Qualities of a Good Manager

Fierce conducted a survey in October 2011 of more than 1,700 employees and executives to find out how employees perceive their relationships with supervisors and the key factors that distinguish between good managers and bad. Despite all the hype around “horrible bosses,” we found that more than 70% of respondents claimed to have a good working relationship with their supervisor. And communication is at the core of these positive employee-supervisor relationships.

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Employees who receive constructive feedback overwhelmingly have positive, productive connections with bosses and coworkers. 80% of respondents reported that the most important thing a boss can do is to solicit and value employee input, and 37% felt that it was also important for a manager to offer constructive feedback. Bottom line: everyone wants to be seen and heard, and managers should encourage multiple, sometimes competing, points of view.

Here are two ways managers can improve their communication skills to enrich workplace relationships:

• See Relationships, Inefficiency, and Your Career for more information.

Hold employees able to hear the truth: Be completely honest when an employee asks for the truth or needs to hear it. A great boss has the ability to be candid about employees' personal performances or the company's well-being without damaging relationships.

Seek diverse perspectives: Seek out multiple perspectives when making important decisions, inviting pushback and challenges. Insight will not only improve companywide decision making, it will also enrich relationships with employees.

• See How to Be a Good Manager for more information.

Halley Bock, CEO and president of Fierce, Inc., leadership development and training experts. www.fierceinc.com



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