An effective manager pays attention to many facets of management, leadership and learning within an organisation. So, it’s difficult to take the topic of management success and say that the following ten items are the most important for success. Legions of articles and books profess to have the answer. Many are variations on the same theme. Others profess to add a new characteristic or skill.

There are, however, seven management skills without which you won’t become a successful manager.

These are the key and critical skills which will help you lead your team and encourage employees to want to follow you. And, when employees want to follow you, you have accomplished a key component of managing employees.

Successful managers know what employees need to work effectively, stay productive, and contribute to a thrilled customer experience and a harmonious workplace. They know the behaviours that a manager needs to stay away from to encourage successful employees.

Managers who want to succeed also understand that they are the most significant factor in whether employees are motivated to want to show up for work. A bad manager is frequently cited as a key reason why employees quit their jobs.

Striving for greatness as a manager should top every manager’s goal list. The difference that a great manager can make in the work lives of employees is inestimable. Helping employees feel rewarded, recognised, and thanked is also key to performing effectively as a manager.

The most important issue in management success, however, is being a person that others want to follow. Every action you take during your career in an organisation helps determine whether people will one day want to follow you. Without followers, you cannot lead and manage. So, use these seven tips to be the successful manager that you aspire to become.

A successful manager, one whom others want to follow, performs the following actions effectively:

- Builds effective and responsive interpersonal relationships. Reporting staff members, colleagues and executives respect his or her ability to demonstrate caring, collaboration, respect, trust, and attentiveness. They depend on this manager to treat colleagues with dignity and respect, to keep his word, to exude integrity, and display dependability and character under even the most challenging occurrences and challenges.

- Communicates effectively in person, print, texts, and email. Listening and two-way feedback characterize interactions with others. The manager is also open to receiving feedback from colleagues and reporting staff. He avoids a defensive response and is willing to change his behaviour when the feedback is on target. But, mostly, he understands and acts upon the power of interaction.

- Builds the team and enables other staff to collaborate more effectively with each other. People feel as if they have become more—more effective, more creative, more productive—in the presence of a team builder. She is willing to sit down and problem solve when teamwork or team tasks are not on target and working effectively. She’s able to let employees know directly and candidly when they are impeding the team’s progress.

- Understands the financial aspects of the business and sets goals and measures and documents staff progress and success. This allows the team to feel a sense of progress, that they are reaching goals and exceeding expectations. People want to know how they are performing against expectations at work.

- Knows how to create an environment in which people experience positive morale and recognition and employees are motivated to work hard for the success of the business. Understands that she is the most significant factor in whether employees are happy at work. Her interaction with employees sets the tone for the workplace every day.

- Leads by example and sets the pace via her expectations and behaviour. She provides recognition when others do the same. She walks her talk. Employees know that she is the real deal because she says and does the same thing.

- Helps people grow and develop their skills and capabilities through education and on-the-job learning. Brings career pathing to employees so that they continue to grow and develop. Makes employee career and personal development a priority in the workplace. Employees feel as if their manager cares about their careers and progress. This is one of the most significant factors that employees need from work.