Being a bad manager is a systemic issue that plagues many businesses, both large and small. Bad managers lead to inefficiency and revenue loss. Research now indicates that having a positive relationship with a manager can significantly impact job satisfaction. It will lead to employees, even remote employees, being more committed in the long term. Becoming a great manager, or ensuring your business develops great managers, can mean the difference between success and failure.
What makes a great manager, and what makes a bad one? And how can someone become a great manager, and what are examples of great managers?
Bad managers typically manage using fear. Fear is the most ultra-simplistic management style. Bad managers lean on it mostly because they just don’t have the other, more complex skill that would inevitably allow them to avoid fear-based tactics. Bad managers serve as a poor example for their teams. You can’t properly enforce attendance and timeliness when you frequently miss and are late yourself.
So, in business, what would make a great manager? As mentioned above, lead by example; here are some examples of managers.
Employees are way more responsive to managers who walk the walk and do as they ask others to do, and have the qualities of a leader. If you want your employees to work harder, show that you work harder yourself. When employees feel that their manager is skating on work ethic, it causes them to lose motivation.
Lose the fear-based tactics. Fear-based tactics, such as always threatening responses to unwanted behaviors, tend to arouse feelings of resentment. These people are working for your company; you don’t want them sitting at their desk looking for ways to “get through the day.” You want them fighting to increase the company’s profits. Fear-based management also tends to result in an environment fueled by negativity. Facing fear is the true definition of a leader.
Learn the art of persuasiveness. Create positive goals, such as revenue targets or project completion milestones, and back them with incentives. Let people know that when they complete goals, they are rewarded for their hard work. Oftentimes, companies operate on the “we already pay these people, they should get the job done” platform. That’s a fair philosophy; unfortunately, it doesn’t always play too well in the corporate reality. People love to feel challenged. They love that feeling of “winning something.”
Most of all, be nice. Even when criticizing, just be nice. Being consumed by anger will accomplish nothing. If someone can’t do the job, they shouldn’t be at the company. No amount of anger will change their inspiration or ability. Read the 7 traits of highly effective leaders
We are who they think we are. If they think we are hard workers, they will follow. Check out these great managers in history
Qualities of Best Leaders and Managers
Management is not an easy game. As a check writing service for many successful companies, we can tell you that companies that perform well are those that have excellent management.
If you want to scale to the more elite levels of the business world, you will need to develop (or hire) elite managers. A cohesive management team that reflects your company’s goals and ambitions can take you to amazing new places.
Here are a few core skills your managers should either have or develop.
Ability to Delegate: If you can’t understand when to delegate a task, you can’t be efficient: it is that simple. A manager’s ability to allocate work to the most qualified personnel within the company will save time, improve quality, and enhance the project. Not everyone is good at delegation because often, managers feel the need to “control things.” Being in control is great, but not being able to trust employees leads to a manager being overworked and a department that is overinflated.
Ability to Train: Managers need to be able to do things as well. Doing is teaching. If you manage a restaurant, you should know how to wash dishes. This enables you to train others to wash dishes, and then it empowers them to train new dishwashers. It’s a cycle of success.
Ability to Lead: If someone calls in sick, a great manager can step in and do their job. A great manager isn’t always the first one out the door. A great manager will never pass the blame; they accept failures just as they take credit for successes. A manager’s employees can sense a great leader.
Ability to Simplify: If a concept or project sounds too complicated, that’s the manager’s fault. A great manager can simplify ideas, concepts, and projects in a way that gets others to understand what they mean or how to execute them.
Ability to Predict Changes: A good manager has the intuition to anticipate changes, both in the core business and within their department. Being ahead of changes means being prepared. Employees are way more comfortable when they feel that everything is stable. Preparation is a comfort.
Your managers will make or break your business. If you have bad managers, you will have a difficult time evolving. And you will also have a tough time developing new ideas. Not to mention that your company’s unemployment payroll tax will become an inflated waste of time. So hey, have good managers.
The Insanely Awesome Way to Become a Better Leader
“Leadership is infinitely more about brains than it is about brawn. The right stuff is from the movies, and it doesn’t work in reality.” – Jocko Willink
Jocko Willink is a former Navy SEAL who consistently tapped out other Navy SEALs using Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The man is a machine. A natural leader who tames anyone within his eyesight.
I read this amazing story about him (actually, I listened to it). It was on author Tim Ferris’ radio show. It really inspired me and made me think, how can anyone just become a better leader by using simple tactics? So I made up a list (mind you, it is not going to be as good as Jocko’s radio show, but still).
Not knowing something is not only OK, but it can be perceived as inspirational. That last portion sounded strange, I am sure, but it is true. When a leader says, “I am not sure about this, let’s dig deeper,” it makes everyone around feel more confident in the leader’s skills. Because the key to success is the confidence to figure things out. Being able to say “you don’t know” without hesitation means you have the confidence to learn new things. You aren’t concerned with appearances.
You should analyze situations rather than react quickly. Get the information. Then react. If you often react too quickly, people will lose faith in your ability to lead. They lose confidence in your words. Your words are your bible. Your actions are a reflection of your perception of others.
Don’t be afraid to admit you failed. Great business leaders often discuss how they failed more often than they succeeded. Failure is just a speed bump on the way to success. Hey, don’t forget to check out that radio show. It is pretty awesome.
How to Be an Eloquent Leader With Grace
Sounds out of this world, but it’s not. It’s really not! Times have changed, and today we are more driven by leaders who engage with everything and everyone around them. They want to hear employees’ voices and welcome criticism. Why? Because you want more than one set of eyes, one mind, and one opinion to grow a business. Sure, you may have one leader, but it takes a whole team and company to fulfill a mission statement. What’s my point? You are already on your way to being a better-equipped leader if you have the ability to listen and work with others. Here are three pieces of advice to help you become an eloquent leader with grace.
Simplicity Conquers All
You might not believe this, but being simple is much more challenging than being complicated. Simplify things and find clarity. Collaborate with other employees to identify each person’s strengths and weaknesses. Knowing who does what and who is the best at what can make you handle almost anything with ease. Sure, there are always fires to put out in business, but try to avoid the unnecessary ones.
Kick Fear in the Rear
If you are a leader, you have to face fear almost every second of every day. You cannot be scared to fail. Things happen, and things fall apart. However, to shy away from taking action to avoid failure is not the way to lead, and most definitely not the way to lead with grace. Go ahead with your fears, and you will reward yourself with the most amazing results when you succeed. Success often comes when you are out of your comfort zone. You must remember that!
Find Time to Learn
Do it for yourself and for everyone you lead. Make time to read articles, conduct research, and even watch a documentary. The more well-read you are, specifically in your line of business, the better off you and your entire company will be. We have found this to be true in our payroll outsourcing firm.
Sometimes it really is the little things. If you hold a leadership role, you are likely strong-willed and well-equipped to be an effective leader. Take this piece of advice and put it to good use. You might just find yourself to be one of the top and most eloquent leaders. Just remember… simple, fearless, and well-read.
Last updated: October 2025