The Filene Research Institute is a think tank aimed at helping credit unions find ways to operate smarter, more efficiently, and more effectively. An acquaintance of mine who manages a credit union shared one of Filene’s reports with me. The title of the report is “Attributes and Skills of Highly Effective Credit Union Managers,” but most of the findings, it seems to me, would apply equally to all managers, not just to credit union managers. So I edited the report to remove the few things that did apply only to credit unions, and to make it applicable to managers in general, not just to credit union managers. The result may give you some ideas about how well your managers (and you!) are managing. To see that result, please continue reading below.
“At the end of the day, you bet on people, not strategies.” – Larry Bossidy, Allied Signal
Managers and supervisors, more than anyone else, influence employee job satisfaction, productivity, and ultimately, turnover. So it’s critically important to have the right people in those management positions. According to the Filene report, the managers and supervisors you really want are:
- Fast learners – the best managers are quick studies and adept problem-solvers.
- Energized – they have stamina and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
- Decisive – great managers do not depend on data alone to make their decisions. They also depend heavily on their own experience, insights, and intuition.
- Good communicators – top managers communicate effectively with subordinates, peers, and superiors alike.
- Goal oriented – a good manager wants to be given outcomes to be achieved, but with the freedom to achieve those outcomes their own way. They resist micro-management.
- Independent thinkers – they don’t simply follow the herd or “go with the flow” when they think the direction is wrong. They have the courage to voice a contrary view.
Managers and supervisors who have these sorts of traits and behaviors are going to be high performers, but you can’t drive them, you need to lead them. So if you want high-performing managers, you must know . . . or learn . . . how to lead them. It may be easier and less stressful to have managers in place who will simply do what they’re told and who won’t challenge your decisions. But while such managers may help you keep your boat afloat, they won’t be the ones to help you meet the challenges you will face to propel it forward.
