The 10 essential qualities to become a good manager: the complete guide

Becoming a manager is often the result of a promotion, but what is generally good news can quickly become a problem if you don't have the keys to becoming a good manager.

When you're part of a team, you always hope to have a fair manager who motivates you and provides a pleasant working environment. This time it's you who has to manage a team, but can you be the manager you'd like to have?

Being a good manager isn't innate, and seeking to become one by taking a step back (and ending on our article 😉 ) means you've already done some of the work.

With our management tips, rest assured you'll become the manager we'd all like to have. ⭐

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The role of a manager within the company

By definition, a manager is someone who leads and directs. You can think of your role as follows: management is like driving a bus in the image of your team. 🚌

You're responsible for the well-being of every member of your team, while making sure you achieve certain goals. It's as if you had to get them to their destination on time, safe and sound.

Within a company, the manager takes on a key role that is obviously not easy to grasp, especially at first. They are the ones who supervise and encourage the members of their team, as well as being the link with the directors, the other managers and their teams.

As a manager, it's up to you to have the right attitude at work and certain qualities , which we're going to talk about without further ado. 👇

The 10 qualities of a good manager

#1 Develop your leadership

Leadership is the foundation of a manager. So it's crucial to your success (and you'll need it for the other 9 qualities).

A good manager must be able to inspire and motivate his or her team. This is the basis of a productive and positive working environment.

This role goes far beyond simply managing tasks. You need to provide a clear and inspiring direction for the future, because that's what engages your team and ultimately creates a climate of trust.

But what does that actually mean?

☝️ A manager must do more than simply delegate tasks. They must also explain the context and importance of each project to show their team how their work fits into a wider objective.

Your team knows where it's going and what you expect of it. This is the key to improving overall company performance and employee commitment. A good leader positively influences his or her team, which has a favourable impact on the company's results.

💡 A Gallup study conducted in 2021 reveals that teams with a highly committed manager show 21% more productivity within a company.

#2 Be ambitious and motivate your troops

Now that you've got the basics of leadership down, it's important to understand how the position of manager should inspire and motivate your team. And, as we established earlier, this is a crucial step in creating a healthy and productive working environment for your team.

Your ambition embodies your willingness to aim high and push your limits, and motivation is the key to getting your team members to share that ambition and your aspirations. In a way, ambition is the engine of your bus and motivation is its fuel.

As you can see, to be a good manager, it's vital to be both ambitious and capable of motivating your team. It's this winning combination that transforms an ordinary team into a dynamic, high-performance force, capable of overcoming challenges and reaching new heights. And that's what your team will be after this article.

☝️ As a manager, you need to set high AND achievable goals for your team, while inspiring members with your enthusiasm and confidence. It's this attitude that dramatically increases the productivity and innovation your team demonstrates.

#3 Communicate effectively with your team

After motivation comes communication.

In business, effective communication is the cornerstone of successful management. It ensures that all team members understand the objectives, expectations and procedures. It is a necessary step that contributes to the formation of a transparent and open working environment.

As a manager, developing good communication skills enables you to manage a team effectively. The result will be a more harmonious and productive working environment, in which every member of your team can feel valued and understood.

#4 Stay available and listen

For a manager, this aspect complements our previous point. It's not enough just to communicate with the members of your team for it to be effective.

Being available and attentive to your team is a fundamental aspect of effective management.

Your aim is to listen carefully to all the members of your team so that you can respond appropriately to their needs and concerns. It's also a way of building their trust and creating an open and inclusive corporate culture. A manager who actively listens is better equipped to guide his or her team towards success.

What does this mean in practice?

☝️ As a manager, take the time to listen to the ideas, suggestions, worries and concerns of every member of your team. In this way, you show that you value their contribution and involvement, while showing them respect.

#5 Be benevolent

In business, caring is an essential element for any manager who wants to create a healthy working climate conducive to personal and professional development .

Being a caring manager fosters an environment in which respect, empathy and support are given pride of place. These aspects are all the more important as they improve the well-being of your employees, who will be nothing but satisfied with a working climate that is conducive to better performance.

At the end of the day, they will be more committed, loyal and motivated.

☝️ Show your appreciation of your employees' efforts and your support in difficult times. As a manager, you need to show that you encourage open-mindedness and collaboration while maintaining a safe space for the expression of ideas and concerns.

#6 Don't ignore conflict

Every team, no matter how close-knit and united, is prone to conflict. As a manager takes his bus to its destination, it's not out of the question that a clash or an accident may occur. But what can you do?

Your job as a manager is to manage this situation as well as possible, because unresolved conflicts can sap the morale of your staff and end up creating a toxic environment. Knowing how to manage conflict is an essential quality for the job of manager. It's better to put out the fire before it starts.

The manager's objective is to maintain a healthy climate and a productive team dynamic, thanks in particular to his or her communication skills.

☝️ Identify tensions quickly to resolve problems; your role as manager is more like that of a mediator here. Organise meetings and open discussions to put things straight. You need to encourage free and honest expression in order to find solutions, and failing that, compromises. As a manager, remain sensitive to everyone's opinions so that you can understand their concerns as well as possible.

#7 Demonstrate serenity

Management, conflict management, communication... so many concepts that add to the burden on your shoulders as a manager, to the point where you too can become stressed.

Serenity and calm are essential qualities for a good manager. It's what enables you to handle stressful situations with confidence.

What's more, this attitude has a positive effect on your employees, who will have more confidence in you, because a serene manager can make well-considered decisions, even under pressure. In short, you need to set an example for your staff!

This atmosphere encourages team cohesion and better problem management, which in turn promotes a more focused and efficient working environment.

What does this mean in practice?

☝️ As a manager, you need to remain calm in the face of challenges and pass on this attitude to your team. This approach to management improves your staff's productivity and their level of job satisfaction, both of which are conducive to the success of your objectives.

#8 Be organised

Organisation is an essential quality that comes after the relational and emotional aspects, because it is based on clear communication, good stress management and solid relationships.

The ability to be organised is fundamental for a manager. It involves effectively managing different elements, such as time, resources and priorities.

What's more, this organisation directly echoes other qualities we've already discussed: you're less prone to stress, more serene, more in tune with your colleagues and, generally speaking, a much better manager. That's the advantage of a structured organisation 😉

So how do you go about it?

🖕 Organise weekly and monthly meetings (group or individual 1:1) to establish everyone's priorities and objectives, review progress and check task allocation. Of course, this is also a good time for constructive discussion, so listen carefully to what your colleagues have to say.

#9 Be humble

You've come to the end of our tips for becoming an excellent manager, but stay focused, we're not finished yet.

After learning more about communication, stress and conflict management, you're on your way to becoming the best manager you could be. But don't get ahead of yourself, you still need to remain humble, and that's one of the essential qualities of a good leader.

A good manager is capable of questioning himself in order to better understand what needs to be done to improve. This quality encourages learning and, above all, mutual respect and collaboration.

☝️ As a manager, you can pick up bad habits that will undeniably have repercussions for your team. Keep your feet on the ground: sometimes you don't have all the answers or you make mistakes. That's when you need to express the confidence you have in your team: delegate and value their work. Ultimately, your staff will be more confident and more motivated.

Feedback is the key to humility for a manager, we talk a bit more about it here. 👇

#10 Feedback is your best friend

In business, feedback is absolutely essential for any self-respecting manager. When you give constructive feedback to an employee, you hope that they can grow from it and improve. It's a key tool for professional and personal development.

Well, you should know that it's perfectly possible for a manager to ask for feedback from his or her team (in fact, it's strongly recommended). Feedback allows you to take a step back, improve your leadership and, of course, all the other qualities that go with it.

Ultimately, this attitude contributes to a positive working environment, where personal growth and recognition are valued.

So how do you go about it?

☝️ As a first step, take the time to thank your employees for their work and commitment. A valued employee to whom you express your gratitude will perform better and be more motivated, and you'll improve your relationship at the same time.

Secondly, ask your employees what you can improve, what the positive and negative points of your management method are. You can even ask them what they expect from a manager in general. Thanks to this approach to management, you'll be aware of what works and what doesn't, while fostering a caring and more effective working environment. Every opinion counts and will help you to become the best manager you can be.

In practical terms, how do you become a good manager?

Putting these qualities into practice every day

You now know all the key elements you need to become a good company manager and achieve your objectives. All you need to do is put them into practice (and our sound advice is here to help)!

We've assured you that being a good manager isn't something you're born with, but with our advice, you've got no excuses.

Prioritise productive and friendly communication, and pay attention to your colleagues so that you can manage and organise your work and that of your team as effectively as possible. Prioritise structured management and listen to feedback. Your staff aren't there to take you down, so trust them.

Use HR software to support you

There is a wide range of human resources (HR) software to help boost the commitment of employees and managers. They'll help you get the bus to its destination in one piece and on time.

In more concrete terms, this software will assist you in your role as manager, thanks in particular to feedback, exchange and steering modules.

One example is Zest by ZestMeUp, a Management Solution that helps you to improve your practices as a manager. It provides tools for better listening, understanding and leading your team. By putting in place a culture of feedback and empowerment, through regular 1:1 reviews or the OKR method, you can improve your staff's commitment and the team's overall performance.

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Become the manager you wish you had!

If you were afraid of not being up to the job, you can be sure that you now have all the answers you need to become a good manager.

By combining our advice and the 10 managerial qualities we've listed with dedicated HR software , management will no longer hold any secrets for you.

Either way, you're well on your way to becoming the manager you've always dreamed of having.