When it comes to managing a team, it’s important to 
display not only confidence, but the leadership qualities that will allow your team to feel good about your management skills. Without effective leadership, an otherwise talented team can flounder, while strong management can help a team soar. So, what are some of the qualities of leadership, and how do you utilize them to your team’s advantage?
1. Balance motivation and management
A great manager should balance authority and approachability. This can be a delicate dance, but a leader who does it well can guide employees and make sure team members feel heard and supported. Effective managers help their team work together efficiently while also helping advance each individual employee’s skills and career. This can be partly accomplished through employee motivation. Managers who show appreciation for their team members help employees feel confident and proud of their hard work. When managers take the time to show their employees that they value their hard work and dedication, employees feel recognized and empowered in their roles. This translates to better satisfaction in the workplace and better morale within a team.
Successful managers also understand how to delegate appropriately by choosing to play to each employee’s strengths. This requires managers have strong observation and communication skills and that they take the time to get to know team members’ individually. These particular leadership qualities are vital when it comes to giving the right work to the right person. Recognizing employees’ strengths also leads to increased motivation in the workplace and helps increase the likelihood that each employee will succeed in their role.
2. Problem-solve and find solutions
A strong manager must be able to problem-solve when something difficult comes up. Whether it’s a problem between employees or an issue with the work itself, a good leader will use all the management skills they have to resolve the issue. Communication is extremely important in this case, as a manager will need to work with any team members involved to find out where the problem originated. From there, it’s helpful to brainstorm with the team to come up with potential solutions for resolving the issue.
Meanwhile, the delicate balance of management and motivation comes into play here—while good managers want employees to feel valued and supported, final decision-making and conflict resolution will be up to the manager alone. A manager must feel confident working with the information they have to make a decision and move forward.
3. Successful management leads to company success
Effective leadership helps employees feel involved, driven and inspired to work hard. A manager cannot be successful without strong communication skills and the confidence to make decisions and seek out solutions when it’s time. Our management team works together with employees to create a company culture where we can all thrive and advance to reach career goals.
At Mission Fed, we value the qualities of leadership and we work to develop leadership skills in our employees. We are committed to our employees’ success because they serve our membership—the reason Mission Fed was founded. I believe that understanding the qualities of leadership is central to managing any team well, and, ultimately, effective management is one of the keys to company success.
The content provided in this blog consists of the opinions and ideas of the author alone and should be used for informational purposes only. Mission Federal Credit Union disclaims any liability for decisions you make based on the information provided. References to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name in this article by Mission Federal Credit Union is for the information and convenience of its readers and does not constitute endorsement, control or warranty by Mission Federal Credit Union.
