The 5 Things Great Managers Actually Do All Day
A great workplace environment starts with great leadership.
Pixelfit / CanvaPro With the number one reason for employee resignation being bad bosses, according to a Gallup Poll, it’s no wonder there’s so much discourse online about what great leadership should look like.
Leadership expert Heather Elkington took to Instagram to explain that having a healthy work atmosphere starts with the success and actions of a manager. Their work, priorities, and attitude inherently affect everyone on their team.
So, what does a “great manager” look like? According to Elkington, there are specific daily tasks that are key signs a manager is at the top of their game.
Here are the 5 things that great managers are actually doing all day:
1. They prioritize 1-on-1 time with their team.
Building a connection with the people you work with is essential to the success of a team.
Elkington suggested dedicating specific time to each team or employee you’re responsible for. When you’re together, the time should be used for leadership support, cultivating accountability or simply providing a listening ear. Healthy communication and feedback are the backbone of success and a happy workplace.
2. They know how to empower their team by delegating work properly.
“The majority of us managers will constantly be given direction from above. Then we don’t often delegate it because we think, ‘It’ll just be quicker if I did it myself,’” Elkington wrote. That kind of thinking hurts the entire team, however.
Instead, delegation can improve morale while ensuring the task is being tackled by a true expert. As Elkington noted, proper delegation can actually "empower your team."
3. They think big picture instead of hyper-focusing on singular tasks.
Most people with terrible bosses understand the atmosphere around micromanaging, always having someone breathing down your neck, and contributing to a larger culture of mistrust. It’s the complete opposite of what good managers do.
Instead of focusing on the workload of each individual person and feeling accountable for their hour-to-hour tasks, great managers focus on the big picture. Elkington said there are four main systems they keep in mind throughout the day:
- The people system,
- The accountability system,
- The roles and responsibilities of the team at large, and
- The company values.
By focusing on these larger systems, great managers take the pressure off their employees and make feedback and communication more concise and relevant to the overall job.
4. They provide useful & relevant direction.
“54% of employees believe their managers don’t have a clear direction for their team,” Elkington wrote. “This lack of direction leads to confusion, decreased productivity, and disengagement.”
Focusing on the direction of the team at large — in alignment with the company values and mission — is what great bosses focus on. They utilize their feedback, one-on-one time, and check-ins to provide relevant direction that leads employees to feel more empowered and successful.
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Sometimes, great managers don’t need to provide direction on the tasks at hand at all — instead focusing on the confidence of their employees. Building connections and having open conversations about company values can be enough to provide successful direction to an entire team.
For managers with larger teams, where corporate leadership is “always changing their direction,” Elkington suggested great managers advocate for their own employees. “Push back on changes until they’re super clear.”
5. They spend time investing in personal development — either for themselves or their team.
Building connections with team members and advocating for their personal growth is something that great managers always make time for, even when there’s “more urgent” work to be done.
When you create a safe space for employees to grow, gain experience, take on interesting opportunities, and learn new skills, everyone is better off for it. Employees will not only feel more appreciated, but they’re more likely to stay in their position if they are experiencing constant growth.
Ultimately, great bosses cultivate healthy, open, and safe atmospheres for their employees.
At the end of the day, people want to feel happy and safe in their jobs — whether that means financial stability, great co-workers, or the opportunity to grow.
If you’re a manager, take the time to get to know your employees. You’ll be better at task delegation, communication, and personal growth because of it, no matter how silly it may seem.
We’re all just human, navigating the same spaces and challenges at work. So, a bit of small talk and grace can go a long way.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a news and entertainment writer at YourTango focusing on pop culture and human interest stories.