Recall any undesirable employment you have ever had that you can think of before hiring a new manager. Was it as a result of a poor manager? If the answer to this question is yes, it probably won’t come as a surprise to you to learn that 82% of companies struggle to find a manager they can trust.
That’s unfortunate because if you consider all that managers do, you’ll see how crucial they are to any company’s success: they oversee daily operations, create company culture, interact often with consumers, and hire, develop, and coach staff. Therefore, if your manager isn’t up to par, they run the risk of seriously disrupting the operations of your small firm.
So how do you go about hiring a manager who will both help you achieve your company goals and be a great leader to your staff? How do you tell the good apples from the bad? In this article, we’ll examine four attributes of an ideal manager.
4 Top Traits To Look For When Hiring A New Manager
Since every manager has a different professional path, amount of work experience, and skill set, it is challenging to pinpoint the exact requirements for selecting a manager. But one thing is certain: Without a capable manager, no company can function.
No matter your industry, these are the four fundamental qualities that every business owner should look for in a manager:
1. Trustworthiness
Although it’s important to have trust in your workers, it’s even more important to have trust and confidence in your managers. In addition to counting on them to manage confidential papers, money, and budgeting, you’ll also need them to take initiative, complete projects on their own, and keep staff members accountable for their job. For this reason, when you are sorting through potential managerial candidates, we advise asking for — and checking in with — references. Here are some examples of inquiries you could put to them:
- For this role, we need someone who can ____ (e.g., multi-task, budget, deal with customers, train employees). How would you rate this candidate’s ability to do that on a scale of 1 to 10?
- How does this candidate do with managing a team on a scale from 1 to 10?
- How often did this candidate fail to follow through with a task, and what are some common obstacles that get in their way?
- What are this candidate’s biggest strengths?
If you still have concerns about trusting new managers with your finances and money, you could also ask if they’re okay with you running a background check. Remind your new manager that the process is standard procedure for anyone entering the role and isn’t intended to be exclusionary.
2. Excellent Communication Skills
It cannot be emphasized enough: Managers require excellent communication abilities. They interact more than anyone else with coworkers, clients, and vendors. They ensure that everyone is aware of and in agreement with what has to be done on a daily basis. They convey the general business strategy and team members’ responsibilities while listening to employee input, coaching them through their difficulties, and overcoming obstacles. So how can you identify people who meet your high requirements and have outstanding communication skills? Here are some possible inquiries:
- How do you communicate with employees at the start of each work day?
- How would you handle a customer who said your employee overcharged them?
- How would you coach an employee who’s having a tough day at work?
- How would you describe our brand to a new employee?
- How would you describe our business mission?
3. Problem–Solving
A good manager should be able to act quickly when a situation calls for it and have a track record of successfully resolving difficulties in past positions. But how can you tell during an interview if a prospect has the ability to solve problems? Don’t you have to witness them in action to know? No, all you need are behavioral interview questions that you may use to learn how a candidate reacts or has behaved in particular work-related situations. You can use the following illustrations to help you come up with your own behavioral interview questions:
- Tell me about a time when you made a big mistake at work. How did you handle it at the time, and how did you resolve the issue in the long term?
- What’s one thing you’d do to make new employees feel welcome?
- Tell me about a time when you had several things to do at once. How did you organize or prioritize them?
4. Flexibility
In the world of small businesses, change is inevitable. Sometimes you’ll try out a novel method only to discover that it wasn’t effective. Alternatively, you might test out new goods and services that aren’t as well received by customers as you had hoped.
Additionally, it’s possible to experience challenges with staff turnover in specific sectors, such as the food service or retail, even when your business culture is solid. Flexible management is essential, especially if your small business is expanding quickly.So, what does a manager with great flexibility and adaptability look like?
- Industry Changes: Does your prospect realize that staying current with industry trends and changes will be expected of them? For your point of sale (POS) or inventory management systems, for instance, technology and software solutions may change annually. A good manager will be aware of this and be prepared to change their management style as needed.
- Changes In Business: Will your manager be up to the task of leading a bigger staff as your company expands? How will they manage a growing consumer base, too?
- Changes To Operations: Every firm must go through a period of growing pains and trial-and-error when it comes to policies and processes. Most likely, what worked during your first year of operation won’t work during your second or third. In light of this, consider whether your managerial candidate is willing to experiment with new approaches and processes.
Bottom Line
SW HR Consulting has been helping companies to build their teams and values for over 10 years. Contact us to find out more about our unique hr outsourcing services and see how our expertise can benefit you.
