How to Be a Good Manager: Leading With Authenticity and Impact

The question of how to be a good manager isn’t just about mastering techniques or following prescribed formulas. It’s about developing an authentic leadership approach that brings out the best in your team while delivering exceptional results. The most effective managers understand that their impact comes not from position or authority, but from how they show up every day—through their presence, decisions, communications, and relationships.

For women navigating leadership roles with complex expectations and systemic challenges, discovering how to be a good manager takes on additional dimensions. It requires balancing authentic leadership approaches with strategic techniques that work within existing systems while gradually transforming them.

This comprehensive guide explores research-backed principles and practical strategies for exceptional management that align with your leadership values rather than requiring you to adopt styles that feel inauthentic or unsustainable.

The Core Mindsets of Exceptional Management

Before diving into specific strategies for how to be a good manager, let’s explore the foundational mindsets that distinguish truly exceptional managers.

Leadership as Service, Not Status

Perhaps the most fundamental mindset shift involves seeing management not as elevated status but as expanded service. Exceptional managers understand that their role exists to:

• Create conditions where others can do their best work
• Remove obstacles that impede individual and team effectiveness
• Connect people’s efforts to meaningful purpose and impact
• Develop capabilities that expand what’s possible for both individuals and the organization
• Make decisions that serve the collective good, not personal preference

This service orientation transforms management from self-focused authority to others-focused enablement—a shift that creates both greater impact and deeper fulfillment.

For women managers who may experience tension between leadership assertiveness and societal expectations, this service orientation provides a powerful alternative that transcends this false dichotomy.

People as Whole Humans, Not Just Roles

Outstanding managers recognize that they lead whole people, not just professional roles. They understand that:

• Each person brings their full humanity to work, not just skills and experience
• Performance connects deeply to meaning, belonging, and purpose
• Wellbeing and productivity are complementary, not competing
• Individual circumstances and needs matter for sustainable effectiveness
• Genuine care creates the foundation for both performance and growth

This holistic perspective allows managers to create environments where people bring their full capabilities rather than compartmentalized fractions of themselves.

Management as Dynamic Practice, Not Static Position

The best managers approach their role as an ongoing practice requiring continuous learning and adaptation rather than a fixed position of authority. They recognize that:

• What works today may not work tomorrow as contexts evolve
• Different situations require different leadership approaches
• Feedback provides essential data for leadership evolution
• Personal growth and team development happen in parallel
• Mistakes offer valuable learning rather than evidence of inadequacy

This growth orientation creates resilient leadership that evolves with changing circumstances rather than becoming rigid or outdated.

For women developing their leadership approach, this permission for ongoing evolution offers freedom from the pressure to arrive “fully formed” as a perfect manager—an impossible standard that undermines authentic development.

Foundational Principles for How to Be a Good Manager

With these mindsets as foundation, let’s explore core principles that guide exceptional management practice across contexts.

1. Create Clarity That Enables Autonomy

Few things undermine performance and engagement more fundamentally than confusion about direction, priorities, or success criteria. Exceptional managers provide crystal-clear:

• Connection between individual work and broader purpose
• Specific performance expectations and priorities
• Quality standards and success criteria
• Decision authorities and boundaries
• Communication and coordination requirements

This clarity creates the cognitive architecture within which people can work with confidence and autonomy. Without it, even the most talented individuals will struggle with misalignment, wasted effort, and frustration.

For women managers seeking to understand what makes a good leader more broadly, this clarity principle represents one of the most powerful leverage points for establishing leadership credibility.

2. Develop Trust Through Integrity and Consistency

Trust forms the foundation upon which all other management effectiveness rests. The best managers build trust through:

• Alignment between words and actions
• Honest communication even when difficult
• Appropriate transparency about rationale and context
• Consistent follow-through on commitments
• Acknowledgment of mistakes rather than deflection

When trust exists, everything else becomes easier—from giving feedback to navigating change to addressing conflicts. When trust erodes, even technically sound management approaches fail to create intended impact.

3. Foster Psychological Safety as Competitive Advantage

Google’s landmark research identified psychological safety—the belief that you won’t be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes—as the single most important factor differentiating high-performing teams.

Exceptional managers create psychological safety through:

• Acknowledging their own limitations and mistakes
• Demonstrating curiosity rather than judgment when problems arise
• Actively inviting diverse perspectives, especially from quieter team members
• Responding constructively to bad news or challenging feedback
• Protecting team members who take reasonable risks that don’t succeed

When your team operates with high psychological safety, they innovate more readily, surface problems earlier, collaborate more effectively, and bring their full intelligence to complex challenges.

4. Balance Growth Challenge With Support

The most effective managers understand that development happens at the intersection of challenge and support—not from either in isolation. They:

• Provide assignments that stretch capabilities without overwhelming
• Offer guidance without taking over
• Create safe space for experimentation and learning
• Give specific, actionable feedback on both strengths and development areas
• Advocate for appropriate resources and preparation

This balanced approach accelerates growth while preventing both stagnation from insufficient challenge and disengagement from insufficient support.

For women managers interested in broader strategies for managing people, this balance creates a powerful framework for development conversations that feel both caring and performance-oriented.

5. Develop Communication That Creates Understanding

Perhaps no management capability impacts more dimensions of effectiveness than communication. Exceptional managers:

• Adapt communication to different audiences and needs
• Balance advocacy for their perspective with inquiry into others’
• Listen for understanding rather than waiting to respond
• Provide appropriate context that creates meaning
• Communicate difficult messages with both clarity and care

When managers excel at communication, they reduce misunderstanding, increase alignment, and create conditions for both operational excellence and innovation.

Practical Strategies for Exceptional Management

With these foundational principles established, let’s explore specific strategies for how to be a good manager across key responsibilities.

Creating Meaningful One-on-One Connections

Regular one-on-one meetings provide perhaps the highest-leverage management opportunity for building relationships, providing guidance, and developing capabilities. Make these conversations exceptional by:

Establishing consistent cadence. Schedule regular one-on-ones with appropriate frequency (typically weekly or biweekly) and maintain this commitment even amid competing priorities.

Preparing thoughtfully. Review prior notes, current projects, and potential discussion points before each meeting rather than approaching conversations unprepared.

Balancing forward focus with immediate concerns. Include both near-term operational topics and longer-term development discussions rather than allowing urgent matters to continuously displace important ones.

Practicing genuine presence. Give full attention during these conversations rather than multitasking or mentally preparing responses while the other person speaks.

Creating space for the unexpected. Allow room for emergent topics rather than filling the entire agenda with predetermined items, recognizing that the most important conversations often arise spontaneously.

These approaches transform one-on-ones from administrative check-ins to powerful developmental touchpoints that accelerate both individual growth and performance.

Providing Feedback That Accelerates Growth

Effective feedback represents one of the highest-leverage management capabilities, yet many managers either avoid it entirely or deliver it ineffectively. Exceptional managers:

Make feedback a regular practice, not occasional event. Incorporate feedback into ongoing conversations rather than saving it for formal reviews, creating continuous learning rather than periodic anxiety.

Balance reinforcement with development guidance. Provide substantial positive feedback about specific strengths and contributions, not just corrective input about improvement areas.

Focus on observed behaviors and impacts. Describe specific situations, behaviors, and impacts rather than making character judgments or generalizations.

Connect feedback to development priorities. Link feedback to the individual’s growth goals and aspirations rather than providing disconnected observations.

Create two-way dialogue, not one-way pronouncements. Invite the recipient’s perspective and experience rather than assuming your interpretation is complete or definitive.

These approaches transform feedback from dreaded obligation to valuable opportunity that accelerates development while strengthening relationships.

For managers seeking to develop their active listening capabilities as foundation for effective feedback, specialized resources can provide valuable skill development.

Delegating for Development, Not Just Execution

When approached strategically, delegation becomes a powerful development tool rather than merely a workload management technique. Exceptional managers:

Match assignments to both capabilities and development goals. Consider not just what needs doing but what learning opportunities different assignments create.

Provide context beyond immediate tasks. Share the “why” behind work, not just the “what” and “how,” creating deeper understanding and engagement.

Clarify decision authority explicitly. Specify which decisions the person can make independently versus where consultation is expected, avoiding the frustration of unclear boundaries.

Remain available without taking over. Provide appropriate support through questions and guidance rather than jumping in to fix challenges.

Debrief after completion for learning consolidation. Discuss what worked, what didn’t, and why after significant assignments, converting experience into insight.

This developmental approach to delegation creates compounding benefits—expanding individual capabilities while gradually freeing your time for higher-value management work.

Leading Effective Meetings That Respect Time

Meetings consume substantial organizational time, yet often deliver questionable value. Transform this dynamic by:

Clarifying specific purpose and desired outcomes. Determine exactly what the meeting should accomplish and whether a meeting is truly the best approach.

Including only essential participants. Invite those who genuinely need to be present rather than defaulting to broad inclusion.

Designing appropriate structures. Create meeting formats specifically designed for the intended outcomes rather than using the same approach for all meetings.

Facilitating effectively for balanced participation. Ensure all voices contribute rather than allowing a few to dominate.

Closing with clear conclusions and next steps. Explicitly summarize decisions, commitments, and subsequent actions so everyone leaves with shared understanding.

These approaches transform meetings from necessary evils to productive collaborations that move work forward while respecting everyone’s time.

For more comprehensive approaches to operational efficiency, our guide on how to be an organized manager provides valuable systems for creating both effectiveness and sustainability.

Making Decisions That Build Ownership

How you make decisions profoundly impacts both immediate outcomes and longer-term engagement. Exceptional managers:

Match decision approaches to situation requirements. Use different decision-making methods—from unilateral to consultative to consensus—depending on the specific context rather than defaulting to a single approach.

Clarify decision process upfront. Communicate explicitly how decisions will be made and what input is being sought rather than creating confusion about roles.

Provide appropriate context and constraints. Share relevant background, parameters, and considerations that inform the decision.

Involve those most affected when feasible. Include perspectives from those who will implement or be significantly impacted by the decision.

Explain rationale, especially for difficult decisions. Share your thinking, particularly when the decision differs from some input received or affects people significantly.

These approaches create decisions that benefit from diverse perspectives while generating the ownership essential for effective implementation.

Special Considerations for Women Managers

For women implementing approaches to how to be a good manager, certain common challenges require additional consideration. Let’s explore strategies that address these realities while creating authentic management impact.

Navigating Authority Dynamics

Research consistently demonstrates that women managers often face contradictory expectations around authority—to be both decisive enough to demonstrate leadership and accommodating enough to meet likability expectations. Address this through:

Leading with questions that guide thinking. Use thoughtful inquiry to shape direction while creating engagement rather than relying exclusively on direct statements.

Connecting decisions to shared objectives. Frame direction in terms of collective goals rather than personal authority or preference.

Establishing expertise in relevant domains. Build unambiguous competence in areas central to your management responsibilities, creating natural authority through demonstrated capability.

Being decisively collaborative. Integrate multiple perspectives while maintaining clear direction on important matters rather than defaulting to either dictatorial or consensus extremes.

These approaches allow you to guide effectively while minimizing potential backlash that might undermine your management influence.

Building Support Networks for Sustainable Leadership

The additional complexities women managers navigate make support systems particularly crucial. Consider developing:

Peer communities for shared experience. Connect with other managers facing similar challenges to exchange approaches and provide mutual support.

Mentoring relationships for perspective. Cultivate relationships with experienced leaders who can offer insight from their own journeys.

Coaching resources for targeted development. Work with professionals who can provide objective feedback and development support.

Personal renewal practices. Create habits that maintain the physical and emotional resources needed for sustained management effectiveness.

These support structures provide both practical guidance and emotional sustainability amid the additional complexities women managers often navigate.

Creating Visibility for Team Contributions

Women managers sometimes face challenges ensuring their teams’ contributions receive appropriate recognition. Address this through:

Documenting and sharing team achievements. Create clear records of team accomplishments and ensure they’re visible to relevant stakeholders.

Building strategic relationships with senior leaders. Develop connections with key leaders who can amplify recognition for your team’s work.

Creating presentation opportunities for team members. Establish forums where team members can directly showcase their work to decision-makers.

Ensuring appropriate attribution. Be vigilant about correct attribution when team ideas or work are discussed in broader contexts.

These approaches ensure your team’s contributions receive the visibility and recognition they deserve, enhancing both career opportunities and engagement.

Developing Your Personal Management Approach

The most effective approach to how to be a good manager involves developing a personalized management style aligned with both your authentic strengths and your specific context.

Assess Your Current Management Effectiveness

Begin by honestly evaluating your current management approach:

• What aspects of management currently come most naturally to you?
• Where do you consistently receive positive feedback as a manager?
• What management situations create the greatest challenges for you?
• How aligned is your management approach with your deeper values and strengths?
• What impact does your current management style have on both results and relationships?

This assessment creates a realistic foundation for targeted development rather than generic improvement aspirations.

Identify Your Highest-Impact Development Areas

Rather than attempting to improve every management dimension simultaneously, identify 1-3 areas where focused development would create the greatest positive impact. Consider:

• Which management capabilities most directly affect your team’s current needs?
• What management approaches would address your most significant challenges?
• Which capabilities would create the greatest ripple effects across multiple situations?
• What approaches feel most authentic to your leadership values and style?

This focused approach creates momentum through visible progress rather than diffusing effort across too many initiatives.

Create Deliberate Practice Opportunities

Management capabilities develop through deliberate practice, not just knowledge acquisition. Design specific situations where you can strengthen your target management muscles:

• Schedule conversations specifically focused on practicing certain approaches
• Request feedback from trusted colleagues on particular management behaviors
• Set specific behavioral goals for upcoming management situations
• Reflect systematically on what worked and what didn’t in recent management interactions

This deliberate practice approach accelerates development far more effectively than generic management exposure alone.

For those interested in broader leadership development, our guide on ways to demonstrate leadership at work provides valuable perspectives on leadership impact beyond formal management roles.

Continuous Evolution: From Good to Exceptional

Understanding how to be a good manager isn’t a one-time achievement but rather an ongoing journey of refinement and growth. The most exceptional managers continuously evolve their approach through:

Creating Robust Feedback Channels

Rather than relying solely on formal review processes, develop diverse feedback channels including:

• Regular check-ins specifically focused on your management impact
• Periodic team surveys or feedback sessions
• Trusted colleagues who observe your management approach
• Organizational metrics related to team engagement and performance
• Self-assessment against specific management development goals

These varied perspectives provide richer insight than any single feedback source alone.

Developing Reflection Practices

Regular reflection transforms raw experience into usable insight. Consider practices like:

• Weekly review of management victories and challenges
• Monthly assessment of progress against development goals
• Quarterly deeper evaluation of management approach
• Annual comprehensive review of leadership evolution

These structured reflections convert experiences into lasting capability development rather than merely accumulating time in role.

Expanding Your Management Repertoire

Rather than relying on familiar approaches regardless of situation, continuously expand your management toolkit by:

• Studying diverse management models and methodologies
• Observing effective managers across different contexts
• Experimenting with new approaches in low-risk situations
• Seeking feedback on the impact of different management styles

This expansion creates flexibility to address varied team needs rather than forcing every situation into familiar patterns.

Conclusion: Management as Transformative Relationship

The question of how to be a good manager ultimately resolves to this fundamental truth: exceptional management emerges not from technical mastery alone, but from the quality of relationships you create and the conditions you establish for others to thrive.

When you approach management through this lens, you recognize that your impact comes less from what you personally accomplish and more from what you enable in others. The metrics that truly matter aren’t just quarterly results, but the growth, engagement, and sustainable excellence you catalyze in the people you have the privilege to lead.

For women navigating complex management landscapes with additional barriers and expectations, this relationship-centered approach offers a pathway that aligns with both effectiveness and authenticity. It allows you to lead in ways that leverage your natural strengths while creating the results that establish unquestionable credibility.

The principles and strategies explored in this guide provide frameworks for developing your unique management voice, but the most powerful approach will always be the one that authentically reflects your values and context while addressing the specific needs of your team and organization.

As you continue your management journey, remember that growth happens through practice and reflection, not perfect execution. Each interaction provides both immediate impact and learning for future effectiveness—gradually expanding your capacity to create the conditions where both you and your team can do your best work.

The world of leadership needs your authentic voice—not a conformist version constrained by outdated management stereotypes, but your genuine presence bringing your unique strengths to the essential work of bringing out the best in others.

Ready to continue your management development journey? Explore our guide on the 7 C’s of great leadership for a comprehensive framework of the core qualities that drive leadership excellence, or discover insights about the responsibilities of a manager to understand the full spectrum of management obligations.