6 Skills Your Potential Manager Needs Before You Promote Them

As your team grows, you are inevitably going to have to look for good leaders within your team to help manage.  Chances are, however, that the person you choose will have little or no managerial experience.  How, then, do you determine who you should promote? Selecting a manager is a big task.  Managers have the ability to make or break their organizations.  As you go about your search for a potential manager, keep in mind that great managers usually possess the following 6 skills.

  1. Good Communication Skills

It’s one thing for a manager to know what needs to get done but it’s an entirely different thing to communicate that clearly to your team.  Great managers possess good communication skills and know how to get everyone on the same page so they can work toward a common goal.  They have the ability to communicate effectively both verbally and with the written word.  Managers who communicate well are more likely to become better problem solvers and their communication skills help them to build better employee relationships.

  1. Ability to Make Decisions

Managers are in responsible for making decisions on a daily basis.  Some decisions are routine while others might be tough, but either way, a good manager needs to be decisive.  Candidates who aren’t afraid to act swiftly will be more efficient and more productive.  Strong leaders possess the ability to make difficult decisions with diligence and confidence.

  1. Responsibility

Managers need to understand that they are in charge and are responsible for the performance of their team, including their successes and their failures.  Good managers take the time to pay close attention to their employees and understand they are responsible for helping them improve and become better professionals.  Likewise, they are reliable and can be trusted to handle even the most difficult tasks.

  1. Empathy

The best managers are those who are understanding and genuinely care about the well-being of their employees.  This means that they are willing to listen to their employees and take their needs and feelings into consideration.  Instead of drowning their employees in work for their own benefit, they have the ability to put themselves in their employees’ shoes and imagine what it’s like to do their jobs.

  1. Time Management

If you want to ensure that you have a productive manager you will want to look for a candidate who possesses strong time management skills.  Good time management allows managers to accomplish more in a shorter period of time, which leads to increased productivity.  It also allows for more free time which will open up additional learning opportunities and professional growth for employees.

  1. Organizational Skills

When we think of organization we might envision a desk that is neat and color-coded but for managers, organization plays a bigger role.  They are responsible for meeting project deadlines, preparing reports, and handling the daily tasks of an entire group.  This requires a well-organized candidate who is able to keep track of everything that needs to get done while communicating these tasks effectively to their team.