What Makes a Great Manager?
We often hear of bad managers — people who micromanage, take credit for work that they didn’t do, and throw their employees under the bus to protect themselves. We’ve all had bad managers who made our lives difficult. But what about great managers? You know, the ones that stand up for their employees, provide clear and constructive feedback, and are actually interested in their team’s well-being, professional and personal growth. As the one year anniversary of the “Great Resignation” of 2021 rolls by, we at the Novalia Collective reached out to our community to learn about great managers — the ones whose everyday actions are positively impacting their team.
The following three stories illuminate the qualities that exemplify an effective and compassionate manager.
Tien celebrating their manager Sean B.
“My manager has been batting for me since day 1. He provides a safe space for me to grow without compromising what is important to me, carves out indefinite time to help me navigate the stresses of a hard week, and advocates for me in every call. Sean also leads by example. He is always the first to apologize, never speaks ill of others, constantly seeks wisdom from others, and celebrates the team at every opportunity.
Beyond being a supportive manager, he wants me (and the broader team) to thrive in life. Even with a packed schedule, he makes time to lead workshops that help us beyond the workplace. Sean’s not just a great manager, he’s a great life mentor.”
One thing you learned from this person that impacts the way you approach your work: “He taught me to find my why and to never lose sight of this as I navigate my professional career.”
Jasmine celebrating their manager:
“My manager creates a sense of belonging for our team by consistently demonstrating vulnerability and honesty. For example, he is always open to sharing growth areas that he is working on personally or challenges (and bright spots!) that he is facing outside of work, which allows our own team to feel comfortable bringing our full selves to work. He also is very intentional about remembering personal details. I’ll also always remember how thoughtful my manager was when my grandmother passed in allowing me to take the time away that I needed and checking in afterwards.
My manager also demonstrated his support of my professional growth in a very tangible way by going to bat for me and helping me get a pay raise just a few months into my job. It’s obviously imperative for managers to be supportive in terms of providing psychological safety and verbal praise where it is due, but my manager’s concrete action of using his influence and position to advocate on my behalf spoke volumes to me in terms of his character and degree to which he was willing to invest in my growth.”
One thing you learned from this person that impacts the way you approach your work: “Setting high expectations / pushing forward quality work and being a kind, decent human being don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Working with this manager will push me to always seek out both qualities in who I work with or for and not settle for anything less.”
Anne celebrating their manager DK:
“She listens and by this I mean she is always making time to genuinely listen and hear you, offering guidance at all the right moments, helping you to problem solve by asking thoughtful questions. This generates trust between us and I know that I can show up authentically and because I know she trusts me, I want to produce good ideas and work that reflect well for her team. She has your back, encourages you to share your thoughts and holds space to process difficult moments. I’m lucky to have her as a manager and have only had one other person I reported to that I respected this much and the common trait between them is their amazing ability to listen.”
One thing you learned from this person that impacts the way you approach your work: “Her influence is in the way she provides consultation so when I work on a project or collaborate with someone, I think about the steps she would advise me to take and what should be priority. Not a ‘one thing’ answer but it’s like a mental checklist I go through in my work now and it’s changed my approach for the best.”
The common thread between these three stories are that great managers:
Supports their team members by creating environments of trust and belonging
Advocate for their team members through growth opportunities such as professional development and promotions
Care about their team’s well-being and happiness
Listen and learn to improve as managers and provide the necessary support to their teams
As today’s workforce continues to prioritize healthy work environments, it is critical for today’s managers to recognize the qualities that make an effective leader. It is often easier to talk about bad managers, but by celebrating the ones who are doing an amazing job supporting their teams, we work towards normalizing and expecting qualities that make a great manager.
If you have a manager, you’d like to celebrate, send us an email at contact@novaliacollective.com and tell us about them. We’d love to continue sharing stories of great managers!