John Wright, India’s Cricket Coach, and Manager was responsible for bringing in a work culture and ethics, hitherto unknown to an Indian sports team.  During his time as the coach, the cricket team went on to win many laurels for themselves and for the country.  When he was going to quit from his post, to spend more time with his family, some of the Indian players went to his home in New Zealand and begged his wife to allow him to continue as their coach and mentor and not to leave.  Many of them cried on this sad occasion.

Such is the effect of great coaches and managers.  We think that they are invincible and would like to see them in these roles forever.  There are lots of instances from sports, history, and politics of great managers who have written themselves into history books and have made a huge difference to the lives of the wards that they have managed.

Who makes for a good manager? Good managers are essential to any successful organization. An exceptionally good manager achieves a hard working, productive and effective workforce that far exceeds expectations.

Good managers attract exceptional staff and inspire their teams to become committed to 'go the extra mile.'

The key to successful management is the relationship between the manager and his or her staff. It’s the manner in which managers manage people that separate the ordinary from the good and the exceptional.

Qualities of a good manager

• Build staff that is committed to the organization
  
  
• Are friendly and approachable
  
  
• Are transparent in their communication
  
  
• Know how to resolve conflicts as they arise and handle negative behavior effectively
  
  
• Empower, inspire and motivate 
  
  
• Walk the talk
  
  
• Be the change that they want to see in their teams
  
  
• Set clear and achievable goals
  
  
• Value and recognize each member’s contributions
  
  
• Manage change effectively
  
  
• Seek continuous improvement

It is difficult to define who makes for a good manager.  But looking at some case studies would give us a better understanding of how things work.  A manager walks into a department and greets everyone with a general 'good morning'. This might seem like an insignificant event but it is not. We have seen managers strut into the office in the morning and start barking out orders. “John do this, Jill do that, Henry did you finish that work, Jane please do not make the same errors as the last time!!!!” Being friendly and considerate helps.

Good listening is essential for good management. A junior staff requests a meeting with the manager and the manager allots a time for the meeting.  When you are talking to a staff keep all attention on the conversation, calls from your wife to pick up the laundry, a call from your child pestering you to buy a new cell phone are things that have no place in the meeting or in the office.  When you listen to your employees, you give the impression that you have all the time in the world for them and that their problems and concerns mean a lot to you and are of considerable importance.

Every company needs good managers.  The success and the bottom line of an organization is affected by the leadership team that they hire.  Great managers put out the fires, keep their team motivated to perform better and empower their workforce to embrace a culture of life-long learning.

But to be able to achieve this, it is important to train your managers. You can then expect your employees to be more engaged and increase their performance and productivity. Your turnover rates will decrease and your star employees will stick around.  You will become a competitive force in the marketplace, potentially earning a greater share of the market.