How to Identify Management Qualities

culled from:wikihow.com

Managers are required to be leaders who communicate and work well with others. Finding just the right person to train or groom as a manager can be complicated. Many people have the personal characteristics of a good manager but lack the business or professional skills. Others have great managerial talents professionally but lack the personality that is needed to be an effective manager. Identify management qualities by looking for a blend of personal and professional characteristics that demonstrate the knowledge, skills and talents of a good manager.

Method 1 of 2: Identifying Personal Management Qualities

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   Look for a sense of optimism. A good manager needs to have hope for the future and a vision for how to get there. A positive attitude will also motivate employees and boost the team morale. 

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   Notice creativity. This is a management quality that shows up as the ability to solve problems in new ways, and the spark in a process that gets people thinking independently and taking risks.
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   Identify motivation. Self-motivation is an important management quality because it means you are a self-starter and able to inspire yourself and others to act.
   • Look for self-confidence as well. Without being arrogant, a good manager is confident and decisive.
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   Make sure there is a flexible and calm personality. Good managers are able to change direction smoothly and adapt to those changes while staying calm and focused.
   • Remember that emotions are okay, but should not drive business or leadership decisions. Having a calm and balanced approach to dealing with unexpected problems or sudden changes will demonstrate the ability to manage.
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   Identify people who are dependable. Being reliable is a management quality. Many people trust and count on managers, from subordinates to superiors to clients and customers.
   • Notice how often someone actually does what he says he is going to do. This is a sign of dependability. Timeliness, honesty and personal integrity are also signs that a person is dependable.

Method 2 of 2: Identifying Professional Management Qualities

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   Look for organizational skills. Organization is an important management quality because keeping track of clients, projects and your own team members is necessary.
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   Assess industry knowledge. Whether the business is medicine, real estate, advertising or truck driving, a good manager will understand the industry and stay current in the field.
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   Identify delegation skills. In the professional workplace, a manager must know when to delegate. Otherwise, he or she will become overwhelmed with work and employees will feel like they are not trusted.
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   Notice communication skills. An essential management quality is the ability to communicate with people at all levels.
   • Note the ability to communicate verbally and in writing. Good managers often do better with one form of communication over the other, but they must be able to write a clear email as well as they can hold an in-person meeting.
   • Remember that giving and receiving constructive criticism is part of communication, and a necessary management quality. Criticism should be delivered in a helpful, non-threatening way.
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   Watch how relationships are developed. A good manager will be able to initiate and maintain relationships with customers, superiors, team members and people at all different levels.
   • Look for a team player. The willingness to pitch in is a great management quality. Collaboration is essential to success.
   • Identify the ability to value others. Good managers are not threatened by people who are smarter or better at something. They will value the contributions of every team member.