Managers Matter
Recently, a friend shared with me that her current boss was changing roles and she would be getting a new manager. She added “I don’t care for the lady who will be my boss in the next few weeks” with a distressed looking emoji. Without further explanation, I got it. Managers can make or break your work experience. They are often your first connection to your place of employment. A good manager will show you the ropes and share insight to help you successfully navigate your role and employer. However, not all managers are equal. Some people become managers simply because that’s what you do as you climb the corporate ladder, or maybe they desire to lead in that way but don’t yet have the tools to manage effectively. Others actively seek opportunities to lead people and make a positive impact in the lives of their direct reports and others. The good ones don’t look at managing others as a burden of additional responsibilities, but instead see it as a privilege to lead a team. You don’t usually have the ability to choose your manager, but you can always appreciate a good one when you have them.
A good manager will:
Understand your goals and do their part to help you achieve them
While a company will always have goals and KPIs, and employees are working to help achieve those business goals, a good manager will seek to understand their team members’ personal goals and help them achieve those too. Maybe a team member wants exposure to a certain type of work or is looking to develop a more substantive skillset, a great manager takes time to learn this and will help their team achieve those results.
Be accessible and responsive
Good managers make time for you. Though they are usually very busy, they are always only a Microsoft Teams chat, email or call away. You’re never “on your own” because you can count on them to respond when you need it most.
Provide feedback
Feedback is a gift. Honest feedback, a treasure. It takes time and energy to help others identify strengths and opportunities to grow and develop. A great manager will provide honest feedback regularly. It’s far too easy to tell someone they’re doing great or fine to avoid uncomfortable conversations, but a good manager will help you see blind spots and tackle them head on making you better.
Have their team’s back
One of my favorite phrases my skip-level manager often uses is “I’ll take the headwinds.” When she says that, she means she has our back. She will advocate for our needs, our team position, share our point of view in rooms we don’t have access to. It’s such a good feeling to know your manager supports you.
Care
It’s so simple, but you can’t teach this in a leadership class. Great managers care. You can tell by how they interact with you, how they guide you, how they listen to you. Having a leader who cares makes all the difference.
If you have a good manager, cherish them. Observe and adopt the characteristics you want to emulate. When it’s your time to lead people, be the type of manager you had. Be a manager who cares, has their team’s back, provides feedback, is accessible and responsive, takes the time to understand their team’s goals and does their part to help their team achieve them. If your manager can level up in some areas, don’t fret. Find what you need in others around you, it takes a work village. And when it’s your time to lead, be the manager you wish you had because as we all know, managers matter.