Firstly let’s understand who is a Manager? Dictionary meaning of Manager is a person responsible for controlling or administering an organization or group of staff. In other words, the manager is responsible for overseeing and leading the work of a group of people.
Now we move on to the roles and responsibilities of a Manager
- Hiring and staffing
- Training new employees
- Coaching and developing existing employees
- Dealing with performance problems and terminations
- Supporting problem resolution and decision-making
- Conducting timely performance evaluations
- Translating corporate goals into functional and individual goals
- Monitoring and controlling expenses and budgets
- Tracking and reporting scorecard results to senior management
- Planning and goal-setting for future periods
In order to be able to deliver the above listed roles and responsibilities, one needs to possess certain set of skills as mentioned below:
- Leadership/ Mentoring and Coaching
- Communication/ Inter Personal skills
- Collaboration
- Project Management
- Critical Thinking
- Finance
In my career of close to one and half decade, I have had experience of reporting to different categories of managers. Some of these managers were just a few years more experienced, some close to a decade and some were from different generation and era (who had been part of IR and evolution of HR in the industry). In terms of designation, they were just one designation above me or Department Head or at VP level. This background is given to highlight the point that, no matter what level the Manager is, one should be able to connect to the junior most member of the team and most of my managers could do that.
The point I want to drive here is that, no matter what generation my managers belonged to or their position, the skill and attitude they displayed is what I liked, learned, absorbed and practise. First learning is the need to genuinely know your team, each and every member, their name/ background/ talent/ family. This is essential for you to connect with them and develop a rapport. Second, what are their strengths/ areas of developments/ their aspirations accordingly develop and nurture them. Third, stand for your team in challenging situations or during false allegations. You will not only earn their loyalty and respect for lifetime but set a good example for prospective managers. Fourth, appreciate your team members in public, to management, to other department heads. This will motivate the employee multi fold. Fifth, Self educating/ Self Development, another very important aspect to sustain and grow in the managerial role. You need to have an edge above your team, for you to be able to guide them and for them to learn from you. Lastly, inspire the team, educate them, train them, enhance their skills, and challenge them. Not that all will become managers but your job is to ensure that you put best efforts for all and identify the worthy ones. All of above qualities are put to practise by me whenever I wear the ‘HAT’ of a Manager. I still connect back with these Managers when I need guidance in my professional life. I respect them and consider them my ‘Gurus’, in the space of my HR experience.
The message that I want to emphasize through this article is that first, one does not become a manager only during the reviews or while setting the goals or while building a team or in crisis, it’s a continuous role, every single day you wear that ‘HAT’. Second, one will voluntarily or involuntarily imbibe the qualities of their managers, so let’s ensure we consciously develop all positive and constructive qualities and not inculcate the harmful or unproductive ones. Third, let’s be responsible towards the society we live in by identifying, developing and nurturing such talent, not just in the organisations we are associated with but in every opportunity or interaction, FOR the betterment of our organisation, our community and our country at large. I think we owe that to our Managers. Lastly, I believe that if we at individual level are a good human being/ positive/ happy state of mind, we will carry this attitude in the role of a Manager and set a good example.