In the modern workplace, there are three core qualities that can help any manager thrive. And without these qualities, managing a team can feel exhausting and unproductive. Do you have these general skills in your leadership tool kit?

The Ability to Clear the Path and Lead By Example

Strong, effective managers lead from the front of the line. But they also lead from behind, providing a daily example of how they’d like their employees to approach problems, innovate, get their hands dirty, or interact with clients. While they show employees—instead of just telling them– how to get the job done, they also step out in front to clear the way. Effective managers anticipate what their employees need before they have to ask, including answers and resources. And if they do ask, excellent managers provide the necessary tools immediately.

An Enthusiastic Acceptance of Technology

Managers don’t have to become certified IT pros. And they certainly don’t have to embrace every new gadget simply because it’s new (A knee-jerk love of technology for its own sake usually creates more problems than it solves). But effective management depends on an open, relaxed approach to technological trends that surround and influence your business model, its customers, and its competitors. It’s vital to know how consumers are finding and using your product. And it’s also crucial to accept new innovations that can help your employees do their jobs. If you don’t know how to type, attach a file to an email, use excel, or create a presentation using PowerPoint, learn now.

An Embrace of Risk and Vulnerability

Bold new ideas and forward motion depend on risk. And risk is just that: risk. By its very nature, risk tends to result in failure, not just now and then, but often. If you can’t try something new unless it’s guaranteed to work, you’ll need to loosen your grip. And if you can’t make yourself personally vulnerable in order to learn new things, this can set you back in a modern professional environment. Admit when you’re wrong, stay flexible, be honest, lose gracefully, and recover quickly from setbacks. Your employees will respect you more for these qualities, not less. Rigid adherence to the status quo, hierarchal thinking, and a mortal fear of failure went out with the military culture that spawned the modern workplace after the First World War. Your office isn’t boot camp. And if it is, you’re missing out on valuable opportunities to grow your company and advance your own career.

For more about the qualities that can help managers succeed in a modern workplace, reach out to the Texas staffing and employment pros at Expert.