It is hard to find a good manager these days!

Ever been on the receiving end of an ineffective manager?

I'm sure you know the type.

They rush into your work area and brain dump, thinking that's a form of delegation; ignore you all day, until they want something; get mad at you when you fail to fulfill a task that they haven't even given you access to the resources for;or simply drown you in work until you are falling apart from stress!

I'd say it's easy to find a bad manager, but much harder to find a successful one. So what makes a manager successful? I did some research and this is what I came up with. My top ten qualities of a successful manager are:

Demonstrates integrity
A manager should walk the talk. The old saying, "Lead by example" is the first quality that makes a manager a stand out and that goes for owning up to errors!

Deals honestly and diplomatically
A manager, who owns their mistakes, deals openly, and honestly with others, earns the respect of those they are trying to lead. Equally, a manager that understands that people can have issues is a definite plus!

Demonstrates flexibility
A manager who is responsive to the needs of the business AND the needs of employees is able to keep their team on target and yet achieve the goals of the business.

Shows commitment and reliability
A manager who delivers their promises shows their team that they are reliable and promotes trust.

Listens effectively
A manager who 'seeks first to understand, then to be understood' (Dr Stephen Covey) is a manager who will always have their finger on the pulse of the business. A good negotiator
A manager who comes to the table prepared to give a little that the outcome is a positive one for everyone, will not only earn the respect of his employees but be guaranteed of the opportunity for further negotiations in the future.

A thorough planner
'If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.' This saying is especially true for managing. A manager is a coach to their team and the team are looking to them for the game plan. Is fair
A manager who doesn't take sides, show favoritism or victimize those they are supervising, will earn their trust and in turn, will have more personal power to influence their team for good.

Knows how to have fun and has a good sense of humor
A manager who is able to promote a safe and happy work environment where appropriate fun is braced, will ensure the retention of staff.

Seeks to understand those they are supervising
A manager who is able to accurately assess the skills, abilities and personalities of their work team, will be able to develop individual managers to maximize their effectiveness and help them reach their potential, whilst focusing their efforts on the goal.

How does your manager rate? Get them to read this blog and rate themselves against the criteria.