Workplace managers have a multitude of responsibilities that are continuously evolving. In themselves their mindset should be focused on high performance. On the other hand they still have to create a culture based on competitiveness and teamwork. Included in the manager’s tasks is the responsibility towards the business and its healthy and active growth. The manager must know the business pulse externally and internally, more so than the staff who are in-charge of the day-to-day business activities. To top these all off, managers must earn the trust of colleagues immediately to harness team collaboration and unity that is focused on transparency, communication and loyalty, which are the guiding principles behind a healthy work environment.

Proactive managers

The traits described above are almost instinctive for a great manager. They know exactly how to address their teams’ needs. They can be creative in finding ways to motivate team members because they take the time to learn the engagement levels, attitude, mindset and moods of each member of the team. They have a way on how to turn stress and down times into productive opportunities.

Earning employees’ trust

What makes or breaks a team is the level of trust the employees have with the manager. A bad manager can break the career of the employees. Conversely, if the manager fails to secure the trust of people under him, then team performance will obviously be lacking and there is the possibility of frequent employee turnover.

What should a manager do then? Here are some tips:

Build rapport within the team. It is not easy to build rapport. You must be a good listener, make good notes and make follow-throughs quickly. You should also be proactive in addressing your own requirements and needs to be successful.

Be diplomatic all the time.

Learn to be authentically and politically correct. You should always do the right thing and know when to have trade-offs so you could have greater influence and better opportunities later. Exercise good judgment at all times, give support to your team and maintain harmony, particularly if egos come into play. Remember that your team’s perception of how good a manager you are is of utmost importance.

Be a credible manager.

Be someone who knows how to follow through, keeps his word and has a solid reputation as a team player. He earns respect through his performance and for being both a sponsor and mentor to his team members. He wants to win so is not afraid of rolling up his sleeves and getting his hands dirty. He knows what drives the business and propels his team members to achieve their goals. A credible manager does not have any hidden agenda, knows how to get good results and how they should go forward.

Know how to find solutions for conflicts.

Learn how to solve problems by empowering others to make recommendations and suggestions to effectively manage conflicts. A good manager involves the team in addressing problems and in finding solutions. Turn conflicts into opportunities so that you can boost team relationships and teach them a valuable lesson in conflict management.

Earn trust by being a strong and firm communicator.

Get to know everyone in your organization and take the time to regularly communicate with them, particularly those that have the potential to influence decisions and outcomes. This will greatly help you when you communicate with your team members because they know that you care for their contributions and their interests. With proper communication, what you build is a strong interdependency among people leading to stronger alliances in the workplace that will further enhance your teamwork.

Trust is difficult to earn, but if you persevere and know the right methods, you can be an effective leader and a good manager. Learn people skills, learn how to be an inspiration to others and provide a vision to obtain achievable and realistic results.