Adaptability The best managers adapt their coaching style to meet the needs of the individual team members, not the other way around. This is a common mistake I often see first-time managers make. I coach my managers to ensure they know how each of their direct reports likes to be managed. For example, some want minimal coaching — set the direction and let them go. Others want more guidance and need more communication. Adapting your management style to meet the needs of each team member will help create a high functioning team. It goes the other way around, too: You need to let those managers know how you like to work with them — regular meetings with a set agenda, informal conversations, etc. Making this clear is especially important in a hybrid work environment.
Whether you are promoting from within or hiring an external manager, a strong manager needs these three things: Adaptability Effective communication Goal setting
Effective Communication A manager can expect a lot more horizontal and vertical communication. If the managers on my team need to communicate important corporate communications down to their team, I will role play with the manager to make sure the communication is being messaged properly and that they are prepared to answer questions. Additionally, managers need to be receptive to communication from their team in an environment that is open, honest, and collaborative. Managers also need to make sure they communicate goals and expectations to their team in a clear and concise manner. This brings me to the final critical skill - the ability to establish and achieve goals. Horizontal communication is important, too--that is, managers need to communicate with each other, both inside the department and across departments--much more than non-managers. It is important for them to understand what other teams need to hear from them, and to be able to ask their peers for communication in return. Goal Setting Goal setting is an underrated skill, one that it is important to teach to new managers. I am a big proponent in creating quarterly SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) for each team member. I work with the managers on my team to ensure they clearly understand the corporate goals and guide them to ensure the individual team members’ goals are aligned with the corporate goals. I also coach my managers to ensure they are keeping their teams focused on goal achievement, and I teach them how to establish regular, consistent meetings with a focus on identifying goals at risk, discovering the real issue preventing goal completion, and working to solve the issue at hand. I expect my managers and their teams’ to achieve 80% or higher goal achievement each quarter, as this represents a high functioning team.
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