The definition of an effective manager

Every manager’s job is unique but they all depend upon the basic need to work with and through other people. Those who work most effectively with and through other people produce the most outstanding results.

The purpose of a manager is to achieve results through the activities of other people. When the manager succeeds, the organisation benefits directly and your effectiveness as a manager plays a vital role in achieving your personal goals.

As a manager, you can multiply the effects of your personal growth by inspiring and directing your people to undertake a program of personal development. When you lead your team members to gain new skills and to be more productive in their activities you add unlimited power to the effectiveness of your organisation.

A Developer of People

To accomplish more through the people in your organisation, strive to be a developer of people. Recognise people, not capital spending and automation, as the primary source of productivity. Then, treat people with the concern they deserve as your most important valuable asset. The results and rewards are well worth your efforts.

A Leader of People

An effective manager is also a leader of people. You have both the opportunity and responsibility to give direction for the organisation. You show people where to go and help them define the best path for reaching that destination. A managers ability to clearly communicate where the team and the organisation is going was ranked the number one characteristic of a good manager in 2014.

Genuine leadership involves gaining commitment from those you lead so that they- like you- understand their part in the overall purpose of the organisation and are committed to its success. Leadership involves the ability to communicate, to persuade, to encourage, and to inspire people to take meaningful and productive actions. Powerful results flow from team members who willingly follow a manager enthusiastically, committed to effectiveness and success.

A Builder of an Effective Team

An effective manager builds a diverse group of people into a smoothly functioning team. In an effective team, each team member fulfills a specific, assigned role, everything clicks and the goal is reached. It is the function of the manager to see that each team member receives the proper assignment, knows how to execute it, and is committed to the appropriate action. It is also the function of the manager to see that each team member is held accountable and to provide feedback that supports continued success.

Are you an effective manager? Take LMA’s DIY Leadership Management Competency Analysis and find out now.