with natural strategic skills don’t slip through the net. Ongoing employee assessments can help identify natural leaders. They can be nurtured to achieve leadership roles for themselves.
Structuring
Managers need to have a clear understanding of an organisation’s structure, processes and design. This will help to implement the sort of changes that are increasingly needed in the digital age.
Companies are moving away from a hierarchical structure to team-based networks designed to address specific objectives and projects. This means that leaders need to be able to adapt to these changes and pursue organisational redesigns that will benefit the company.
Interlinking
People at the top need to understand how these structures are interlinked. They need to know what resources they have at their disposal and how to get the best out of them.
Peer-to-peer learning can help. However, managers need to encourage feedback and input from employees. This way they can better understand the impact of any proposed changes.
It’s now widely accepted that your employees are your greatest resource. Many companies invest heavily in programs that encourage employee engagement and employee development.
Motivating
Managers need to be able to motivate their team and employees do work for recognition, prestige and pay. A manager with poor interpersonal skills can affect the morale and performance of employees. This can potentially affect the profitability of a company. To get the most from your talent pool, managers must be able to collaborate with employees. The best leaders will accept employee input to make strategic decisions.
In essence, managers must know the importance of performance management, employee development and organisational culture. Leaders can no longer afford to delegate people management to HR. However, managers need to track employees’ progress. So, they can assess their ongoing development and identify areas for individual improvement. Therefore, it is vital that you can then communicate this coherently to the rest of the workforce.
Contact Us
So, if you want to find out more about how to get good managers or wish to discuss any of our HR services, give us a call – 01706 565332.
Metis HR is a professional HR Consultancy based in the North West of England supporting clients across the country. We specialise in providing outsourced HR services to small and medium-sized businesses. Call us now on 01706 565332 to discuss how we may help you.
