Traits of a Good Business Mentor

What makes a good manager?

This week at Catalyst we’ve been unpicking the theme of management, discussing what makes a good manager and thinking about the common traits of some of the best managers we’ve had the pleasure of coaching and mentoring. Here’s what we found.

Top Traits of a Good Manager

Management text books and self-help guides regularly quote the common denominators of communication skills, the ability to make decisions and being able to think quickly under pressure. These are all important, but they aren’t the critical elements that transform a good manager into a great one. What makes a manager stand out from the crowd are the traits that take them from being someone who manages to someone who leads.

Becoming a leader

A good manager makes sure the daily operations of the business run smoothly. A great manager has the traits of a leader. Forbes has interesting insight into the major differences between a manager and a leader. These differences include being unique rather than following the herd, taking calculated risks, and always thinking long-term. Most importantly though, leaders build strong relationships – they don’t just focus on the processes. This is reflected in the strong managers who we’ve mentored and coached.

In her book, Dare to Lead, Dr Brene Brown describes a leader as someone who “takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes, and who has the courage to develop that potential”. We’ve found that once managers can unlock that ability, they become a step ahead of their peers.

The power of listening

Business Mentoring London

Traits of a good manager

To become a great leader, you need to learn about yourself, your staff and your business. This involves really listening to the people you work with and taking an honest, impartial look at your business to understand where things could be improved. It’s about being vulnerable, opening up to new ideas, challenging egos and asking big questions. Coaching and mentoring can really help with this new way of thinking and working.

How can Catalyst help?

At Catalyst, we help business leaders and senior managers across the UK unlock insight and transform business performance. We offer mentoring, and executive coaching programmes and group facilitation tailored to your needs and objectives.

We bring a powerful blend of practical business experience and a toolkit of techniques to deliver demonstrable and tangible results. That’s why 100% of our clients would recommend us to others. Take a look at some of our results.

If you’d like to talk to us about helping you or your managers to become the best they can be please get in touch.