Management Qualities for Today's Manager

Management qualities consist of a defined set of skills. When a potential candidate is ready for management, he should have the following management qualities in order to be successful in leading people.

Communication skills. The ability to communicate effectively may be the number one management quality. There will be challenging discussions for the manager, from giving performance reviews to discussing team objectives with upper management. Communication savvy will most likely be a manager's greatest asset.

Trust. Trust is an imperative management quality. If trust is fractured, the manager will inevitably be incapable of leading. Demonstrating fairness and objectivity are also factors. If the candidate is perceived not to be trustworthy, he will have a difficult time winning over his peers.

Self-awareness. This is such an important management quality that many companies utilize 360 surveys and other applications to gauge a person's emotional intelligence (EQ). Emotional intelligence, in part, is the self-perceived ability to assess the emotions of the individual and others. Managers consistently need to balance team member's personalities and emotions, especially during challenging times. If the candidate isn't capable of controlling his own emotions, he may have a challenging time managing people.

Competency. If direct reports lose confidence in the manager on the basis of competency, it's problematic. The manager needs to know the basic fundamentals of the direct report's job in order to effectively lead the direct report. If a person trying to climb the corporate ladder is perceived as incompetent, he is probably not management quality.

Accountability. It's easy to recognize a manager when things go right. However, the mark of a good management quality is handling matters when they go bad. Does the candidate take accountability for a mistake? Will he have the fortitude to take action swiftly and appropriately? Accountability can translate into strong leadership.

Motivation. Does the candidate have the ability to motivate direct reports when morale has dipped or when time constraints are at issue? Motivating team members could also mean giving positive feedback when good things are accomplished. Recognizing results is a great motivator, and it's easy to do. There shouldn't be any doubt on whether a potential candidate has this management quality.