Being an office manager is not as easy as some people might expect. It is an extremely important role within an organisation and there are various qualities that a good office manager should possess. So what makes a good and respected office manager?

To be classed as top quality office manager you need to treat each member of the team with the same respect and attitude. Whether it is a composite door company or one offering cheap mobile calls, to have favourites, perhaps somebody they would also consider to be a friend outside of work, can cause a great deal of resentment within the rest of the work force and this can lead to a reduced productivity as well as having a detrimental affect on the atmosphere within the office. Each worker within the office needs to be assured that they will be treated as an equal.

I personally believe that the team leader or manager of the office should be more than happy to pull their weight; including doing some of those more unwanted jobs. They should not merely just delegate the work and then sit back, this will lead to a lack of respect within the rest of the work force.

An ability to think on your feet and to act in a considerate manner are other traits of a successful office manager. They should be pro-active rather than reactive. They should give praise when praise is due and relay messages in a positive manner. We all make mistakes and a manager should be aware of this and therefore not react too harshly when something goes wrong.

An office manager should be a good listener and needs to be flexible. It goes without saying that we all need our own space at certain stages of the year and that we all have problems to deal with – an office manager who is able to understand this is very much welcome.

A good manager will have great organisational skills. This ensures that the office is run smoothly and that everyone understands their role within it.

A good office manager leads from the front and should be a great motivater. It is amazing how positive an effect the purchasing of bacon sandwiches on a Friday morning, for the office staff, can be on their morale.

Author: Steve Hill runs the How To Stop Stuttering Centre in the UK where he helps people to achieve fluency.