Unveiling the Top 5 Skills of Effective Managers

Do you know these five most important skills of good managers? How effective are your managers? What to do if your managers are not as competent as they need to be?

We all know the saying, “Employees don’t quit their jobs, they quit their managers.” Although there are many factors that can lead to termination, recruiters often encounter people who leave their jobs because they are dissatisfied with their managers and leaders. One way for companies to retain employees is to ensure their leaders have the skills necessary to lead an engaged and productive team. Do you know these five most important skills of good managers? How effective are your managers? What should you do if your managers aren't as good as they need to be?

1.Communicate frequently, clearly and proactively

This point is almost self-evident. (Nearly).

Communication is a widely recognized skill that employees and managers at all levels must possess. Not surprisingly, it's the most sought-after skill by employers in today's job market, according to the LinkedIn 2024 Most In-Demand Skills list.

And for a good reason. We all want to do work that matters. For many employees, it is their manager who helps translate the company's strategic vision into concrete team and individual goals, tasks and priorities.

Employees look for managers who will help them do their best at work. The communication skills of good managers are demonstrated by the fact that they inform, motivate and get to the point of their employees.

To improve their communication skills, encourage your managers to:

• To provide regular information about the company in team meetings and to link the team's work to current developments or successes
• Use one-on-one conversations to find out what motivates each team member.
• Familiarize yourself with your company's competency model and the skills relevant to your own role and those of your direct reports
• Work with employees to create a learning plan that is tailored to company, team and individual goals.
• Mention accomplishments in conversations with team members - and in front of others.

2.Encourage the growth of others

As a rule, a manager is not responsible for developing the technical skills of his direct employees. Instead, their job is to support professional development.

Ola Chowning, partner at global technology research and consulting firm ISG, explained in an interview with Fast Company: "Good leaders give their employees new tasks, delegate with impunity and create a culture of psychological safety that recognizes that doing something new often leads to mistakes ."

A good leader works with each team member to identify the skills needed to be successful. Together, they can assess skills and create an individualized learning plan to build the skills and experience needed to advance in the position. A mix of courses, mentoring and appropriate “stretch” experiences support ongoing growth and development.

If your managers need help with this skill, show them how to use it:

• Allocate projects that match each employee's skill level and development opportunities
• Helping individuals solve problems or find solutions themselves
• To be a role model by sharing what they learn in their own professional development

3.Resolve employee conflicts

In Gartner's annual list of 9 Future of Work Trends for 2024, the industry analyst firm makes a sobering observation. "With elections looming, geopolitical crises, strikes, climate change, and resistance to DEI efforts, the environment is ripe for disagreement. Managers who manage interpersonal conflict among employees rather than hiding them will have a disproportionately positive impact on their company ."

Yes, 57% of managers say that in addition to understanding the industry, knowing the company's offerings and managing the contributions of a team of employees, they also have full responsibility for resolving conflicts from their direct reports.

How does it look? It starts before a conflict arises by creating a culture of mutual respect, accountability, connection and accommodation within the team. Good leaders advocate and advocate for others who deserve that support. They also explicitly address points of friction or conflicts that arise in the team. They identify the points of friction and invite conversation before clearly communicating a decision or expectation about how to proceed.

If you have leaders who need to develop their conflict resolution skills, try:

• Let them learn more about the value of differences in the workplace
• Providing a list of questions they can use to facilitate conversations that uncover issues
• Practice listening without judging
• Role play de-escalation scenarios so they are more confident when a conflict arises within the team

4.Remove obstacles

"One of the quickest ways a good leader can inspire their employees is by eliminating obstacles and frustrations that sap employees' energy. This truth comes from career author and consultant Mark Murphy in his recent Forbes article.

Good managers use their role, authority, and skills to solve problems, prioritize urgent requests, and overcome the obstacles that stand in their team's way. "Whether the frustrations are due to technology, budget cuts, staffing levels, or even the manager's own actions, a willingness to listen and respond to feedback is a trait that makes a really good manager," he said Murphy.

Effectively removing obstacles requires ingenuity, excellent communication, creativity and practice. Encourage your managers to improve this skill by:

• Ask your team members directly and routinely what frustrations or obstacles are standing in their way
• Create a framework for responding to urgent or unexpected challenges
• Using a series of core problem analysis questions to break down complex problems into smaller tasks and prioritize actions that clear a path to work
• Practice advocating for changes or additional resources that will benefit the team and the company

5.Embrace AI

The phrase "Either you are with us or against us" often appears in political communication to achieve agreement on a basic principle or stance. But it also applies in the workplace when companies introduce a vision, framework or technology that must be embraced by the entire workforce for the company to be successful.

The latest technology to fall into this category is artificial intelligence (AI). And as it turns out, managers are the key to acceptance!

The management consultancy McKinsey & Company sees middle management as the key to introducing AI in the workplace. "We believe the need for excellent management will become even greater as frontline employees look to their managers to help them learn how to use AI, freeing up the priorities for using their AI "To set aside the time they have become and to guide them in the further development necessary to grow into newly designed roles."

If you rely on the skills of good managers to introduce AI in the workplace, here are some tips to help your managers introduce the new technology in the workplace:

• Encourage and reward the use of generative AI when creating first drafts of job descriptions, performance reviews, and other communications.
• Help managers see what they and their team could do faster and better with the help of AI.
• Clarify the role managers must continue to play in ensuring AI-generated content and prompts are balanced with smart human judgment and creativity.

When it comes to strengthening the skills of good managers, Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson's advice for managers and their team members in their timeless book One Minute Manager applies: "Praise the person as quickly as possible when you catch them doing it how she does something right." To support these moments, your competency model, competency assessments, learning and development plans, and leadership training program will ensure your managers are aligned with organizational goals and performing their roles effectively.

Equip your managers with essential skills to foster team success. Strengthen leadership with IceHrm for optimal organizational growth.