What Makes A Good Manager? Here Are 3 Qualities To Watch Out For

No matter what industry you're in, managers play a pivotal role. They have years' worth of experience behind them, have tenure, are experts in their fields, and they know their way around the company.

It's a job title that naturally has a pleasant ring to it. People in middle management have been promoted and gone up the career ladder, and they're also someone's boss.

Of course, as impressive as being a manager may sound, it also entails a ton of responsibilities. There are common managerial issues that they must face daily. Middle managers, for instance, are sandwiched between their subordinates and senior leadership. They need to keep both satisfied while still being able to focus on their deliverables. They need to be constantly connected to the situation at the office and be able to suggest strategies when necessary. Having said that, they can also be overlooked and not receive as much credit as they deserve.

If you're a middle manager, how can you face all these issues and still advance in your career? We take a closer look at the dynamics of mid-management roles and what you can do to get ahead.

What Do Middle Managers Do?

First, let's define what middle managers exactly are and what their roles and responsibilities typically are.

There's no one standard definition for what middle managers do. Generally, they're tasked with managing a group of employees, but not exactly supervising other managers. Simply put, they act as the liaison between the senior management and lower-rank workers in the organisation.

Middle managers are the bosses situated on the "frontlines." They directly work with their subordinates daily and must conduct regular performance appraisals. They make the cogs of the wheel turn smoothly and efficiently to help keep the business in good running condition. Should any of the people on their team fail or make a mistake, they can be held liable for this and at the same time, they must execute the necessary disciplinary or corrective measures.

Middle managers are also answerable to their clients as well as their bosses, too. They need to be able to manage their stakeholders' expectations and reassure them that projects are running well and without any hitches.

Amid all this responsibility, the question becomes: what makes a good manager? Here are the skills and capabilities you should have when you're in middle management.

1. Thinking and acting like you're in senior management.

The key is to think and act like someone in a higher position to govern both middle managers and subordinates. In this way, you get to preserve that sense of authority while still asserting yourself as an influential leader to whom higher-ups will be keen to listen. Showing that you can take control of any situation and resolve conflict is a powerful way to exhibit your competencies as a leader and get a nod from senior management.

You'll also want to be a person of your word. Whatever promises they make, you'll have to ensure that you can keep these as this shows you are capable and have integrity. It's a pleasant trait that earns the approval of both their subordinates, bosses, and other stakeholders.

Be a lean, mean, and efficient working machine. Manage your time wisely and use different tools and systems to help you tick off all those items on your list. It shows you value each day at work and aim to get things done reasonably.

Moreover, try to manage your relationships too with your bosses. Get your job done so they know that you are independent, trustworthy, and efficient. When they see your value to the company, they can help you achieve your career goals.

Lastly, you must seek the advice and expertise of a mentor. Pick the brains of someone with considerable experience and use this depth of insight to your advantage. There are certainly lessons that you can only learn through time and experience.

2. Being good spokespersons amid change

As a middle manager, you work closely with many people, especially your subordinates. Middle managers act as mouthpieces when the company undergoes any transformation that could impact employees. In cases of bad news, you must be able to soften the blow of any radical organisational change. You have to find that delicate balance of doing your job while expressing a sense of empathy and openness to your staff's emotions. In other cases, you also have to get their people on the same page as the company and get them to cooperate with any new protocols or processes.

Middle managers are more hands-on with daily operations. It means you are in the unique position of knowing the business's pain points more than your superiors. You also know the best people to recommend for specific jobs (even promotions). You have valuable awareness and understanding of how best to implement changes that would not threaten business continuity. Such a perspective can be beneficial to senior management if they need to develop a company-wide initiative or strategy.

3. Being agile and flexible

Out of all the characteristics you must have, being adaptable is probably the most daunting. For example, amid the pandemic, middle managers had to flex their change muscles and be able to roll with the punches. You had to bridge the digital divide to maintain team relations and simulate office interactions. It's no walk in the park telling workers that they need to start leaving the comfort of their homes and report to the office again while the pandemic still rages all over the world.

To be a good manager, you must be able to cascade and oversee the implementation of these challenges even if they are equally anxious. Organisations now, more than ever, are forced to be even more efficient even with skeletal workforces.

The Need for HR and Senior Management Intervention

According to the Society for Human Resource Management, middle managers always feel the crunch of the organisation. Middle managers execute the nitty-gritty of cascading important information to teams and overseeing the performance of projects. While higher-ups make company-wide decisions, middle managers are the ones who will implement these at the frontline level.

Senior management and human resources can make shifts in the system so that middle managers can be treated fairly, have ample tools to perform their role, and know they have the support of their bosses during difficult times.

In times of change, both senior management and HR can support middle managers by providing them with guidelines on how they can communicate the impact to employees. By standardising the way sensitive topics are discussed, the less likely workers will think negatively of the company.

Walking in their shoes

It's easy to fall into the trap of taking middle managers for granted when senior management is too detached to familiarise themselves with middle managers' daily stresses. When superiors have a deeper understanding of these, the aspiration is to create a fairer and more welcoming environment that allows middle managers to shine.

At the end of the day, middle managers must be treated with just as much compassion as any rank-and-file employee. They bear the brunt of needing to appear cool, calm, and collected even when they may be overwhelmed with what's on their plate. With proper support, guidance, information, tools, and connections, they can be better recognised for their contributions to a company and be rewarded accordingly.Want more helpful advice on manager skills and qualities? Read more articles on JobStreet’s Career Resources section.