Highly Effective Managers

On June 22, 2019 in notes • 1 minutes read

Be a good coach
- Provide specific, constructive feedback, balancing negative and positive
- Have regular one-on-ones, presenting solutions to problems tailored to the employee’s strengths
Empower your team and don’t micro-manage
- Balance giving freedom to your employees while still being available for advice
- Make “stretch” assignments to help them tackle big problems
Express interest in employees’ success and well-being
- Get to know your employees as people, with lives outside of work\
- Make new folks feel welcome, help ease the transition
Be productive and results-oriented
- Focus on what you want the team to achieve and how employees can help achieve it
- Help the team prioritize work, and make decisions to remove roadblocks
Be a good communicator and listen to your team
- Communication is two-way: Both listen and share\
- Hold all-hands meetings and be specific about the team’s goals\
- Encourage open dialogue and listen to the questions and concerns of your employees
Help your employees with career development
Have a clear vision and strategy for the team
- Even amid turmoil, keep the team focused on goals and strategy
- Involve the team in setting and evolving the team’s vision, goals, and progress
Have key technical skills, so you can help advise the team
- Roll up sleeves and work side-by-side with team, when needed
- Understand the specific challenges of the work

Have trouble making transition to team leader
- Fantastic individual performers are often promoted to manager without the necessary skills to lead
- People hired from outside often don’t understand the specific ways of the company
Lack a consistent approach to performance management and career development
- Doesn’t help employees understand what company wants
- Doesn’t coach employees on how they can develop and stretch
- Not proactive: Waits for the employees to come to them
Spend too little time on managing and communicating

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