Effective Managers: what do they really do!

The role of managers seems to have expanded considerably over the years. While everybody is aware of the organisational and motivational skills required, effective managers actually handle a wide range of tasks including recruiting top talent, monitoring staff performance, supporting teams and individuals, and managing vital facilities.

Better training and access to a range of resources means that managers are better equipped to carry out their jobs than ever before but it has certainly led in recent years to roles within companies being expanded.

What is an effective manager’s role and responsibility

• A manager will set roles and goals within their team – the business objectives that employees need to reach for the company to be successful.
• They have to put the right people in the right jobs and organise all the resources at their disposal.
• They have to be able to communicate effectively with staff and motivate individuals and teams to achieve successive goals.
• They need to set targets which can be achieved and, just as importantly, successfully achieved by the team under their charge.
• They need to put in the processes that help develop team members, giving individuals the chance to progress as well as do their jobs more productively.

At the centre of all this is the ability to manage the performance of staff. That might include setting realistic goals or it could include taking the decision to put someone on a course to develop a certain skill. Effective managers nowadays needs to have strong performance review and monitoring infrastructure in place and understand how to leverage these to their best advantage.

In line with the company’s strategic objective, a manager will also be involved in setting the direction of their team both in the short and long term. That means ensuring everyone is aware of the vision, goals and objectives that need to be achieved to get there.

Support is key to this. Strong businesses need to fight along with everyone else to retain top talent and the manager has a key role to play in ensuring employees feel valued and have opportunities that they can grasp to develop their own careers. On top of that, all managers have to handle resources effectively and continually look to improve processes and the quality that their team delivers.

Skills for effective managers

Managers are not just responsible for developing their own staff and teams, they need to make every effort to develop themselves. With all the responsibilities management posts have, it’s unlikely that any effective manager comes to a job fully formed and totally qualified. The concept of continuing professional development should be instilled in all executives who want to improve their level of performance.

Whether that’s through taking management courses or working closely with a mentor or coach, there are numerous opportunities for those managers who want to be at the top of their game. But there are always key skills that good managers need.

These include:

They need to be able to delegate and to do it well – that means giving responsibility to the right people and, in turn, giving them the leeway to perform effectively.

Setting good, strong and achievable goals that can be measured and adjusted as needed. Goal setting doesn’t just come down from on high – effective managers will often have to develop objectives to meet with the overall direction the company is taking.

Communication, as you might imagine, is key to successful management. That doesn’t just include explaining and motivating, it also means being able to listen authentically. Managers have to understand the needs and actions of their employees and be able to engage with them on a personal level.

All these skills are not simply handed down to us when we start in management. They generally have to be learned and the more managers invest in continuing professional development the more effective they are likely to be. One of the major key skills is an attention on focused learning – making sure you have the knowledge and understanding to take yourself to the next level.

If you want to become a more effective manager and give your career a boost, consider studying an online management course with Sussex Business School – apply today!