The article in New York Times entitled: Google’s Quest to Build a Better Boss http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/13/business/13hire.html?pagewanted=all describes Google's Project Oxygen, a statistics driven research project to study what makes a good manager. Google's People Analytics team studied the attributes of high-performing teams and published the "Eight Habits of Highly Effective Google Managers." As Google believes that its management style is very unique, so their goal in this effort was to uncover the "secrets" to excellent management at Google.
What are the eight findings?
1. Be a good coach. (One couldn't agree more - in fact the best way to characterize great managers is to think of them as coaches - someone who brings out the best in people and helps them succeed)
2. Empower your team and don't micromanage. (One of the biggest findings for Google’s High-Impact Learning Culture research program that only setting goals and letting the team do all the work with very minimum supervision is considered one of the biggest new "competencies" in leadership development. Google mentions "stretch assignments" in this category, as a way of helping the team improve its performance)
3. Express interest in the team's success and personal well-being. (A pretty important factor in any manager's success, and a skill for new managers to develop)
4. Don’t be a sissy: be productive and results-oriented. (This is a way of stating "manage by objectives" and "focus on results" - which is often a challenge with new, technical managers)
5. Be a good communicator and listen to your team. (Effective communications with an open door policy are very important leadership values, and Google specifically recommends that any boss hold all-hands meetings. As we all know, listening is a vital leadership skill and the best leaders are really the best listeners, and they have a unique ability to hear "reality" and then communicate a vision which fits "reality." Much harder said than done)
6. Help your employees with career development. (The Talent Management Factbook research found that companies with mature development planning processes far outperform those that don't - and in fact this is one of the most highly correlated talent management dimensions with business success. The problem is that doing this is far harder than it sounds - and the entire organization must be enabled for career development. Providing equality in access to career development opportunities is always the guiding principle for any good manager)
7. Have a clear vision and strategy for the team. (Clearly an important leadership competency)
8. Have key technical skills so you can help your team. (Having key technical skills is a very important characteristic of strong leadership in a technical company such as Google. However, in services-related businesses this can be far less true - and there is somewhat of a truth to the point that "good managers can manage anything." Technical skills are important to leadership, but in many roles less important than one may think)
Some additional characteristics of good, effective managers that I learned in the MLIS managing libraries course:
Communication
Fairness, equitable treatment
Consistency in interactions and dealings with others
Good political instincts
Understanding “lay of the land” before instituting change (in most cases)
Empathy
Respect
Inspiring others
Listening
Encouraging sharing of different viewpoints, perspectives, ideas
Avoiding “group think”
Sharing credit when applicable
Praising, acknowledging good work, extra effort, sacrifice, commitment, etc.
Building trust
Having a vision, communicating that vision, achieving that vision
Taking a stand when needed, “fighting the good fight”
Standards
Accountability
Integrity
Transparency
Visibility
Intellectual humility
Mentoring
Commitment to professional development for self and staff
Flexibility, adaptability, embracing change
