The power of a good manager is immeasurable.

Managers can make a team sink or sing.

Let’s take a closer look at the effect managers have on their team.

Did you know? 50% of employees leave their companies because of their boss. From day-to-day tasks right through to career trajectory, a manager’s influence directly impacts employee engagement. Little wonder that managers account for at least 70% of the variance in employee engagement (according to Gallup).*

So what makes a good manager?

An effective manager is a natural-born leader. Their team not only gets the job done, but excels at it – and still has the energy to do more. Safe to say, when a manager is engaged, organised, ambitious and positive, it has a cascade effect on their team. The secret to it all? They successfully manage themselves before they manage anyone else.

So how does a good manager reward their team?

Setting goals and delegating tasks is just one aspect of managing people. You can’t just expect success from your team. A good manager knows, you must celebrate success, commiserate failure, recognise effort, and reward loyalty. From a coffee run to a heart-to-heart to a team day out, it all counts.

Does a manager impact team spirit?

When you’re in the hands of a good manager, you feel trusted, valued and comfortable to be yourself. The result? A united team full of spirit.

But, what happens when your manager is less than brilliant? Well, there’s a gradual disconnect that ultimately leads to disengagement. Indeed, employees who feel under-recognised and dissatisfied are more likely to leave work for a competitor or display passive-aggressive behaviours.

How does a manager affect career development?

Continuous growth and development is critical to career development. Essentially, the will to progress must come from the employee, but the manager plays an influential role too. By building confidence, handing opportunities, enabling training and championing their employees, a manager can make all the difference. Career development is also a key defence against top talent leaving to take their next step up the ladder elsewhere.

What else is there to consider?

A manager doesn’t just affect their team. They affect the whole business. From recruiting the best people to preventing turnover. From employee productivity to business profitability. From team spirit to workplace culture. Making sure every team is led by a brilliant manager is key to a business’ future.

So, isn’t it time we invested more into our managers?

*https://news.gallup.com/businessjournal/182792/managers-account-variance-employee-engagement.aspx

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