Not everyone is cut out to be a credit manager. But those that are stand out. They not only possess the leadership skills needed to motivate their team, but they’re innovative and creative in their approach.

Truly outstanding credit managers create habits for success in their chosen field. These 5 habits are what makes them rock stars:

#1. They make a habit of personal productivity

Great managers not only delegate and oversee, but they also do their fair share of the hard work. They manage themselves with the high level of expectation in which they manage their team staying on top of tasks to prevent backlog.

#2. They’re creative thinkers

In this industry, professionals routinely face complicated problems in need of creative solutions. The most successful credit managers are the ones willing to move beyond traditional means out into creative realms to solve issues. For example, being willing to try new software or even re-arranging the office layout for better productivity and communication. The old, “But we’ve always done it this way” excuse won’t work with a creative manager who is bent on finding a better, more productive way to operate.

#3. They know what goals to set

It is easy to set unreasonable goals for your staff. The true mark of a great credit manager
is knowing how far they can ask their staff to reach. This does not mean they set easy goals, it means they know what goals are possible and will push their employees to reach new heights.

#4. They influence those around them

Leadership, in general, requires the ability to positively motivate others toward a common goal. Credit managers must be able to convince leaders in their company to try new approaches, explore the latest software, or expand personnel. They also can influence those under them to try to things and constantly push the boundary forward. Being able to influence others to ‘get on board’ helps move the company forward.

#5. They value their team

Management comes with authority. Not everyone handles authority well. The truly great credit managers know how to authentically show appreciation to their team members. They lead by example, offer growth opportunities and help where it’s needed. A credit manager is only as good as his team and a great credit manager not only knows this but is constantly looking for ways to improve the people around them.