What it Takes to Succeed in Management

Among extremely effective executives, there are flamboyant extroverts as well as those who are painfully shy. While some stick to the straight and narrow, others give eccentricity a new meaning. Some are self-centered while others are generous to a fault. For every manager who suffers over decisions, there is one who seems to make decisions with great ease and aplomb. Some have broad interests, while others know nothing except their own area of expertise.

Leadership is one of the most observed yet least understood phenomenons on Earth. Many different executives succeed with what appears to be completely distinct styles and approaches. But when you delve below the surface, there are certain consistencies to be found among the very best managers:

Leadership. The primary quality needed to manage effectively is leadership. It is the ability that enables an individual to get other people to willingly do what they have the ability to do but might not spontaneously do on their own. Leadership implies that an individual has a special effect on others that commands their respect or admiration and causes them to follow that individual. This implies a certain amount of assertiveness in the sense that the leader projects some part of his or her personality on others. But, most importantly, a leader wins others over by influencing their willingness to act rather than by forcing their compliance.

Delegation. Delegation skills are often what separate good managers from better ones. The capable delegator is an individual who, while he or she may personally be as well or better able to do a certain job, realizes that keeping the work would be an inefficient use of time and possibly interfere with the development and best utilization of others. The ability to delegate combines the willingness to allow others to do a job with the capacity to accurately assess their ability to do so.

Communication. In order to make a team out of people who are responsible for various jobs, a manager must be able to communicate clearly, concisely and convincingly. A manager must have the ability and desire to convey ideas, knowledge and skills to others. He or she must be able to listen as well as talk and have enough empathy to sense if messages are being understood. Even though communication is a two-way process, it must be under the leader’s guidance and direction.

Decision making. Competent decision makers possess a strong sense of personal responsibility together with the willingness to make quick decisions when necessary. These decisions must be thoughtful and based upon an accurate appraisal of each situation. Ultimately, the ability to make decisions combines a capacity to analyze a situation with flexibility in one’s approach and the willingness to take a risk and act.

Unique combination. In essence, while managers approach their work with varying styles and approaches, they need basic characteristics to effectively manage, regardless of the situation. To be effective, a manager must be able to analyze situations, be willing to make decisions and take risks, be able to communicate effectively, be capable of commanding respect from others, be able to delegate and motivate, be consistent and fair and be willing to encourage growth in others as well as oneself.

Rather than trying to fit into a prescribed mold, the best managers are those who thoroughly understand their inherent strengths and limitations. Then they build a team by doing what they do best and hiring others whose strengths complement their limitations.

There is no single profile that is ideal. But most effective managers possess all of the above qualities. This is true whether the manager oversees a small company with only a few employees or a multi-national operation.

Herbert M. Greenberg, Ph.D., is president and CEO of Caliper.