High Performance by Design

What separates a strong manager from a less effective one???

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The essence of great management isn’t just about driving results.? Great managers take a balanced approach to driving results by building and serving high performing teams. They do this by selecting the right people, pointing those people toward clear goals, keeping them motivated, and ensuring they are continuously growing. This holistic approach is what separates effective managers from exceptional ones.?

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1. Picking the Right People?

One of the foundational elements of great management is talent selection. According to a Gallup study, companies that hire based on a candidate’s natural talents outperform their peers by 10% in productivity and 30% in profitability. It’s not just about filling roles—it’s about identifying individuals whose strengths align with the company’s mission and culture. When you pick the right people, you lay the foundation for sustainable success. Right now you’re saying, “But Greg, I inherited this team.” If you don’t have the team you want and aren’t taking steps to develop people, move people, or find people, then you’re picking the team you inherited. If you’re not changing it, you’re choosing it.??

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2. Pointing in the Right Direction?

As a manager, it’s on you to provide clarity. You set the guiding stars that help the team shape their work. What’s our vision? Our strategy? Our success measures/OKRs? Research from Harvard Business Review suggests that 70% of employees feel most engaged when they understand how their work contributes to the company’s overall objectives. Leaders who set clear expectations and link individual roles to organizational goals drive engagement and higher performance.?

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3. Keeping People Motivated?

Motivation is key to sustained performance. Gallup's State of the American Workplace report highlights that highly engaged teams see a 21% increase in profitability. A great manager understands the power of recognition, coaching, feedback, and providing autonomy. They tap into intrinsic motivators like purpose and personal development, ensuring their team stays engaged and activated even when challenges arise.?

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4. Keeping People Growing?

Continuous development is critical for retention and team morale. According to LinkedIn’s Workforce Learning Report, 94% of employees would stay longer at a company if it invested in their career development. Managers who foster growth by offering coaching and mentorship, skill-building opportunities, and challenges create an environment where employees feel valued and motivated to contribute at their highest level.?

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Great management is not just about overseeing tasks; it’s about nurturing people. By carefully selecting the right talent, giving clear direction, fostering motivation, and prioritizing growth, managers can create teams that are not only high-performing but also resilient and engaged. In a competitive business landscape, these practices aren’t just nice-to-haves—they’re essential for sustained success. Leaders who manage a team as their primary responsibility will create an environment that engages and empowers people, not only driving better results, but cultivating a culture where employees thrive and remain committed for the long haul.?

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In case you missed it, we have started a YouTube channel (@ultraleadership)! Our goal with the channel aligns with our mission: Enable leaders who want to go beyond usual and ordinary to engage, empower, and activate people and teams to shape the future consciously and confidently. Have a look and let us know in the comments what you thought.?

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Cheers,?

Greg?

About the Author???

Dr. Greg Giuliano is an advisor and executive coach to senior executives and teams all over the world, designing change leadership and team development strategies to lead organizational transformation. His mission is to help leaders and teams grow their capacity to enable positive disruption for markets, organizations, teams, and individuals.????

Greg is the author of the #1 Amazon Bestsellers The Next Normal, Ultra Leadership, and The Hero’s Journey: Toward a More Authentic Leadership.?????