The Magic Qualities of Future Managers

20 May 2011

In preparation for the launch of our Rising Stars Management School (watch this space), I’ve been talking to business owners about their up-and-coming team members. These are the people who show great promise and who need to have something to aim for if they are to stay with the business. 

It’s been surprisingly hard to pin down what those magic qualities are, so in no particular order, here are the top 10 so far:

• Enthusiasm
• Integrity
• Good under pressure
• A team player
• Good communicator
• Supports / mentors others
• Flexibility
• Willingness to be challenged / humility
• Transparency
• Values and trusts others

It would be nothing short of a miracle to get all of these qualities in one perfectly-formed person, so I’d be very interested to know which 3 you would put at the top.

We also agreed on some super-human attributes like clairvoyance and the ability to be in many places at once. No harm in dreaming!

So, once we’ve identified some real potential in a team member and want to see them grow as part of our business rather than with the competition, what do we do? Do we promote them to a management role and hope for the best, the good old fashioned “sink or swim” approach to people development? No, we sign them up for the Rising Stars Management School, where young entrepreneurs will develop the skills and confidence to succeed and deliver the best for your business.