Being a manager is a play of various roles. From a strategist to a mentor, a manager is the link that joins the loops in an organization, and all it takes for the chain to crumble is one severed link. In no way can an organization overlook the importance of managerial effectiveness in its structure.
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A manager’s role is to engage, collaborate, and lead, However, the manual effort can only take them so far. Reaching an optimal level of effectiveness without straining will require the organization to equip them with tools that enhance their efficacy as a manager and promote a positive outlook.
Combating common managerial woes to promote efficiency
Managers are team players, and there can be no team without trust. When in an interdependent environment, it is essential for all parties to discuss and keep an open flow of communication. This establishes a sense of safety in the mind of team members allowing the manager to harness their potential.
The fight or flight response
As per the Harvard Business Review, psychological safety is the key to high-performing teams. The study also highlights that in situations lacking such reassurances, disagreement with managers can trigger a fight or flight protocol in the brain. This response by definition bypasses the calm and collected mind needed to deal well with difficult situations. Such interactions can critically handicap the team structure and efficiency.
A manager needs to ensure that the team dynamic stays in place. They can do so by introducing a system that allows their teams to view their peers in the same light as themselves. By acting on their pain points and providing actionable feedback, a manager can guarantee the smooth functioning of their team.
Approaching conflict
Workplace conflict is a common occurrence; however, the manager’s approach towards conflict is what makes or breaks the team. If you approach conflict as an antagonist, there are chances of disengagement, criticism, and even distress. A manager, at all times, should focus on an approach that facilitates a mutually desirable outcome.
Managers must have a learning mindset, and effective managers can inspire the same in their teams; they should have the ability to turn criticism into curiosity. As per Gottman, criticism triggers a defensive response in people, which also goes for constructive criticism. So, what can managers do to put their thoughts out? Create curiosity. For instance, instead of stating a problem, ask for a solution. Making your team members accountable for aligning their individual goals with the goals of the team and organization can also help you deconstruct the concerned stressors.
Situational awareness
The role of a manager is empathetic in nature. The “human” factors play a great role in driving employee experience, which ultimately marks team success. . Recognizing patterns of behavior, drivers, and challenges in your team members can go a long way for you. It will also allow you to fairly consider each of your employee’s perspectives towards their work. Employing performance management systems can go a step further in offering valuable insight into the activities and mood of your direct reports. JOP is designed to support leaders by promoting collaboration and feedback exchanges within teams, along with transparency. feedback and acknowledgment. It can thus give managers leading indicators to foresee challenges before they become setbacks.
Maximizing managerial effectiveness
Before diving into a how-to for maximizing managerial effectiveness, let’s first discuss why it is important for corporations.
In today’s time, organizations look for scalability and promote managerial effectiveness via performance management tools and development activities ensures that their teams are getting helpful insights to make the transition smoother. Moreover, an efficient manager runs along with their team and addresses their concerns, which leads to decreased turnover rates. As per a study conducted by Northern Illinois University, companies with low turnover rates bring in four times higher profits. Now, what other reasons could we need to maximize managerial effectiveness in our organizations? So, let’s discuss how to get it done!
The fight or flight response Fostering responsiveness
Managers who work towards fostering responsiveness are better able to align their teams. Being responsive will allow you to sort high-value attributes in your employees that can be channeled to create a healthy and productive work environment. As per a report, only 42% of employees look forward to going to work, whereas the number is 84% for Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For.
Goal setting
Setting goals and objectives are essential at levels in an organization. It is even more crucial for managers as it helps them set their priorities right and share the effort across the teams for a more collaborative experience. Managers who share trusting relationships with their teams are able to gauge and encourage their reports to set appropriately ambitious goals. This helps employees channel their efficiency and aim higher with each completion of their goals.
Learning delegation
When delegating tasks, an effective manager looks at the employee characteristics and then assigns them roles that complement their nature of work. This allows the employees to align their individual goals with the organization and perform better. Building a process or structure for delegation can also go a long way in improving the effectiveness of a manager.

Gaurav Sabharwal
CEO of JOP
Gaurav is the CEO of JOP (Joy of Performing), an OKR and high-performance enabling platform. With almost two decades of experience in building businesses, he knows what it takes to enable high performance within a team and engage them in the business. He supports organizations globally by becoming their growth partner and helping them build high-performing teams by tackling issues like lack of focus, unclear goals, unaligned teams, lack of funding, no continuous improvement framework, etc. He is a Certified OKR Coach and loves to share helpful resources and address common organizational challenges to help drive team performance. Read More