Best Manager Characteristics: Traits of Great Leaders

The role of a manager has never been more important, or more difficult. Today’s best leaders are not just taskmasters or goal-setters. 

They are the glue that holds employees together and shapes workplace culture. 

So, what combination of traits differentiates good managers from great managers? Here’s everything you need to know.

When you have great leadership in place, it has a ripple effect on the entire company. 

Managers influence outcomes at every level by setting the pace for team productivity and empowering their employees.

The best manager characteristics are not just about personal success. They directly influence team outcomes. Good managers:

• Set clear expectations
• Boost morale
• Align individual contributions with organisational goals

Teams led by great managers will experience better productivity, lower turnover, and higher satisfaction. 

On the other hand, poor management can drive away talented employees and cultivate feelings of apathy.

Managers play a vital role in shaping workplace culture. Their behaviour and communication style set the tone for the entire team. 

Leaders who prioritise transparency, inclusivity, and fairness help foster a positive environment where your employees feel valued and appreciated. Strong managers also carry and reinforce the culture you’ve built.

Let’s kick off our look at the top manager characteristics with a dive into leadership traits that allow someone to bring out the best in your workforce.

Employees won’t be fully committed to following a manager if they don’t trust them. Leaders need to conduct themselves with integrity and openness to earn the respect of their team. 

Employees are more likely to follow a leader who sticks to their principles, even under pressure. This trustworthiness creates a sense of safety, which promotes open dialogue and risk-taking.

Managers with high emotional intelligence can regulate their emotions and respond empathetically to others. This trait allows them to navigate interpersonal dynamics and build strong, resilient teams. 

Managers with high EQ can manage stress more effectively (both their own and that of their employees).

Assertive communication is a non-negotiable skill for the best managers. They must be able to listen actively and give clear, well-understood instructions. 

Assertive communication is not abrasive. It sets transparent expectations while leaving the door open for discussion, questions, and reasonable feedback. 

You want your team to know what is expected of them while having the freedom to voice concerns.

A strong leader has a forward-looking mindset, which allows them to align day-to-day work with the company’s long-term objectives. People with excellent management characteristics can also anticipate challenges and confidently guide their team through change. 

Part of having a strategic vision involves setting measurable goals. Great leaders know that their teams may not always see the big picture like they do. 

That’s why they break up tasks into achievable milestones that keep people motivated.

Talent management is one of the most important roles of a manager. To thrive in this capacity, leaders need the following skills:

The best managers invest time and energy in developing their team members. They can provide impactful coaching that resonates with their employees. 

As part of this coaching, they help team members identify strengths, address weaknesses, and grow in a way that supports their long-term career development.

A people-first approach ensures that every employee feels heard and respected. Empathetic managers build a sense of psychological safety, which promotes inclusivity in the workplace. 

They make an effort to understand employees’ personal circumstances and adapt their management style accordingly. 

Leaders with well-developed manager characteristics understand that everyone must be held to the same standard, but it’s beneficial to adjust their delivery of that message for maximum impact.

Conflicts are inevitable in any team. Passionate people will disagree about the right way to solve a problem or address a barrier. 

Skilled managers identify and address issues quickly before they can fester. Unresolved conflicts can divide an otherwise productive team. Top leaders don’t let that happen.

Exceptional managers are also masters of execution. Their ability to manage tasks, allocate resources, and optimise workflows ensures the team can deliver consistently. The team brings the talent, and managers orchestrate their skills.

When the clock is ticking down or a hard deadline is fast approaching, top leaders buckle down and deliver. They make tough calls with limited information and stay calm. 

To do this well, managers lean on their intuition, relevant data, and past experiences. While they may not always get it exactly right, they stand behind their decisions.

Micromanaging can be divisive and frustrating. One of the most important manager characteristics is the ability to empower a team. 

Effective managers delegate work to foster accountability and give employees the opportunity to use their greatest strengths to get things done. They get involved when necessary but don’t micromanage.

Good managers allocate time and resources efficiently. They prioritise high-impact tasks and eliminate waste. The goal is to keep everyone focused without burning out. 

This also includes managing each person’s workload and ensuring that top performers aren’t stretched too thin. Sometimes, not assigning that extra bit of work is the right call. The key is knowing when that is.

Becoming a great manager doesn’t happen overnight. If you aren’t where you want to be, you can bolster your skill set through the following strategies:

Start with some introspection. Be honest about what you are good at and where you need to get better. Gather feedback from your team, peers, or supervisors. Their input can help you identify areas that you may have overlooked.

Continuous learning is great for developing hard skills. If you want to master a new application, brush up on your project management skills, or become more well-rounded, take advantage of formal training opportunities.

Stretch assignments are an invaluable employee development tactic. As the name suggests, it involves taking on work that will push you to your limits. While you don’t want to set yourself up for failure, you do need a challenge to grow.

Mentorship is another great tool for sharpening your managerial characteristics. Connect with leaders within your organisation and ask them to mentor you. Be open to new ideas and challenge your existing way of thinking. 

While you don’t have to change everything about the way you lead, you need to be willing to reevaluate your beliefs and processes.

Whether you want to gauge your own effectiveness as a manager or assess the performance of another leader within your organisation, you can do so using:

Key performance indicators help you measure a manager’s impact on the team and goal achievement. 

Regular performance reviews offer a structured opportunity to reflect and plan for improvements. These reviews should also incorporate peer and subordinate feedback.

Engagement metrics reveal how invested employees are in their work. High engagement is often a sign of strong leadership. Low scores can highlight a need for improvement. 

Act on survey findings by initiating action plans that address key concerns.

The best managers aren’t just good at giving feedback but receiving it, too. 360-degree feedback provides you with insights from peers, team members, and your supervisors. 

The result? A well-rounded look at your strengths and blind spots.

Here are some skills that the best managers need to thrive in the future of work: 

How well-versed are you in leading remote or hybrid employees? Learning how to keep them engaged will position the organisation to leverage talent from all over the world. 

Forward-thinking leaders will look for ways to do things better and break away from the “This is how we’ve always done it” mentality. 

For instance, they may integrate neuromanagement into their leadership style, which applies neuroscience principles to influence the way people work.

Data privacy and the use of AI present two critical ethical concerns. As a company leader, you need to navigate these tools responsibly while maintaining the trust of your team.

Understanding the characteristics of top managers and how to cultivate them will help you become a more effective and respected leader. 

Explore Klara’s insights, toolkits, and learning resources to elevate your leadership journey. 

Get in touch to learn more.