7 Overlooked Skills for Managers
Rafael Magaña
Senior Director Of Development - Corporate Partnerships, Major Gifts, & Planned Giving
Being a manager is not an easy job. A good manager has many different skills, some of which are more valuable than others. Many different qualities and attributes make one a quality manager. Having the right set of abilities will make you invaluable to your company and your team. If you are a manager or considering such a position, then you will need to brush up on these important, yet overlooked skills:
1. Feedback.
Giving feedback is a critical step in making sure that your employees are always engaged and improving. According to an infographic from Officevibe, 58% of managers think that they give enough feedback, but 65% of employees believe that they should receive more feedback. Furthermore, companies that provide feedback have a 14.9% lower turnover rate. Forty-three percent of highly engaged workers say they get feedback at least once a week compared to only 18% of lowly engaged workers.
2. Communication.
Any good manager should be good at getting their point across by whatever forms of communication are available. Be it email, phone, or in person, any skilled leader knows what they are saying and to whom they are saying it.
3. Emotional Intelligence.
To some people, emotional intelligence is just as important as someone's IQ, if not more so. Someone with high levels of emotional intelligence knows how to manage their own emotions and handle the emotions of others. They know how to properly react to certain situations and harness their own emotions to certain tasks. An emotionally intelligent leader understands their workers and can manage them effectively.
4. Praise.
Many of today's managers and leaders far too often forget to give praise for a job well done. Employees want to know if they are doing a good job and telling them so will increase their levels of engagement and interest. They will want to wear harder and more efficiently if they know that they are making a good impression on you.
5. Self-awareness.
A good manager is not only aware of their employees' strengths and weaknesses, but also very aware of their own. They know their shortcomings and aren't afraid to admit them. Any leader who is self-aware will also be open to improving the things that they are good at and be open to accepting criticism.
6. Time management.
There are only a limited number of hours in each day, so it's imperative for leaders to know how to use whatever time is at their disposal effectively. A leader who has excellent time management skills will have a much easier time fitting in all their duties into a tight schedule.
7. Relationship-building.
A good leader knows how to connect with their employees properly. They are more than just a boss; they are a friend and an ally. An effective manager has close relations with their workers but knows how to separate the personal and the professional. They don't overstep their boundaries and don't make special exceptions for anyone just because they are good friends.
People often say that great leaders are born, not made, but this is untrue. Anyone can become a fantastic manager by just practicing and developing their skills. Like everything else, it takes work and dedication until you can achieve anything noteworthy, but the effort is always worth the wait. Hone your skills, and you can become the very best at what you do.
___________________
Copyright November 16, 2017 by Rafael Magaña. Contact for usage license.
About the Author: Rafael Magaña helps organizations grow. Helps leaders accelerate strategy implementation in their organizations. Founder of Latino Professionals. Director of Major Gifts & Planned Giving. Dedicated to helping build healthy communities. He resides in California. UCLA Alumni.
Follow Raphael on LinkedIn and on Twitter: @RaphaelMagana
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer.
Also, if you would like to read my regular posts then please feel free to ‘Follow’ for future articles.
Select your learning interests below
Fundraising — How, Whom, & When to Ask
Nonprofit Fundraising: Capitalizing on Your Large Gift
Why Your Successful Rivals Digital Strategy Works
4 Tips to Keep Volunteers Within Your Organization
7 Q’s to Ask — Ready to Hire a Professional Fundraiser?
How to Leverage Your Alumni Network After College
5 Lessons I Learned From My First Board Position
Enjoy my work? Want to work together? Share & comment below and I’ll connect with you to further the conversation.
Tax Manager at Mathers Tax Services
7yI think awareness and emotional intelligence are really key here. They help create vision, they help a manager empathize better with his or her employee's and it helps better manage people, understanding how they'd feel if they were in the employee's shoes. I wish these skills were taught in school or by businesses when people became "managers". I think our companies would have happier, more loyal employees if this were the case.