These are the skills you need to be a great manager

Did you know that 85% of managers don’t receive any training? And yet, according to Gallup, 75% of workers who voluntarily move on from jobs do so to escape a manager.

The math is not mathing.

While we’re not in the position of being able to start offering management training to companies just yet, one of Quiet Leaders Club’s missions is to equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to be a great leader - and manager.

In this article I’ll be sharing the skills you need to master in order to be the brilliant manager I know you can be.

Model your ideals

Your team won’t do as you say, they’ll do as you do. So make sure you’re demonstrating the behaviours and values you want to see in your team.

If you don’t care about your performance, why would they care about theirs?

If you don’t care about showing up on time, why should they?

Show your team that you take care in your work and they will too.

Be a person-centred manager

Taking a person-centred approach means focusing on the needs of each member of your team as an individual.

If you can get to know everyone on your team, you’ll learn what motivates them, how to communicate with them and ultimately get the best performance from everyone.

Hone your listening and observation skills

If I could give every manager one piece advice, it would be: listen more than you speak, it’s not about you.

You can learn so much just by listening and observing. So many people fail to value the skill of listening, but if you can master it, you’ll unlock valuable insights and feedback that you wouldn’t have access to otherwise.

Observation will also help you to recognise issues within your team quickly, so you can address and resolve them.

Be self aware

Self-awareness is key in understanding your strengths and weaknesses, so you can continue to develop your strengths and improve your weaknesses.

We all have biases, and only by being self aware can you recognise your biases and ensure that you’re treating everyone fairly and providing a safe, inclusive environment for your team.

Champion your team

A good team are accountable, take pride in their work and collaborate well. To encourage this, you need to give them the support and autonomy they need to grow as professionals.

You’ll also have some fantastic future leaders on your team who won’t be with you forever. Don’t feel threatened or try to clip their wings to keep them on your team. Provide an environment where they’ll thrive and they won’t forget it.

And of course, you need to take accountability too - never throw your team under the bus.

Build these skills and you’ll be one of the best leaders. If you’d like to develop your leadership skills further, download our Mindful Leadership Toolkit below.