What makes a great manager? It's a question that'll dog most of us in our working lives. See, corporate hierarchy is inevitable unless you work for yourself — so there's always someone that you have to check in with, report to and are tied to in some way professionally.
After being around the proverbial job market block, I’ve had the best, worst and middling managers. Ego trips, power plays and personality clashes are inevitable when you enter a business environment. So, here are three qualities that have left a positive impression on me:
1) Empathy
This might seem like an emotion that doesn't traditionally have a place in the business world. It might even be frowned upon. However, when used to connect to employees empathy is necessary. The ability to put yourself in the others’ shoes and to build a solid foundation of loyal, happy employees is underrated. It's vital to any company's success, whether big, medium or small.

2) Leadership
This seems like a no-brainer. If someone's in a position of leadership, you assume they possess those skills, but that isn't always the case. An efficient leader follows process and adheres to company policy. At the same time, a manager should realize that company operations and day-to-day activities may not allow for process to prevail every time. Here's the sign of a leader you'd want to work for: It's someone who can lead a team through a chaotic time with grace, while keeping an open-door policy. (The type HR might've told you about in orientation.)

3) Knowledge
Again, this might seem like another no brainer, but to be highly educated in a specialized field—and still have the enthusiasm and vigor to learn about the rest of the company—is a huge plus. 
It’s true that no manager is made equal and everyone is human. Your company might be going through an uncharacteristically horrible time, but the true mark of an effective manager is to sail the team towards sunny skies. If you are an exceptional employee and pride yourself on work ethic, professionalism and results, don’t expect any less from your boss!