What do good managers have in common?
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In Fast company, we spend a lot of time talking about how to deal with bad bosses. It makes sense—a toxic boss can have a huge impact on your day-to-day life, and chances are you’ll quickly flee to another role.
But it’s important to talk about the flip side of things as well. What makes a particularly good leader? It’s not just that they are good. Is that what they say? How they stick to you theirs manager?
3 characteristics of good managers
Leah Mether, author of Move Amidst the Storm: How to Courageously Negotiate and Lead Through Change, answers this question. He says they have three things in common, including prioritizing clear communication, showing genuine concern for their team, and setting realistic expectations.
While speaking clearly and showing empathy may sound intuitive, the third skill of setting reasonable expectations is an important one to highlight. “In the midst of feelings of frustration, when so much feels out of control, realistic and clear expectations from a leader are important,” Mther wrote. “Leaders must ensure that multitasking is realistic to prevent burnout and promote a healthy work-life balance or risk employees resigning or taking sick or stress leave.”
Other good qualities of a manager include consistency – after all, it’s up to employees if they don’t know what version to expect – and self-awareness. “The best managers are aligned with what it feels like to work for them,” said Robert I. Sutton, Stanford professor and author. Good Manager, Bad Manager: How to Be the Best . . . and Learn from the Worsttells writer Gwen Moran.
If you want to cultivate these qualities yourself, there is hope. You can start by gathering honest feedback from reports, think about the type of leadership you like, and communicate clearly with your team about how you like to lead.
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