The Importance of Being Earnest (as a Manager)

Some manager traits cannot be taught, so it is important that you have certain characteristics if you expect to be successful. Being earnest is not a management skill, but it is an important trait to have if you are leading people or managing a team. Someone who is earnest displays intense sincerity or conviction, which can build trust among team members and put employees at ease. If you need help developing this trait, consider taking a management training course or personal development class.

Many organizations emphasize a management skill set that includes technology or sales, but they fail to emphasize the importance of conducting yourself in a genuine and sincere manner. Perhaps they should, as sincerity can go a long way in business when dealing with employees, customers, and vendors. Slick sales pitches and bait-and-switch tactics might make your company some quick money, but they will also damage your reputation if customers find out that you were not sincere in your dealings with them. Instead of focusing on short-term benefits, focus on the long-term benefits of dealing with customers honestly.

Being earnest is also important if you manage your company's social media presence. Disseminating information effectively is just one management skill you should have to succeed in today's business world. If your company uses social media to do so, it is important that you are always earnest in your social media posts. If you manage a social media team but do not post directly to social networking sites, require that all of your employees tell the truth whenever they use this form of media to communicate with customers. Michelle Kraker, a social media expert with Inbound Marketing Agents, recommends monitoring company social media accounts and correcting any inaccuracies quickly.

Even if you have had many years to develop your management skill set, being earnest can protect you from some common mistakes. One such mistake is promoting your company with unethical or "black hat" tactics. Pam Johnson-Bennett discusses several of these tactics in her article titled "Don't Lose Sight of Honesty and Sincerity When Marketing Your Business." She cites posting business advertisements on personal pages, using blog comments to advertise your company, and soliciting product reviews or testimonials from friends and family members as three of the tactics that could hurt your business. If you are always earnest—sincere and honest—you will not use these harmful tactics.

In the business field, no amount of management skill is enough to counteract the negative effects of dishonesty. If you expect to build loyal relationships with customers and employees, being earnest should be one of your top priorities. When you combine this trait with a management skill set that includes leading employees and building strong relationships with customers, you have a recipe for true success in the business world. Don't let the temptation of quick or easy profits derail your efforts to remain earnest and develop other positive manager traits.

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