What makes a good manager?

cabbage

don't change anything for a week or so unless its critical and then if changes have to be made, change them gradually explaining why including the benefits of the change

ohreally

A good manager is a leader. I believe an individual either has inherent traits or they don't. That’s not to say these traits can't be developed but if they're not there to start with - perhaps that’s one for another day.

Have you trained in management techniques, look at Tuckman (team development), Woodcock (team building), Dean Tjosvold, Belbin.

Look at motivators, Herzberg, F.W Taylor.

Management styles, autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire.


A lot depends on you as an individual and the organisational culture that your entering.

axomoxia

Well, having moved from management, you've stopped adding value to the business directly. To earn your keep you need to make sure the workers add sufficient value to cover you. So make sure you do everything in your power to enable them to do their jobs to the best of their ability. This can be most easily achieved by letting them get on with it!

Sasha101

Congratulations on your new job! :beer:

I have been in the role of Office Manager for just over a year now. I was so proud of myself for gaining my new role however it’s a whole new ball game once you have the word ‘manager’ printed on your name badge. As a new manager I wasn’t prepared to feel so overwhelmed with the office politics! You are no longer one of ‘us’ but one of ‘them’ and you can’t be everyone’s friend.

Before my promotion I always believed to be a good manager you should be firm and fair and not have favourites, don’t align yourself too much with one particular group in the company, be nice and make polite conversation with everyone regardless of status.

I came from a place where I got on well with everyone especially my own line manager who I was sad to leave after 8 years (but time to move on in my own mind). At my new company when I walk into the staffroom at lunchtime it will go quiet sometimes. That was quite hard to deal with at first but I am more interested in eating my lunch to be honest than noting details for the boss about someone having a whinge about the same thing they whinged about yesterday, last week, two months ago etc.

As a new manager you very quickly have to learn how best to deal with the many different groups of people in the wonderful world of work from the big boss, other managers, your own team, other employees made up of the haters, the backstabbers, the ‘I am indispensable’ types, the lazes, the eye-ores, the mutes and then between all that lot the nice normal folk who come to work and do a really good job, take pride in their role and are a real pleasure to work with/for.

I think as a new manager you are expected to wear a red cape and have a magic wand to perform miracles and say yes to people all the time. If you dare say no then you are the worst!

Also be prepared to be compared to your predecessor who may have been either the best manager in the world or the most incompetent. It certainly took me a while to shake off the ghost of my predecessor. I had to keep reminding myself when I felt a bit down and lonely that I got the job fair and square and for a reason, I am the manager now and what ABC did before me isn’t necessarily what I will or am going to do. Oh and buying new shiny red posh box files to sort out the filing how I wanted helped put my stamp on the office too!

The expression, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer" applies perfectly to office politics. I really do enjoy my job and I hope I am liked in my workplace. I am aware of how I act directly reflects on the company. I am polite and professional and have come to realise that if someone doesn’t take to me then there is not much I can do about it despite my efforts.

Good luck on your first day, take a box of biscuits in for break time to break the ice with your new team and remember to just be yourself. Work hard to impress your own boss as he/she is the only one you have to answer to (without being a brown nose or snitch!)

bankhater_1965

once you are a manager you will get lots of enemies u will become unpopular and an !!!!!! !

Jamie1981

Jimavfc82 wrote: »

Ultimately you need to be getting results through your staff, and so need them to understand what you want, and to want to work hard for you. Your personal style and approach are key. To be someone they can trust and respect. Someone who is fair and consistent in their decisions and approach.

Have a chat with everyone and understand them as individuals. What do they want to get more involved in, where do they need support, what did they and didn't they like about their old manager? Are there other factors that are really important to people (child care arrangements, personal problems etc)? Ideally you want them to know you will support them, but also to make them understand your expectations from them. Make sure also that whilst you are supportive you don't fall into the trap of offering to do their job for them.

Try and involve everyone as well. Make clear what your own objectives are and the expectations you have from the team. Make sure everyone understands the role they have to play and make sure you set some really clear tangible objectives for people, along with setting aside time to review these every month or so.

More than anything be yourself. Take feedback on the chin and remember everyone thinks they can do better so don't take it personally if you hear negativity. As long as you are fair you can't go too far wrong.

This is a great answer and you wont go far wrong following this advice.

Also, when managing a team, and you get to know them all, you will find that they will all have differing needs day to day, week to week. It is important that your management style is flexible and you can change your approach to suit the person you are dealing with.

Get yourself over to Wiki and research the quadrants of situational leadership. This will give you an idea of the support required for individuals. The chances are when managing a team (usually larger ones) that you will use the 4 quadrants (sell, tell, delegate and participate) at the same time for different people. Also, one person throughout the time you line manage them will go through all for quadrants as well depending on the tasks being asked of them and things going on in personal lives etc.

Miss_Havisham

I've read this back before hitting the button and it sounds horrendous but it's the way I've always managed and I get good results. I would take 6 months or so to fully establish the following.

1. get full clarification from your boss of your remit, his/her requirements of you, targets, how you will be assessed, are there any training courses you could attend, does a job description exist, to what extent you will be involved in issues/activites beyond your dept (e.g. meetings, projects). You need this info so that you can do your job with confidence.

2. If you've moved to a different company familiarise yourself with the staff handbook.

3. When I've taken over teams of people I've held a quick intro meeting with them all as a group, outlining a bit about me my own responsibilities (i.e the above), my "rules" on things such as punctuality, sickness, long lunch hours, sneaking off early and my management "style". Find out what sort of communications they had with their former manager and is this effective or would they like to change it

4. Make them feel "safe" and confident with you but at the same time make it clear that you are in charge and have authority. Don't rule with a rod of iron but at the same time don't establish a consensus approach to running the dept - you will have to make unpopular decisions at times and they need to understand that you are on the management side of the fence, committed to the company. Be fair.

5. Set up 1:1 informal meetings with each one to get to know them (don't pry, just what they want to reveal), and get them to describe their jobs as they understand them.

6. Don't go in and start changing things immediately, but equally you should make some (minor) changes within the first couple of weeks.

7. Watch out for an "informal leader", i.e. a member of your staff who commands the respect of the others and who might not be committed to the company or is cynical about you. Get them on-side so you can use them as a way of indirectly influencing the team. Such people can be powerful allies or enemies in a large team.

8. If it's a larger team with supervisory staff between you and the team, ensure you understand and re-confirm their roles & responsibilities. Establish a "management by exception" if appropriate to do so. By this I mean that they don't need to give you details of everything they've done but that they must let you know of issues/problems ASAP. Your own managers will usualy have an in-built radar to detect such probs so you really need to get a grip of them before she/he asks about them (sorry, hope this bit makes sense).

9. don't confine yourself to your office all day, do "management by walk-about" so they get used to you being around them without being a threat. Don't look over their shoulder/eavesdrop.

10. If they tend to socialise after work, e.g a quick drink, ask if you can join them occasionally (not every time). Leave well before them so they can relax ! Buy a round if you can afford it.

11. Acknowledge that most of your staff run busy lives outside of work which gives them many skills that can be applied to the way they work. Some of them will be content to do routine work and not want extra responsibilities but some will be eager to take on new things, projects, training etc. The trick is to recognise this and act where apropriate.

12. Enjoy it, seeing staff do a good job, responding well to management and working well among themselves is very rewarding.

13. Make contributions to office collections for birthdays etc.

14. "Give" them something very occasionally. If not busy or work has been completed earlier than usual let some of them leave early (an hour ?). Rotate so they all get the opportunity.

15. Be assertive, not aggressive or arrogant (with staff and your bosses)

16. Get to know and form allies with your HR dept.

Managing is hard work because you have to satisfy your team and your boss.

Good luck, don't let me put you off !

Miss H

LittleMrsThrifty

Thank you for all your responses. It's really helpful, and interesting, to hear other viewpoints.

I'm going to be managing a team of 10 having previously managed four. To answer another question, my previous "manager" roles have been dishing out my manager's decisions. In the new role (in a new organisation) I sense I'll be left to my own devices far more. It's a challenge I'm really looking forward to but also recognise I have 10 people relying on me so it's important I get it right.

I've had good and bad bosses in my time and I've been reflecting on all of them lately. Personally I think the best managers are those who are fair but firm and clear about expectations; friendly but not your friend; fair and consistent; lead by example; allow people to develop professionally as they wish; maintain confidentiality but not leave others in the dark; show compassion and understanding; approachable and willing to take the flack and share the credit. (Sorry that's not well written, hope you get the jist.)

The guy I'm taking over from was well liked so I have big shoes to fill but am up to the challenge. I'm meeting them all individually and as a team in week one, then I'll take it from there. They're a highly regarded team who work hard so I feel honored to be given th opportunity to lead them.

Thanks again for all your help!

Kynthia

Communication is essential. So one to ones and team meetings so that you can get to know them, pass on information from senior management, discuss objectives, etc.

Spend time on the individuals, the team and the tasks. With the individuals you need to understand their goals, how they are motivated and what their skills are. The team as a whole need direction, the objectives explained to them and team building so that they work together. The tasks means understanding what is involved and measuring performance, seeing what can be done to meet objectives, delegating, etc.

Sometimes you have to make hard decisions and give negative feedback, but try to support your staff and back them up to anyone outside the team.

System

Be honest, friendly, consistent, approachable, interested in them.

Don't try and pretend to know things you don't - they already know about your job, you don't.