How to Be an Effective Manager

Being an effective manager is more than a title. You need a variety of skills and personality traits to truly succeed, and while you can succeed with less, the more you develop your skills and adjust your thinking, the more successful you will be.

Honesty is the single most important quality for anyone, manager or not. If you lack honesty, it will be more difficult to become a manager, period. If subordinates don't trust you, it will cause problems. You will see increased turnover, and other team members will not want to work with you. Upper management will eventually see the "truth".

Communication is the hallmark of a good manager. You must share critical (not confidential) information with subordinates for them to be able to perform at full potential. You must communicate upward to your superiors, and you must communicate with your peers. Volumes have been written on the ability to communicate, and it can not be understated.

Listening is a subset of communication and completely underrated. I never learned anything when I was talking, but I've learned much of what I know by listening. If your not listening, your not in the loop and will be on the wrong end of some unpleasant surprises.

The ability to delegate will make sure you can work on the larger tasks. You can't do it all yourself, and if you could, you wouldn't have employees working for you. Proper delegation not only helps your employees grow, it frees you to work on the big picture items. Don't be afraid to let go.

Be a problem solver. Delays, obstacles, and other problems will arise on any project. It's your job to remove the road block. Take the heat from upper management and do not throw your employees under the bus. Your employees will thank you and you will earn their trust and loyalty.

Be an outstanding administrator. This includes project management, organizational skills, and budgeting.

Be a leader. There is a big difference between a manager and a leader. Leaders get people to want to follow them. You lead be example and do what it takes to get the job done. Don't ask your team to do anything you aren't willing to do.

If you're a new manager, expect to make mistakes. Be accountable, give your best effort, learn from your mistakes, and remember that no one is perfect.