10 Traits That Make a Good Manager

Good managers can make a business. Skilled managers inspire their teams, make strong decisions and support their teams with professional growth. Poor managers can hold a business back because they can leave teams demotivated or complicate working processes.

If you’re an aspiring manager yourself – or you’re looking to take the next step in your managerial career – it’s good to know what you should be working towards.

Here, we will walk through the essential qualities and soft skills that set good managers apart and show how these qualities shape both daily interactions and long-term success.

You need to express your ideas in a way that others can easily understand. Clear communication helps your team know what is expected and reduces confusion. It also makes it easier for people to share their own thoughts with you.

Strong managers use both speaking and listening skills. When you listen actively, you show respect for your team and gain useful insights. This makes employees feel valued and more willing to contribute.

Good communication also means being transparent. Sharing updates, goals and decisions openly builds trust. You should also adapt your style to fit the situation. For example, a team meeting may need detailed explanations, while a quick check-in may only need a short update. This flexibility helps you avoid misunderstandings.

People work harder and with more focus when they believe in the purpose behind their tasks. Your role in employee engagement is to connect daily work with a bigger goal that feels meaningful. When you do that you are inspiring your team to stay engaged and committed.

Motivation is always a lag indicator. It happens after action, and often comes from clear communication and consistent encouragement. When you explain why a project matters and show confidence in your team, you give them a reason to put in their best effort. Recognising progress, even in small steps, helps maintain momentum.

Building trust also plays a key part in motivation. If your team feels respected and supported, they are more likely to stay motivated during difficult periods. Demonstrating empathy and active listening strengthens this trust.

You can also motivate your team by setting achievable goals and celebrating results. Clear goals and a positive company culture encourage stronger employee performance. By creating an environment that values effort and growth, you help your team stay motivated over time.

You’ll face many choices each day as a manager, from setting priorities to resolving conflicts. Strong decision-making helps you act with clarity and avoid delays that can hold back your team.

Good decision-making involves weighing facts, considering risks and choosing a path that supports both short-term needs and long-term goals. You must balance being decisive with staying flexible when conditions change.

When you make informed choices, you build trust within your team. People respect managers who explain their reasoning and remain consistent in their approach. This creates stability and reduces uncertainty.

Effective managers also know when to involve others in decisions. Seeking input from your team encourages collaboration and leads to better outcomes. This is a key tactic in the democratic leadership style, but it is an important skill all managers should master.

Your ability to decide under pressure matters as well. In fast-paced environments, hesitation can cause missed opportunities. By practising clear judgement and learning from past results, you strengthen your decision-making capability over time.

As a manager, you need to understand not only tasks and goals but also the emotions of the people you lead. Emotional intelligence helps you recognise feelings in yourself and others, which improves how you respond in different situations.

When you show empathy, your team feels understood and supported. Research highlights that empathy is one of the most important leadership skills, especially in workplaces where stress and change are common.

Emotional intelligence also strengthens communication. By noticing tone, body language and mood, you can adjust your approach and avoid misunderstandings. This creates clearer dialogue and builds trust within your team.

Strong emotional intelligence allows you to manage conflict more effectively. You can recognise underlying concerns, address them calmly and guide your team towards practical solutions. This skill helps maintain focus and respect even during difficult conversations.

Leaders with high emotional intelligence often create healthier work environments. They can boost morale, adapt their style where needed and help their teams build resilience during times of uncertainty. These abilities make it easier for you to balance performance with wellbeing.

You cannot manage everything on your own. Delegation allows you to share tasks with your team so you can focus on higher priorities. It also gives team members the chance to develop new skills and take ownership of their work.

Effective delegation means matching the right task with the right person. You should consider each team member’s strengths, skills, and interests before assigning responsibilities. This approach helps improve performance and builds confidence in their abilities.

When you delegate, you also show trust in your team. Trust encourages accountability and strengthens working relationships. Delegation builds trust by showing that you value your employees’ judgement.

Clear communication is essential. You need to explain expectations, deadlines and desired outcomes without micromanaging. Providing guidance, like time management support, while allowing autonomy helps your team feel supported yet independent.

Delegation is not only about efficiency. It is also about empowering your team to contribute more fully. Empowering your team through delegation encourages initiative and responsibility, which benefits both the individual and the organisation.

You set the standard for your team when you take responsibility for your actions. Accountability means owning both successes and mistakes, and showing that you are willing to be held to the same expectations as everyone else. This builds trust and respect among your employees.

Integrity goes hand in hand with accountability. When you act with honesty and fairness, your team sees that you value transparency and ethical behaviour. A good manager demonstrates integrity, creating a workplace where people feel safe to speak openly and contribute their best.

Employees are more likely to follow your lead when they know you will keep your word. Demonstrating accountability and integrity helps you establish credibility, which is essential for long-term leadership.

By practising these qualities daily, you create a company culture where accountability is shared. Your team learns that responsibility is not about blame but about improvement and growth. This approach encourages consistent performance and strengthens collaboration.

You will face constant shifts in workplace priorities, technology and team needs. Being adaptable means you can adjust your approach without losing focus on goals. This skill helps you guide your team through uncertainty with steady direction.

When you adapt, you show resilience and flexibility. You can respond to challenges quickly, rather than sticking to outdated methods. Adaptability also supports problem-solving. You can evaluate new information, consider different perspectives and adjust your decisions accordingly. This makes you more effective in complex or changing situations.

Adaptability is a key leadership quality that supports problem-solving and creativity, because it requires you to think outside the box – and often fast. It also plays a central role in managing change successfully. By improving this skill, you prepare yourself to handle both expected and unexpected challenges.

You can develop adaptability through practice. Seek feedback, remain open to new ideas and test different approaches. Over time, these habits make it easier for you to respond to change with confidence.

As a manager, you will face disagreements between team members. Handling these situations quickly and fairly helps prevent tension from growing and keeps projects on track.

You need to listen to each side without judgement. This shows respect and helps you understand the real cause of the issue. Strong listening skills are a foundation for resolving disputes in a constructive way.

Clear communication is also essential. When you explain expectations and decisions in a direct manner, you reduce confusion and create trust. Effective conflict resolution skills are vital for maintaining productivity and positive relationships.

Encouraging collaboration instead of competition can also reduce conflict. When you guide your team to find solutions together, they are more likely to accept the outcome and feel valued.

A good manager also stays calm under pressure. If you remain composed, you set the tone for others and prevent emotions from escalating the conflict. Developing these management skills not only helps you solve problems but also supports a healthier work environment.

Strategic thinking helps you understand where your team or organisation is heading and how to get there. This skill allows you to make decisions that support both short-term needs and future growth.

A good manager develops a clear vision and communicates it in a way that others can follow. Your vision should connect the team’s work to the wider goals of the organisation. This helps people understand why their efforts matter and how they contribute to success.

Strategic leadership involves planning for change and adapting to challenges. You should stay informed about trends, risks and opportunities in your field. By doing this, you can guide your team with confidence and prepare them for what lies ahead.

Research shows that strategic leadership requires balancing short-term demands with long-term priorities. You must be able to adjust your approach without losing sight of the bigger picture. This balance helps keep your team focused and resilient.

Developing vision and strategic thinking takes practice. You can improve these skills by reflecting on past decisions, learning from others, and staying open to new ideas. Over time, this will strengthen your ability to lead with clarity and purpose.

You strengthen your team when you invest in their growth. Providing opportunities for training, mentoring and new responsibilities helps people build skills they can use in their current role and future roles.

Encouraging professional development shows that you value your team members’ long-term success. This builds trust and improves motivation, as employees see that you care about more than short-term results.

You can support development by setting clear goals, offering constructive feedback and giving access to resources such as workshops or online learning. Good managers create an environment where employees can learn and improve. Professional development can focus on larger goals, like securing employees’ promotions, or smaller goals, like improving time management.

Practical steps include pairing less experienced staff with mentors, rotating tasks to broaden skills and supporting attendance at industry events. These actions not only increase knowledge but also help people feel more engaged in their work.

By promoting growth, you also prepare your team to handle new challenges. Strong managers focus on building future capability, not just meeting today’s demands. This approach benefits both the individual and the organisation.

So, you know what makes a great manager. But if you’re just starting out on your journey or you’re in the early stages of management, how do you get there?

Training is key to succeeding as a manager. The best leaders out there will have some level of leadership training behind them. As an ILM-accredited training provider, we can support aspiring or existing managers to be the best leader they can be, backed by the most trusted management membership body around.

We have a course that suits everyone, each one backed by the unique insights of neuroscience to give you the edge over the competition:

ILM Level 2 Young Leaders Award – perfect for aspiring managers, or those taking their first steps into leadership, this course builds key foundational skills.

ILM Level 5 Leadership and Management – this course is for more established managers who want to take the next step into senior management.

Certificate in Neuroscience of Leadership – our flagship course that creates influential leaders who use neuroscience to unlock their skills and unleash their team’s potential.

Women in Leadership – our course designed specifically for women in leadership, with a focus on how to deal with the barriers women face in the workplace.

Effective management depends on clear communication, sound decision-making and the ability to build trust with your team. Emotional intelligence, motivation and responsibility also play a central role in how you guide others and achieve results.