Traits entrepreneurs should look for in managers

It does not matter how smart or efficient you are as an entrepreneur. Managing large groups of people is not only difficult, but time-consuming. That is why you hire managers. They can handle your employees while you focus on the big picture. All you need to do is hire the right people, and you can confidently lead your growing small business.  Here are seven traits you should look for in anyone you hire or promote to a managerial position.

Focused on Growth

Just because your team is growing beyond your personal reach does not mean the startup is done scaling. A stagnant business is often a failing business, which is why you need growth-oriented managers. They should have the initiative and mindset that promotes skill-growth in their team, which will eventually result in highly-skilled employees for your company. That can simplify growing and scaling your startup, making your job much easier.

Skilled Delegator 

Managers are not there to take over the work of their teams. They are there to optimize everyone's systems and ensure that target outputs and productivity are met. That means they should be skilled delegators if they want to be effective managers. While they have their own tasks, they should also have the ability to identify which members of their teams are best at specific tasks. That way, any assigned tasks will result in the best possible output not just for the team, but for the startup as a whole.

Experience in Organization and Logistics 

A manager's primary task is ensuring that everything is in place for their team to thrive. That is why organizational and logistical skills are so critical for the managers you choose. A properly managed team has clear lines of authority and communication. Each member knows where to get their assignments and how to get them done in the most efficient manner. Properly organizational skills will also allow the team to be more flexible, able to change tasks and objectives as the startup demands.

Adaptable 

The success of a startup can boil down to how adaptable its team is. At any given day, the small business may be forced to pivot towards a different market, or towards a different product entirely. Managers should be able to help their team make that adjustment. If you cannot rely on your managers for flexibility, you put your startup under immense risk. Should the team be unable to pivot along with your goals, the endeavor becomes more likely to fail.

Empathic and Understanding 

Working at a small business can be tremendously stressful, even for the most determined employees. The future is uncertain, given that most startups fail within a year. That is why you need managers who can empathize and understand the stress their team is under. That allows them to properly handle any emotional issues that crop up, and can allow them to properly judge whether or not they can handle the strain you will throw at them. Doing so will allow you to adjust plans accordingly, either by scaling back the endeavor, or by hiring more work to give the company some critical breathing room.

Problem Solving 

For a manager, solving problems is part of the daily routine. Employees will find walls and issues when trying to accomplish their goals, and it is the manager's job to help them find solutions for those issues. The more adept they are at finding solutions, the smoother the company's operations will tend to be.

Focused on Results

Any manager worth their salt and your time is results focused. They are not hung up on the minutiae of how something is done. Their only concern is getting the job done to the satisfaction of the startup's needs. Having that mindset means knowing when a job requires individual efforts and assigning tasks accordingly, or jumping into the trenches with their team if it requires a massive collaborative effort. 

While those are far from the only traits you will want in your managers as an entrepreneur, those are the ones you need to keep an eye out for. Angle your questions and queries in the hiring and interview process to figure out whether those traits are present. The more due diligence you apply, the more likely you are to get managers who give your startup what it needs to succeed