3 ways to be a much better manager

Managers have an important role to play in companies' retention strategies because, as many surveys have shown, people don't leave companies, they leave managers.

The recently released Jack Hammer Executive Report found that 50% of respondents would leave their company if they did not receive a promotion within a specified period of time, but 91% said the lack of organisational culture, including a sense of teamwork and trust, would lead to them looking for another job.

Many leadership skills can be taught.

Bruce MacDonald, the convener of the programme for management development at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business, lists these crucial management skills:

Excellent communication skills, especially the ability to listen, are vital for good managers.

Knowing what people are saying takes a certain amount of psychological knowledge relating to the human dynamic and requires managers to be more empathetic and accessible. But the positive spin-offs are huge - sympathetic bosses have more engaged and loyal employees;

Feedback and encouragement make people feel valued and motivate them to try harder.

Money is a tiny motivator. What keeps employees happy is feeling that the job they do is important, that their opinions matter, and that they have the opportunity to do their best every day; and

The ability to motivate people is not about being an orator.

One of the most important tools for a manager is the ability to influence people to do things on their own, without needing to be micromanaged.