The Ultimate Package: What Really Matters in Selecting a Manager

A good footballer can't necessarily become a great football team manager.

This expression heavily resonates in an organization, emphasizing the distinction between individual competence and leadership ability. Additionally, a Gallup study found that 82% of companies face challenges in selecting a suitable candidate for a manager.?

Managers play a critical role in ensuring that operations run well according to established procedures—navigating diverse skill sets, personalities, interests, and motivations toward a common goal.

But often, the selection of managers becomes very challenging. From my experience, we usually choose managers because they succeeded in previous roles or with considerations such as good technical skills, quality of work, and often achieving the KPI target.

This is necessary for basic parameters. But, apart from technical skills, we must not forget to highlight three essential skills that should be key indicators in selecting a manager:?

1. Management Skill

Management skill is about how a manager can coordinate and regulate all the resources, including both tangible and intangible assets, such as our team members. It starts with a good understanding of team workflow, tasks, team dynamics, and goals. Having a comprehensive knowledge of those aspects could help managers direct the team toward executing strategies that align with the company's goals.

Within our Operations and After-Sales Team, a key responsibility is onboarding new clients. This task becomes particularly challenging when we deal with big clients or projects involving tens and even hundreds of outlets, scattered across various regions of Indonesia. Additionally, accommodating special requests from clients adds another layer of complexity for us. However, with the right execution plan, everything can be done well. Starting with the appointment of the PIC, setting the project timeline with the client, mapping the team to be assigned, and the planning mechanism.

Significantly, before we start everything, we need to agree on expectations of customer needs and terms/conditions. This alignment ensures that services and operating costs can be effective and efficient to maximize the benefits obtained from the project for the company while creating maximum customer satisfaction.

2. Leadership Skill

We often hear that leadership is about vision. I think it can be meant that a manager needs to have a far-sighted outlook, to be able to map things that are likely to happen to take the team in the right direction—able to do planning and preventive not just reactive. Leadership is also about how to be an exemplary figure and encourage team members to reach their best potential.

In my experience as a manager, I have applied several key principles:

• Give instructions clearly, starting from the background why things should be done, goals, and ways to achieve.
• Build confidence in the team, wherein members feel confidence and freedom to explore the best way for them to work, to make decisions, and to give input or not ideas without fear while maintaining appropriate boundaries.

• Take responsibility when a team member makes a mistake, offer guidance, and reevaluate so that it does not repeat. This fosters self-growth and the team gradually becomes better and more mature.

3. Communication Skill

A manager has to be prepared to handle various responsibilities, such as coordinating with other team members, delegating tasks, ensuring team performance, creating team strategies, fostering a comfortable work environment for team members, or even engaging in office politics. Achieving success in these areas heavily relies on strong communication skills.

As a manager, there are times when I have to deliver difficult news. For example, when the team’s target is not achieved, it’s crucial to maintain optimism and focus on problem-solving or future solutions rather than dwelling on negativity. By communicating this clearly, we strive to motivate and inspire team members to refocus and achieve future targets.

Apart from performance and goals, it’s also essential to prioritize the well-being of the team members. Demonstrating care and empathy will have a positive impact on the sustainability of the team dynamics.

How does a company select the right manager?

1. Choosing a manager with objectives: Companies must establish a good selection program that tailors the required competencies specifically to the role.
2. Program Trainee: Of course, a person’s prior experience plays a major role in shaping a mature manager’s capabilities. However, they should be equipped with training so that they are more prepared to plunge into their role as a manager.
3. Promotion is not the only way to share appreciation or career development: It's essential to acknowledge that not everyone is suited for managerial roles, yet nearly everyone aspires to have career development opportunities. To accommodate this, companies can implement different initiatives such as training or other development programs. Another example is to establish an internal recruitment program to empower internal talents to explore alternative pathways for career progression within the organization.

Choosing the right manager can lead to several positive outcomes:

1. Improved Employee Morale and Engagement: A good manager inspires and motivates their team members, leading to higher levels of employee satisfaction, engagement, and productivity.
2. Effective Talent Development: A competent manager identifies and develops the strengths of their team members, providing opportunities for growth and advancement within the company. This helps to build a pipeline of skilled talent and fosters a culture of learning and development.
3. Positive Company Culture: A strong manager sets the tone for the team and contributes to a positive and inclusive company culture. This can attract top talent, improve employee retention, and enhance the company's reputation as an employer of choice.
4. Achievement of Strategic Objectives: A competent manager aligns their team's efforts with the company's strategic objectives, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently and goals are met effectively.

To conclude, being a good manager is not an easy thing, no exception to myself. Actively seeking feedback from our team members, peers, and also my direct user, the Vice President of Operations, is one strategy I employ to identify areas for my continuous learning and improvement. However, on the other side, I love helping people and being a manager provides me with the opportunity to positively impact the lives of many individuals.