6 Essential Traits of Highly Effective Managers - Do You Have Them?

Some managers inspire and motivate, but many fail miserably to engage their employees. The entertainment industry seems to have created the ultimate formula for the "bad manager" character, so why can't real managers understand how to be more effective? When employees choose to leave a position, it's often because of their manager or relationships with people in their working environment. People quit people, not jobs.

An "effective" manager takes responsibility for ensuring that each individual within his department succeeds and that the team or business unit achieves results. Successful managers require both talent and skill. Managerial skills can be developed through training, mentoring, and experience. But if a manager is void of natural talent, then the odds that he will be successful diminish significantly.

The most productive companies are typically more proactive than their peers when it comes to identifying and developing effective managers. The top six common managerial success traits include communication, leadership, adaptability, relationships, development of others, and personal development.

1. Communication. A manager with strong communication skills is able to instruct as well as he listens. Managers who can communicate effectively can process information and then relate it back to their teams clearly. Effective managers should be able to understand, decipher, and relate the organization's vision back to their employees in order to maintain productivity. Conversely, ineffective communicators will miss the point of what they’re being told, won’t be able to recognize the impact on their team, or will fail to share the message with their team.

2. Leadership. Leadership is a crucial attribute that many managers lack despite their job title. It is common practice for companies to promote employees who achieve the best individual results, but sometimes the best salesman doesn't make the best manager. True leaders are able to instill trust,...