By Helen StJohn – 13th January 2022

Great leadership is, of course, essential at every level for an organisation to be successful. However, Frontline Managers are responsible for ensuring that an organisation’s strategy translates into results and are therefore the linchpin for success.

As such, it’s fair to say that very few roles are as demanding as that of a Frontline Manager as they often require in-depth technical expertise in addition to the knowledge and skills required to lead their team and keep them engaged, motivated and productive.

There is, of course, a fairly long list of things a Frontline Manager needs to be highly effective. We’ve listed six of the most important below.

#1 – Great Communication Skills

As a Frontline Manager, great communication skills are your biggest asset as you need to be able to communicate just as well with your manager(s) as you do your team members. From setting goals and expectations or congratulating a member of staff on a job well done to providing negative feedback or enforcing rules you don’t agree with, great communication skills enable you to get your message across in an authoritative but positive way.

#2 – Self Awareness

Frontline Managers who understand their own strengths, weaknesses and personality type are far better equipped to influence and interact effectively with their team and managers, who may well have very different personalities, values, and working styles.

#3 – Emotional Intelligence 

Understanding the personality types of their team members, how they interact with each other, and how best to manage them is essential for a Frontline Manager to build team cohesiveness and get the best from his or her staff.

#4 – Coaching & Mentoring Skills 

Highly successful Frontline Managers aren’t commanders, but facilitators of the conditions and resources that their team members need to succeed. Part of the facilitator role involves providing team members with ongoing, meaningful feedback on what they are doing well and what (and how) they could do better.

#5 – Team Building & Leading Skills

The main role of a Frontline Manager is, as the title suggests, to manage the people in their team, the most successful being those that are able to clearly demonstrate to their team how their work contributes to the organisation’s success and motivate them to work as a cohesive unit to achieve team goals.

#6 – Strategic Thinking 

Frontline Managers require an understanding of their organisation’s strategic priorities and how their team fits into and supports those priorities. Equipped with this strategic understanding, Frontline Managers are able to ensure their team’s work is aligned to the objectives of the organisation.

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