The Hindu Business Line : Leader Speak

An effective manager is often described as having a vision of where to go and the ability to articulate it. Visionaries thrive on change and being able to draw new boundaries.

One of the most important things a manager must remember is that his or her actions, and not words, set the modus operandi for the team. Good managership demands commitment to, and demonstration of, ethical practices. He/she must have the ability to delegate tasks.

Trust is an essential element in the relationship of a manager and his or her team. Manager has to demonstrate his or her trust in others through actions. Individuals who are unable to trust other people often fail as managers.

A manager can best be defined as a strong person who provides the substance that holds the team together in common purpose toward the right objective.

Plain and simple, we don't like managers who are negative — they bring us down. One wants the manager who leads them do so with enthusiasm, with a bounce in their step, with a can-do attitude. Enthusiastic managers are committed to their goals and express this commitment through optimism. Enthusiasm is contagious, and effective managers know it.

Another quality is empathy. It presupposes the existence of the object as a separate individual, entitled to his or her own feelings, ideas and emotional history.

Understanding what your people, your customers, your suppliers and even your competitors are going through is critical to making intelligent decisions when business conditions are difficult. The caring part of empathy, especially for the people with whom you work, is what inspires people to stay with a manager when the going is tough.

In a perfect world, projects would be delivered on time, under budget. and with no major problems. But we don't live in a perfect world — projects have problems. A manager with a hardy attitude will take these problems in stride. When encountered with a stressful event, they consider it interesting, they feel they can influence the outcome and they see it as an opportunity. Out of the uncertainty and chaos of change, managers rise up and articulate a new image of the future that pulls everything together. The ability to communicate with people at all levels is almost always named as the second most important skill by managers and team members.