What Does It Take to Be A Great Manager?

For many, becoming a manager is the natural forward trajectory of a career. The ability to manage others is a sign that a person has gained enough knowledge of a particular field to have an influence over the careers of others. Furthermore, it shows that a person has the drive and passion it takes to get ahead in the field of choice. However, after attaining the title of manager, there are some who feel it is okay (and perhaps, also deserved,) to become stagnant. These people stop pushing themselves and instead begin to micromanage others, thereby leading to a dead-end career. In my field of recruiting, this is the exact person (and resume) that we shy away from. Recruiters are often unimpressed by just the title of manager, but rather are looking for someone that has a particular drive and ability to become a C-level executive (versus those that do not have what it takes). Before cornering yourself and halting your career progression, here are some things to think about as you step into the role of being a manager. A great manager is always someone who is happy and willing to encourage employees to reach their potential. By giving employees a chance to showcase their skills – whether it is letting a person lead a key account, interact with other managers and C-levels, or take credit for a job well-done – a great manager shows respect for employees, values their time and effort, and is still willing to be a team player. An overbearing manager who is threatened by the success of employees beneath him/her and belittles those who work hard to succeed will rarely, if ever, show the above characteristics. Ultimately, this does not prove a manager's strength, but rather showcases weakness and an inability to handle pressure. In many ways, being a great manager is like doing any other job well. It requires a person to be able to step back, view the macro picture of the team and company, and determine what skills it will take to improve upon the work of the last manager and make his/her team better. It is foolish for a new manager to believe that he/she was chosen for the position in order to completely re-write the game; very rarely is that the prime responsibility of a manager. However, it is important to realize that being a manager does give a person a new vantage point, where he/she is better able to understand what skills a team needs to hone and improve upon. For this reason, the role of a manager – regardless of field or vertical – is to constantly and consistently improve communication skills both with lower- and upper-level colleagues. Many times, a passing conversation is all it takes to figure out what employees want and don't want. Ultimately, the proof of a good manager is not determined by the manager's point of view of his/her job performance, but instead from those he/she is managing. A manager that has excellent recommendations from both bosses and lower-level employees shows an ability to use the weight of a managerial position to leverage both himself and his team into the spotlight. A recruiter is looking for a manager that has not settled, but rather, still has the passion to drive himself and those around him to be better. Being promoted to a managerial position is a great move for anyone's careers, but it is important to keep pushing yourself to do more. Recruiters and staffers who sense this drive in a person are more likely to choose these people for C-level positions. As a manager, keep this in mind, and you'll fast-track your career to higher levels in no time.