Thomas D. Sharts

Professor of sociology

Northern Marianas College

With so many articles and information existing on what behaviors are associated with being an effective business manager, I decided to offer my insights on this intriguing topic based upon my experiences as an employee and manager over the past 30 years. Let’s take a look at some of the behaviors that I believe are related to being a so-called consummate or complete business manager; and in the meanwhile, let’s understand that this is not a thorough delineation by any means because there are certainly many other effective management behaviors that could be accounted for as well.

Clear: the effective business manager has clarity and the big picture of the entirety of what needs to occur on a daily basis in reference to the work that needs to be completed. Without such an awareness, any divisions of labor will be functioning less optimally in reference to achieved excellence. 

Prepared: the consummate business manager is organized and prepared for the day, and that relates to what I referred to in the previous paragraph. Such preparation reduces miscues and/or misunderstandings in the workplace and optimizes opportunities for excellence to be achieved. 

Adaptable: the effective business manager is adaptable and able to make decisions while standing on his/her feet because of his/her work-related experience; and the nature of running a business often times requires decisions to be made in a timely fashion.

Approachable: the effective business manager’s work experience allows such knowledge to transform him/her into being an approachable and empathetic conduit when working directly with employees. 

Knowledgeable: the effective consummate business manager is knowledgeable about all facets of the business management process and offers his/her assistance to employees or colleagues as needed without hindrance or delay.

Decisive: the consummate effective business manager is able to make timely decisions on a daily basis and is not afraid of problem-solving because he/she is intellectually equipped to think creatively as well as implement critical thinking practices without fear.

Responsible: the effective business manager does not pass the buck on management decisions to be made or interpersonal interactional issues that need to be addressed or redressed.

Humble: the consummate effective business manager is humble and teachable and is able to defer to those with greater understanding and/or knowledge about a given issue or topic. 

Trusting: the effective business manager knows how to delegate tasks to those in the respective divisions of labor managed because he/she has competent knowledge identifying and developing skills sets in the labor force, along with being extraordinarily capable in hiring the most adept persons to become a part of the labor force he/she manages. 

Open: the consummate effective business manager holds outstanding communication skills — specifically in relation to writing, reading, speaking orally and utilizing various social media sources for communication. 

Accepting: the consummate effective business manager has lifetime and work experience working with diverse populations of people (in reference to age, educational level, race, gender, ethnicity, etc.) and likewise, such status distinctions that might comprise his/her labor force do not deter or intimidate his/her ability to manage effectively on a number of requisite management areas of responsibility.