Zubayer, 18th Batch, Assistant Manager, Merchandising, Marks & Spencer
Building excellent managers isn’t just about teaching technical skills or management frameworks—it’s about shaping leaders who inspire, guide, and empower their teams to reach their fullest potential. Great managers don’t just manage tasks; they manage people with empathy, clarity, and purpose.
To grow truly exceptional managers, organizations must focus on three core principles: Show You Care, Make It Clear, and Help Them Win.
1. Show You Care
The foundation of great leadership is genuine care. Excellent managers build trust by showing authentic concern for their people—not just for what they produce, but for who they are.
When managers take the time to listen, understand personal motivations, and recognize the challenges their team members face, they create a culture of belonging. People thrive when they feel valued.
Showing care can be as simple as:
– Checking in regularly—not just on projects, but on people.
– Acknowledging individual efforts and milestones.
– Providing support during difficult times.
– Encouraging work-life balance and well-being.
When employees know their manager truly cares about them, they naturally become more engaged, loyal, and motivated. A caring environment builds the emotional safety needed for innovation, feedback, and growth.
2. Make It Clear
Clarity is power. Great managers make expectations, goals, and feedback crystal clear. Ambiguity leads to confusion and frustration, while clarity drives focus and confidence.
An excellent manager ensures that every team member understands:
– What success looks like.
– Why their work matters.
– How their contribution fits into the bigger picture.
– What behaviors and results are expected.
Clear communication doesn’t just set direction—it eliminates guesswork. It also empowers employees to take ownership of their roles, knowing exactly what’s required and where they stand.
Regular one-on-one conversations, transparent goal-setting, and constructive feedback are key tools in building clarity. When managers communicate with openness and consistency, they unlock higher performance and stronger alignment across the team.
3. Help Them Win
The best managers don’t compete with their teams—they enable them. Helping people win means giving them the tools, opportunities, and confidence to succeed.
This includes:
– Providing coaching and mentorship.
– Offering opportunities for growth and skill development.
– Removing barriers that hinder performance.
– Celebrating achievements, both big and small.
When managers focus on helping others succeed, they multiply impact. A “help them win” mindset creates a ripple effect — teams become more capable, confident, and committed to shared goals.
Ultimately, the success of a manager is reflected in the success of their people.
In Summary
To grow excellent managers, organizations must go beyond training programs and policies. They must nurture empathy, clarity, and empowerment.
– Show You Care—build trust and connection.
– Make It Clear—communicate with transparency and purpose.
– Help Them Win—enable growth and celebrate success.
When managers lead with heart, clarity, and support, they don’t just create better results—they build stronger people. And strong people build great organizations.
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